Are you updating your commercial business with a renewable solar energy lighting system? The savings are in the details, like motion sensors for your solar-powered LED lighting. Motion sensors might be old news for outdoor security lights, but they have great value and multiple uses for your indoor lighting in commercial buildings too. Learn more about how motion sensors work and determine the best motion sensors to use with Energy Bank solar-powered lighting.
What Are Motion Sensor Lights?
More advanced than your standard lights, motion sensor lights react to movement. Traditional lights operate with your average light switches on the walls and must be manually turned on and off at the beginning and end of each business day.
How do motion sensor lights work?
For your lights to react to movement, first need a motion sensor, also called a motion detector. Motion detectors come in several varieties, such as the following:
- Passive infrared (PIR)
- Active infrared (sometimes also called area reflective)
- Photoelectric
- Microwave
- Dual technology
When connected, a motion sensor light is turned on by the motion sensor. As soon as the occupancy sensor detects physical movement and the light will automatically turn on. There can also be a mechanism to turn the light on manually as well.
With some products, you can customize a set for the light to remain on, or it will normally stay on as long as it detects motion. You’ve probably experienced this product feature if you’ve ever walked into a dark public restroom and the light automatically came on upon your entry.
So basically, a motion sensor LED light is attached to a motion sensor and physical movement triggers the sensor, which causes the lights to turn on. It’s that simple!
Does Your Commercial Business Need Motion Sensor LED Lights?
Think motion sensor lights are solely for outdoor security purposes? Think again! There are a lot of different reasons why a commercial business owner would invest in motion-activated light.
Here are some top reasons you might want to consider buying motion sensor lights:
- You want to save energy: According to the most recent Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), 17% of all electricity consumed in U.S. commercial buildings is for lighting! With motion sensor lights there’s no more wasting energy and light on an empty space. If no one’s around, your office or warehouse will stay dark. For areas that don’t require consistent lighting, an LED high bay light fixture will save energy and costs by switching off after two minutes of no activity. Simply walk into the sensor’s 80ft detection range for instant-on brightness!
- You like convenience: Imagine never walking around the entire building at the close of a shift flipping light switches again. When you value your time, that probably sounds very appealing!
- You like control: If you are moving toward a smart facility, where you can leverage technology to take control of your day-to-day operations then this is for you. You won’t have to worry about anyone manually taking care of the lights each day, you’re in control.
These are some of the best areas in your commercial building to utilize motion sensor lighting:
Staircases: How often are the staircases in your office or warehouse occupied? Do they really need to be lit constantly? Trips up and down the stairs may be frequent or far and few between, depending on the day. Save energy by keeping your stairwells dark while unoccupied. Trips up and down the stairs will be a breeze because you won’t even have to reach for the light switch! This is especially helpful when your hands are full, carrying those boxes, newest shipment, copies, etc.
Bathrooms: Another communal space that is only occupied sporadically, it just doen;t make sense to run full lighting in your bathrooms all day long. A motion sensor placed at the entrance of the bathroom is an effective way to leverage motion sensor technology to create smart energy savings. You can even set it to trigger a specific dim, warm setting during the evening and bright, cool light during the morning.
Outdoor motion sensor lights (especially if they’re floodlights or spotlights) can deter criminals. No employee ever wants to walk to their car in the dark. If your office or business holds late or evening hours, help employees feel safe while they transition from the building to their vehicles with the use of motion sensor LED lights.
Most indoor motion sensors are small and unobtrusive. They are wireless, normally come with a battery life that lasts as long as two years and simple installation, and can be placed anywhere in your commercial building space. They can also be hard-wired right into the light fixture.
What Features Should You Look for in Motion Sensors?
In general, your business’s needs will determine your light choice. Here are the key things to consider when choosing the best motion sensor to use with your solar-powered lighting:
Bulb type
There are several different types of bulbs on the market.
- LED (light-emitting diode): Light is produced by diodes, a component with electrodes that electricity passes through
- Incandescent: Light is produced by a heated wire filament
- Fluorescent: Light is produced by a chemical reaction
Odds are, you have already transitioned to USA manufactured LED light with help from BizReps. It’s really a smart move, since LED lights last longer than incandescent lights, and far outperform outdated and unsafe fluorescent light bulbs.
Indoor Motion-Sensored LEDs
One of the things we love about EnergyBank solar-powered LED lights and fixtures is that they are equipped with advanced settings. LED motion sensor lights provided by your Bizreps team are typically equipped with either microwave or PIR sensors.
- Microwave motion sensors detect changes in movement. Their sensitive detection quality and wide detection range make them ideal for larger spaces like offices and even warehouses.
- PIR (Passive Infrared) sensors identify changes in heat signatures rather than movement. PIR sensors function better in smaller indoor spaces, like hallways and even stairways that have regular patterns of movement.
PIR sensors are not quite as sensitive as microwave sensors, but they are beneficial for settings with environmental movement that should not trigger the light to power on. Microwave sensors should be selected for spaces with varying temperatures.
Light Pattern
Do you want a typical light pattern that gently disperses throughout a room? Or would you like a floodlight that illuminates a large space? Desired light pattern matters when you are considering what motion sensor to choose.
For example, many warehouses have a skylight and utilize linear LED high bays. Spaces like this can benefit from a daylight sensor that dims or moderates LED high bays to adjust according to the amount of natural light coming in at any given time.
Power Source
Your three choices are usually battery-operated lights, wired lights, or solar-powered lights. You might also come across a combination light that uses multiple sources. Figuring out the right power source will depend on your climate and desired light placement.
For the purposes of this guide, we are focusing on solar-powered LED lights like the FUSION system which combines both DC and AC power sources.
Our top pick for the best LED light for warehouse and commercial buildings is the Energy Bank FUSION system. The 2021 Energy-Efficiency Lighting Guide for Businesses and Building Owners gives information on all the newest U.S. LED lighting, but in our opinion, FUSION is by far the best solar-powered LED lighting on the market right now. The FUSION system has both commercial and industrial applications, from office troffers to production area high bays.
Its efficiency outranks any other LED office lighting. The FUSION LED system can provide all or a majority of light utilizing DC power directly from solar panels when electricity costs are at their highest and the system’s Genius IoT controller gives you complete control over your lighting system at all times.
Traditional grid systems for solar power can be expensive to install and maintain and actually lose lots of power during transfer. FUSION eliminates all of the expensive, high-maintenance, and inefficient equipment and processes required for a traditionally back-fed grid-connected system and makes the most effective use of the solar energy harnessed. If you are serious about qualifying for a government tax credit with a new energy-efficient lighting system, this is the way to go!
Top Motion Sensor Products to Combine with Solar Lighting
Genesis Infrared (GIR) Motion Sensor
The GIR Motion Sensor is a perfect match for the popular FUSION solar lighting system. Compatible with all devices that operate with 1-10v dimming signals, this sensor receptacle utilizes passive infrared (PIR) sensing technology. As a voltage-controlled dimming controller, it has a dynamic time-out period and motion override.
Smart features include zone and zone+fixture and bright-on-power-loss. Bright-on-power-loss is a unique Energybank technology and safety feature which guarantees that in the event of power loss to the controller, the still-functioning light fixture will go to its maximum programmed light output. This eliminates unstable lighting and hazardous work conditions!
240 Watt Titan IV Motion Sensor LED High Bay
This super-fast install sensor now enables easier add and removal. All programming is done via remote and the same remote can be used to control all lights! Its new UFO style is the latest in LED technology. It is smaller, longer-lasting, and highly efficient. The Titan IV series has an innovative center motion sensor, can be dimmed and features 5000K color!
100 Watt LED Polaris II Ceiling Light
This versatile product comes in 5000 Lumens up to 19,800 Lumens depending on your needs. It has a lifespan of 50,000+ hours and comes equipped with an occupancy motion sensor! This RuggedGrade is waterproof and approved for indoor and outdoor use.
100 Watt Titan III Motion Sensor LED High Bay
Equipped with a high accuracy 5.8GHZ microwave motion sensor, this compact product is just 11.8 inches/ 310mm in diameter. Designed with a preinstalled hook, installation is easy and replacement for existing lights is simple.
Want to learn more about motion sensors to use with solar-powered lighting? Check out the 2021 Energy-Efficiency Lighting Guide for Businesses and Building Owners for the latest information.
Where’s the Best Place to Buy Motion Sensor Lights?
Getting the right motion sensor for your LED lights is not as simple as placing an order from Home Depot. Unlike regular motion sensors for residential homes, the best motion sensors to use with solar-powered lights aren’t always directly available to the average consumer.
Luckily, BizReps has all the right connections for your renewable energy lighting needs! Contact us today to find the perfect motion sensor product to pair with your commercial LED lighting.
Want to find the best motion sensor for your solar-powered lighting system? Contact my team at bizreps.ca/schedule! We work with companies that are ready to take the next step into better lighting, more efficient lighting that’s going to save money and qualify you for grants like the 179D commercial reduction and the solar ITC.
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