Your customers could save up to 75% of their lighting energy consumption in some rooms and spaces by using PIR detectors.
In commercial toilets there could be several lights plus extractor fans on the same circuit, all left on. Storerooms, hotel corridors, and student accommodation are other classic examples. And even in the home you may find that a bathroom light is left on for hours, especially if a family has young children.
Having a sensor that automatically switches the power on when someone enters and then off after it detects no further movement makes a lot of sense. If that same sensor can also switch the lights on and off in response to natural lights levels, then there’ll be even bigger savings.
Integrated vs stand-alone PIR
For many applications it will save you time and money to use a downlight that has its own inbuilt PIR. Installation benefits include:
- No separate power supply
- Fewer components
- No need to drill a separate hole
- Less wiring
If, like our own H2 Sense downlight, you can link it to other lights and services then you can use it to provide control for larger areas and rooms. H2 Sense allows you to connect up to 30 6W lights, or a load of up to 200W.
An integrated PIR is also neater and more visually pleasing than having a separate sensor. It is effectively invisible making it less obtrusive, which is increasingly important for commercial properties and vital if you use it in a home.
PIR checklist
Whether you opt for an integrated sensor or a standalone option, you should check what functionality it has so that you can maximise energy savings for a room or space without inconveniencing its occupants.
Check that it has adjustable:
- hold times for different applications
- sensitivity from close range to further way (e.g. 10 cm to 2 metres)
- Lux levels to keep the lights off if there is enough natural daylight
And that
- It can switch a big enough load to control other lights and services in the room
Where to position a PIR detector
Exactly where you position a PIR detector, will depend on the space that you are lighting. For rooms that are not generally occupied, such as toilets or storerooms then install it, or the light containing the sensor, in the ceiling above the entry and/or the central area.
In corridors and stairways, you need to ensure that the detection covers entry from both sides and, depending on their length, that there is some detection overlap.
For open plan areas such as offices, each sensor needs to cover the area that it is lighting and avoid creating the “cave affect” where people are in a well-lit areas but surrounded by darkness. A central position with a clear view of desks and walkways is a good option.
If you are installing lighting in a room that is normally empty, then using a fitting that has an integrated PIR detector makes perfect sense. Many, like our H2 Sense downlight, can control multiple fittings plus other services to help your customer maximise their energy savings and reduce their carbon footprint.
