Motion Controlled Flood Lights in the Cold

I have several exterior flood lights that are controlled by motion detectors and have variously been in place for 6 to 10 years. The manufacturers vary but most are made by RAB Electric Manufacturing. A couple were made by Heath Zenith.

They fail "ON" at temperatures below about 0 F. The absence of operating temperature range in the product information should have been a warning that they weren't proud of their performance but I guess my architect didn't pay attention to it. I would think a New Jersey based company would make an outdoor product that could operate at these temperatures but it's not so.

Does anyone have any experience with motion detectors that function well over the -20F to 100F range?

RB

Reply to
RB
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Hi, Ours works with more sensitivity in cold like last few days. El Cheapo 10.00 unit made in China. If it is the model solid state is used to turn on/off the lights, cold temp. will make the device sluggish. In that situation, mil-spec component should have been used. Tony

Reply to
Tony Hwang

I have one of the units by Heath/Zenith I believe, $4.99 at Menards, and right now the thermometor hanging on the garage below it reads -31F, and the light works fine. tad

Reply to
ottertailfamily

I don't have any info for you other than to say that my outside motion detector light got stuck ON for the first time two days ago after a month of temperatures around -10F to +20F. I shut it off, and I plan on waiting it out to see if it gets better once things warm up a bit. (I don't like climbing up ladders when it's cold.)

Ken

Reply to
Ken Carlson

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Ken Carlson) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

I've had mine trigger in the cold. Usually when a neighbor has their fireplace going. Maybe the smoke is warm enough to trigger it in the cold.

What's the matter? Don't you like cold aluminum?!? (Written as I take another sip of hot coffee.....)

NJBrad

Reply to
Brad Bruce

My motion detectors are more like temperature detectors. Every front that comes thru will turn on my lights and leave them on. I'd say a drop in temperature from 70 to 45 will cause me to have to readjust the sensitivity. PJ

Reply to
PJx

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