Battery-powered LED motion-sensing night light - any in UK?

[dskeeles]

Hi All,

I'm looking for a night-light for our bathroom, to avoid switching on the main light with a and the fan during the night.

I did find one, which seems ideal, but I've only found it in this store in the US. Checked the manufacturer's website for UK resellers, but even they don't list it. The store price is cheap enough, but they charge =A330 for postage! (In which case I'll buy a batch and try selling them on ebay UK!)

I did find this alternative, which seems cool and has "added functionality" ;-) , but rather less practical

anyone know of any of that first one in the UK - or similar products? We don't have any electrical sockets in a suitable place, so most common nightlights are out, and I'm really looking for something small, neat and simple.

Damian

[Ian Stirling]

Why do you want motion sensing?

Personally, I don't find 1LED worth of light disturbing, but it's quite enough to reach "not falling over stuff" levels of light.

[Owain]

Paint the toilet lid with luminous paint

Owain

[Malcolm Stewart]

I've got a device labelled "Sensorguard" which may do what you want. It's got an infra-red sensor, hook and screw-head socket for wall mounting, powered by 4 C cells, and can be switched between ON, OFF, auto lamp and auto alarm mode. There's a variable time setting for the lamp, and it can be powered by an external 6V supply. Sorry, but don't know where it came from.

[dskeeles]

You mean just to have an LED light on continuously? It's do-able and practical, agreed, but having a motion & light sensor is a "neater" solution.

I wouldn't mind, say, a time-activated LED light or two - just so it's on in the small hours - but I've not seen any of these either.

Damian

[dskeeles]

Yep, I saw something on ebay Australia that is something like this. I'm looking for a smaller, neater solution though. Although the ALARM setting has fantastic possibilties for practical jokes.

[Frank Erskine]

I'd have thought a motion detector would be entirely appropriate for the loo.

[Harry Bloomfield]

I don't think you would find one battery powered, because the current demands for the motion sensor will be quite high - probably almost as high as the LED light itself.

Nor would it be sensible to expect a small battery to maintain an LED lit during continuous use. Could you not have an LED switched on by the closure of the bathroom door and arrange for the door to be left slightly ajar at all other times?

[Nick]

I have a similar problem with an outside toilet used by many people, some of them rather stupid, and they will forget to turn off the light. And a switch is also rather unhygienic. So I was thinking of having the entire floor and seat area hinged, with a micro switch underneath that turns on the light. But I'd rather use a sensor. The battery will be charged from a solar panel on the roof. How much power do sensors take?

[dskeeles]

Re: motion sensors: the model I've seen on sale in America is exactly that, combined with an LDR, powered by 3xAA batteries, and fairly slimline. Since I use NiMH AA's extensively and always have some lying around, I've no problem recharging these once a month or so... The light is actually designed as a wirefree installation for dark/deep wardrobes, but then our bathroom isn't much larger than that :-)

As for your requirements Nick, I suspect this thing would do just fine... however, for a public outside toilet it might have to be sturdy rather than 'neat', so I'd suggest one of the 'alarm' style sensors like Malcolm mentions, rather than this wardrobe one.

You could probably simply wire a commercial solar battery charger or two in parallel with the cells, since the solar cells would only activate in daylight, and the lights' LDR would make sure it stays off during that same time, so you wouldn't find the solar cells trying to power the lamp directly.

Damian

[Nick]

I think I saw just that in Lidl... it was a battery-powered PIR

*something* (sorry, can't remember if it was an alarm or a light as I wasn't interested in it)

[dskeeles]

For info: I found such a device in B&Q for =A34.99, manufactured by Masterplug.

It's very similar to the one I mentioned before, except the LEDs are 2 x Amber, and hence it's not that bright - but just enough for a small bathroom. It takes 2 x AA, and I'll see how long it lasts over the coming weeks/months.

Cheers,

Damian