How to Wire a Motion Detector Light

When installing a motion detector light, location is paramount. The placement of the light must make it impossible for someone to approach undetected. This means your light should not be installed higher than 12 feet from the ground and must be located where any motion will cut across the detection area. Pointing the unit straight toward the avenue of approach may allow someone to reach the house via a dead zone without activating the light. Once you have found a good spot, follow these steps to correctly wire the motion detector.

Things You'll Need

• Motion detector light
• Utility knife
• Wire stripper/cutter
• Pliers
• Screwdriver
• Wire nuts
• Hot glue

Instructions

1. Make sure the power is off to the circuit. If the junction box isn't already wired, pull about 7 inches of cable into the box, then strip off about 6 inches of sheath to expose the wires.

2. Splice the black wires coming from the lights to the blue load wire coming from the sensor.

3. Splice the black wire from the house to the black feed wire from the sensor.

4. Splice all white wires together--the white from the house and the ones from the lights.

5. Attach the bare wire from the house to the green ground screw on the junction box.

6. Cover all splices with wire nuts so that no bare wires are exposed.

7. Apply glue along the gasket seal on the motion detector, tuck the wires in the junction box and attach the motion detector light to the box. Turn the power on and test the light.