Source for bulbs with PIR but without light sensor?

Sep 14, 2025 Last reply: 9 months ago 6 Replies

I've spent ages looking for an LED bulb (B22 or E27, 2700-3000K) with an integral PIR but *without* a day/night light sensor. I only found one with a so-called "24 hour" PIR but it was too expensive. A virtual pint and public acclaim is offered to anyone who can point me at one. If all else fails I'll buy one with a light sensor and paint over it, or find a recessed non-light-sensing PIR that I can fit in the ceiling - but they also seem hard to find. (BTW, lamp holders with an integrated PIR are too long)


A few years ago I decided to put a 3W E27 LED bulb with PIR and light sensor in the garage, so that when I put the car in the garage in the dark the light would come on for a couple of minutes. The bulb has one of the most sensitive PIRs I've come across. Unfortunately the light sensor never worked so the LED also comes on when I put the car in the garage during the day!

Are you able to entertain a standard light bulb controlled by a room occupancy detector that is then recessed into a ceiling like a standard downlight or surface mounted onto a wall?

You can get PIR or Microwave sensors:

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It will mean doing a bit of lighting circuit modification though....

there is this that will fit a 20 mm diameter hole if you're after something less visually intrusive...

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Why do all these type of devices still use CLUNKY relays, I'd have thought MOSFETs would be cheaper by now?

Unless anyone knows different, ones that dim up/down on detection would be the icing on the cake ...

MOSFETs aren't for AC, unless you have a slightly expensive control circuit. Triacs are better for the cheap end of AC switching.

I'd guess they are designed for switching something that might not be mains, eg low voltage 12Vdc lighting or security cameras or whatever. By using a relay they aren't fussy about what kind of load you put on them.

The first one on that link:

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has versions which support 'DALI/DSI digital dimming' and '1-10V analogue dimming', and there might be a way to program them (or something similar but cheaper) to have two different dim levels based on detection.

Theo

I don't really want to control it, rather have it control itself ... when it detects presence dim up, when it reverts to absence dim off.

I bought these

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and found it was fairly easy to pop the plastic bulb off. There are 8 LEDs arranged around the base and a vertical PCB in the centre with a horizontal PCB on the top. The latter has the PIR, a few ICs and passives, plus an opto device sticking out one side. Some black paint over the opto, stick the bulb back and Robert's your father's brother. The light ramps-up nicely.

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