Motion sensors should turn on whenever the sensor range gets breached but with time, the sensors can become unresponsive and get stuck.
Some of the movement detectors have built-in override functionality. So whenever the override function gets engaged, the motion lights remain in their current status, which can be on or off until you interfere. In most cases, the override function gets engaged accidentally. A power outage or power surge can also trigger the override function. Both situations may lead you to think the sensor light is broken but before you make that conclusion, try resetting the motion detector light. Just turn the switch off for about 30 seconds to a minute and switch it on again. If this doesn't reset the sensor, go to your switchboard and turn all the lights circuit off. Wait for about one minute before you turn on the circuit. By now, the sensor light should work and if It isn't working, something could be wrong with the sensor.
Only a few potential reasons can cause your sensor lights to get stuck and most of the solutions required are quick to fix.
Most modern motion lights have sensitivity settings that you can customise appropriately. If your motion lights are on all the time, maybe the sensitivity settings could be too high. Hence, the triggering of the sensor can even result from tiny bugs, heavy dust, cars passing in the distance. The solution is to adjust settings while testing the range.
Duration is another issue you need to check. Most have a range of five minutes to half an hour, and others have more, so ensure the duration isn't too high.
This mostly happens when the motion sensor gets triggered and you accidentally flick the motion light switch off and back on immediately. To fix this, turn off the power supply to the motion sensor for ten seconds before restoring the power.
There are several reasons why your motion detector lights might have developed a fault. It can range from a simple malfunction, sensitivity, and range settings to specks of dust. Therefore, if your motion sensor light stopped working, it does not mean it's faulty. But luckily, you can try fixing some issues before calling a professional. For example, you can clean the sensor using a piece of cloth and adjust sensitivity and sensor range by following this simple procedure: Step 1: Loosen screws holding the sensor on the fixture and rotate the sensor until centred where you want to monitor. Tighten all the screws and switch the toggle to test position. Step 2: Test by walking in front of the area you want to monitor and verify if it's working. Tilt-up to broaden the detection zone and down if you want to narrow. Step 3: Fine-tune detection range and ensure it's sensitive enough. If you want to detect only what is in front, adjust sensitivity to maximum, then contract the range by turning it down. Step 4: After you finish adjusting, switch the toggle away from the test position. If the sensor light doesn't work, turn off the circuit breaker for half an hour. Turn on and if it's working, adjust sensitivity and range accordingly.
There is a reason motion sensor lights turn on and off automatically. Whenever you notice they are staying on for a long time, it means they have a malfunction and need troubleshooting. If it doesn’t work, call a professional electrician for further help. However, several things may cause your motion detector to malfunction. These could range from power surges, power outages, storm damage, improper installation, improper settings to age. But if your lights are staying on throughout, check out the following tips before calling a professional.
The longer a motion detector light should stay on is at least 30 seconds after triggering. However, you can change settings and have them last longer. This may seem like they never switch off.
If the sensitivity is too high, your sensor is likely to respond to minor triggers like insects or blown leaves, or dust particles that settle on the motion sensor.
Most light sensors have an auto setting that you can trigger by accident, causing them to remain on all the time. Again, malfunction issues can make them get stuck in auto mode.