I have a split-level house, so my entry door opens onto a landing halfway up the stairs between my house.
I'm planning on installing very soft lighting to help navigate the stairs in the dark, and I want to use some sort of presence sensor to turn it on.
Originally, I thought I would use a normal motion sensor. However, I find that it's too good at detecting motion, so it tends to see me as I walk around in the living room upstairs.
I was wondering if anyone makes a very narrow beam-like motion sensor, which I could install near the top and bottom stair, so that the lights would only come on when you're literally standing at the top or bottom.
Does anyone know of such a sensor, or have other ideas how to resolve it?
I haven't tried it, but I hear others have. Make a tube and attach it to the front of the motion sensor. Depending on the length of the tube it should narrow the active zone smaller.
I simply position mine slightly behind or underneath something to restrict the area the sensor detects. I have one at the top of my stairs situated on the floor behind one of the posts for the handrail, pointing towards the adjacent wall, so as not to pick up movement in the room.
+1 for the NYCE curtain sensors. I use a couple in one of our staircases. I put them at the foot of the stairs. Works well and inconspicuous. Use command strips so if they are dislodged they can easily be put back
That motion sensor is facing into the kitchen and is used to turn on the undercabinet/overcabinet lighting, but I didn't want it turning on when I walked past the doorway (90 degrees from this sensor). It works perfectly for limiting the motion detection to the angle I want.
