exterior "360" degree PIR recommedations please?

If more light were reflected to the sensor it might turn on later, Try gluing on some aluminum sheet somewhere on the sensor to reflect light to the sensor

Or could it be as simple as there being something partially blocking the light path to the sensor - just a natural build of of crud that can simply be washed away?

it's had an inspect and a wipe over - seems clean enough to me....

mmm I'll have a look - tho thought it was probly time for a new ' un - they seem to lose sensitivity (to motion) over the years...

Cheers Jim K

Generally it's about fitting the dusk sensor in a good location, which is unlikely to be mounted on the fitting itself.

I've gone to one of these. Seems OK so far, much better than the built- in sensor on the CFL that it replaced. It can also switch itself off a selectable few hours after dusk.

All the new PIRs are of about the same quality IMHO. ie Cheap and cheerful.

Quite often the dusk sensor is behind the plastic screen/lens that goes yellow with age and then has trouble spotting when nightime comes.

Adam

Could try Steinel Either online or fleabay for an "end of line" model as they tend to be expensive albeit with a 3yr warranty. They also offer wireless units, although TLC have some other wireless PIR range (might be Clipsal, not looked).

Cheap PIR can last. I found sheltering them by overhanging leaves seems to get 8yrs out of IQ (B&Q?) PIR units.

Check compatibility of dawn-to-dusk/w-timer with fluorescents, some types require an incandescent in circuit since they only switch Live and need a Neutral (MK Masterseal dawn-to-dusk is like this).

ta - I'll have a gander

fluorescents? nah! these are PIR triggered old skule halogens - presume fluoros still not up to the multiple "instant" ons and offs?

Cheers Jim K

Anyhow: very pleased with this, and as they are used in street lights, they are v reliable and can handle lots of lamps and save a fortune compared with the ludicrously bright floodlights that tend to go with pirs (7w cfls are quite enough for most outdoor uses). You could use this in conjunction with your existing pir, and not worry about it being insensitive.

Seconded. Expensive, but with excellent UK-based support (I had one fail, and after explaining the fault to one of their technicians they sent me a replacement without needing the faulty one returned first).

Richard.

Yes they are: see below. Stop throwing your money down the drain and dazzling everyone. Mind you, the thread - and I -may be getting a bit muddled between lighting and anti burglar: if you do want instant instant then I doubt if cfls will ever have the frighten value of floods even though they can be *switched* fast enough.

so that's a no then?

No one dazled who shouldn't be there....

could be.........;>)

Jim K

Yes the "top-hat" photocell are reliable. Of course it constitutes an outdoor connection under Part P and Lord John Prescott will be seizing helicopters to scour the country for anyone without appropriate paperwork as determined by The Great Orwellian Database and demanding =A3140-200 in fees all in the name of safety of course.

More seriously, photocells avoid the on - off - on - off that can occur when cats, either in number or solitary for company, wander around the PIR catchment area. Continuous background illumination can be more off-putting, floodlight often result in dead areas. Arguments either way.

weren't adjustable for either "dusk" or the time to stay on for.

weren't adjustable for either "dusk" or the time to stay on for.

Think they might make adjustable ones, but once I had the one with the higher sensitivity internals, it has been so reliable at coming on almost exactly at the time I think "It's about time the lights came on." that I haven't felt any need to adjust further.