It’s week 2 of our new Product Spotlight series. Every Thursday right here on the blog, we’re going to feature a new, popular, or just plain nifty light fixture. We’ll help you learn things like how it works, how to install it, and the benefits of using it. So, without further ado…
Sure, this occupancy sensor’s nondescript form might not look like much, but once you install it in your home or business, it’s sure to occupy an essential spot in your daily routine.
Whether you need a more convenient way to turn on the lights while carting baskets of clothes into your laundry room, or a simple way to save energy in the hallways of your hotel, occupancy/vacancy sensors can help you out.
How They Work
Each of our occupancy/vacancy sensors comes equipped with a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, which detects body heat to turn lights on and keep them on until you’re no longer around.
This sensor can control incandescent, halogen, xenon, and fluorescent lights, and offers a variety of different settings…
- In occupancy mode, the sensor turns on the lights when someone enters a space and off when the last person leaves.
- In vacancy mode, the lights turn on when you press the on/off switch, and off when the last person leaves.
- The ambient light detector will help you save energy, preventing the lights from turning on if there’s sunlight present, regardless of occupancy.
- The adjustable time delay allows you to choose how long the lights will stay on – as short as 15 seconds, or as long as 30 minutes.
- There’s also an adjustable sensitivity setting. You can choose a lower sensitivity for smaller rooms, or places close to doorways or heat sources to avoid false alerts. A higher sensitivity works best for larger rooms.
Note: You can always control the lights manually by pressing the on/off button at the bottom of the face of the sensor.
Where To Use Them
If you’re looking to save energy by only using lights when you absolutely need them, or need a convenient solution for busy, high traffic areas, occupancy sensors can help you out. All of our sensors are commercial-grade, but you can still use them in residential settings, as long as the occupant is not motionless for more than 30 minutes at a time.
Here are a few areas where occupancy sensors are a must:
- Utility Rooms
- Closets
- Bathrooms
- Office Spaces
- Hallways
- Stairways
How To Install
Our occupancy sensors are easy to set up, and designed to be mounted in a standard wall box. Just make sure you don’t set yours up in close proximity to a heat source, where hot or cold drafts will blow directly on the sensor, or where unintended motion will be within the sensor’s field of detection. These stimuli could cause the sensor to function improperly.
You can learn more, and browse our collection of occupancy/vacancy sensors right here.