Floodlight motion lights are always turning on - Check your PIR & Motion Detection settings

Your motion detection floodlight camera has two different sensitivity settings that control how it responds to motion

Your motion detection light has two different sensitivity settings that control how it responds to motion:

Motion Detection Sensitivity (Low, Medium, High):
This setting controls how responsive the Floodlight camera is to general movement.

Low: Only larger or closer movements will trigger the light.
High: Smaller or more distant movements can trigger the light.

PIR (Passive Infrared) Sensitivity (1–10):
This setting specifically adjusts how sensitive the Floodlight camera is to body heat (like people or animals).

1 is the least sensitive, meaning it will ignore most motion.
10 is the most sensitive, and it can pick up even slight temperature changes.

If your light turns on constantly, even when nothing is there:

It’s likely the PIR sensitivity is set too high. At high levels, it may detect:

Small animals like birds, squirrels, or cats
Heat from cars, vents, or even sunlight reflecting on surfaces
Movement of tree branches if they are warmed by the sun
Sometimes even a spider building a web can set it off

Recommended Steps:

Reduce the PIR sensitivity to around 3–5.
Set Motion Detection Sensitivity to Medium as a balanced option.
Ensure the light is not facing heat sources like HVAC vents, windows, or busy roads.

Try this setting for a day and see if the false triggers stop. If it still activates too often, lower the PIR sensitivity one step at a time.

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Does Mounting Height Affect Motion Detection?

Yes. If the floodlight camera is installed too high, it may not detect motion accurately.

1. PIR (Passive Infrared) Sensors:

PIR sensors are designed to detect horizontal movement across their detection zone.
When the camera is mounted too high, motion tends to move toward or away from the sensor (not across), making it harder to detect.
The PIR range is limited, and mounting it too high places most of the detection zone too far from where people actually walk.

2. Motion Detection via Software (in the camera’s image):

If the camera points too steeply downward, the detection area becomes too narrow or misses motion happening at ground level.
It can also cause the camera to falsely detect movement from shadows, cars, or leaves.

Recommended Mounting Height:

Most manufacturers recommend installing floodlight cameras at 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 meters) high.
This height provides:
- An optimal angle for PIR to detect side-to-side movement
- A good field of view for the camera
- Proper lighting coverage