Microwave sensor outside light

[Mrs Pingu]

Like the title says, any experiences? Got a PIR above the garage pedestrian door but it's right next to the boiler flue so goes on ad off all evening when the heating is on.

[Mr Larrington]

Molish a little tinfoil hat for it?

[lissotriton]

I'm wondering this myself. I want an outside light, but don't want it triggered by passing badgers etc.
Could get a PIR sensor that is separate from the light, then try pointing it in a different direction.

Or get a smart plug/smart bulb, then you can control it from your phone, or Google Speaker, or set timers etc.

Or get a camera with person/vehicle detection, so it only turns on the light when someone is there.

[Peter]

Molish a little tinfoil hat for it?

Is that "I'll get my coat", or "Pickpockets Toilet"?

[Jurek]

My PIR does this every time my ch / hw activates.
I suspect it is more annoying for my neighbours than it is for me.
What freaks me out is when the floodlights go on at 04:00.
Their range is set to about within 4ft of the property.

[Kim]

My PIR does this every time my ch / hw activates.

PIRs operate using witchcraft, which means the electronics responsible for detecting the tiny signal from the magic crystal is prone to picking up bursts of RF.

Doppler radar sensors, on the other hand, are powered by voodoo.

[Mrs Pingu]

Passing badgers will still set off a microwave sensor if it's in range, I believe. Something that's too smart for it's own good and requires a smartphone is a no.

[Kim]

Timer?  Mk 1 lightswitch?

[grams]

Microwave sensors aren’t blocked by walls/doors/windows and there’s no way to aim them at a particular spot.

[ian]

Hire a man to activate the light whenever he's disturbed. That's how our bear detector works. He's literally the third man, but hey, bears need their calories this time of year.

[robgul]

Lateral thinking - I got fed up with rogue PIRs and fitted about 6 cheap solar powered outside "movement" lights (from Amazon, about £6 each) - on the basis that they don't use electricity, or wiring obv, and so what if they come on at random times (they are obvioulsy sensor set for daylight hours not to come on)

[Diver300]

https://www.automation24.co.uk/astronomical-time-switch-selec-ats2m1-1-16a-230v-ce

That turns the lights on at sunset and off at sunrise, without needing a sensor. We've got something similar and it's only needed setting when it was put in about 6 years ago. You need to tell it your lat and long and the time and it does the rest.

LED lights take very little power. In fact, the payback time for one of those switches compared to leaving the light on all the time is about 6 years for a 5 W light.

There is the power consumption of the switch itself to consider. That one says 9 W, but I don't believe that as it would get hot. It may be 9VA.