FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Fine Homebuilding Project Guides

Wiring

Guide Home
  • Working with Electricity
  • Tools and Materials
  • Receptacles and Switches
  • Lights and Fans
  • Rough-In
  • Outdoor Wiring
  • Panels and Subpanels
How-To

Installing a Motion-Sensor Light

Learn how to mount and wire an outdoor security light.

By Mike Litchfield, Michael McAlister
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Motion-sensor lights require 120v and must be mounted on boxes rated for outdoor use. The fixture must be listed for damp locations if installed under eaves, or listed for wet locations if directly exposed to weather. Exterior boxes should have flexible gaskets between the box and the fixture base and threaded openings with closure plugs. If the box has only standard knockouts, it is not raintight.

In the sequence shown here, we installed a Defiant® motion security light. Closely follow the installation instructions that came with your light.

If there is an existing fixture, cut power to it and test with a noncontact tester to be sure it is off. Unscrew the mounting screws and gently pull the old fixture away from the box 1. Be careful not to touch exposed wires. Then, using a probe tester, test the wire splices. When you are certain the wires are not energized, disconnect the splices. If the existing junction box is damaged or inappropriate, replace it.

1  Unscrew the mounting screws and gently pull the existing fixture away from the box.
1) Unscrew the mounting screws and gently pull the existing fixture away from the box.

2  Screw the new light’s mounting bracket to the junction box.
2) Screw the new light’s mounting bracket to the junction box.

Screw the new light’s mounting bracket to the box 2. Feed the supply wires through the hole in the wiring plate. Screw the plate to the threaded hole in the middle of the bracket 3. Connect the ground wire from the junction box to the ground screw on the wiring plate 4. Insert the neutral wire and the hot wire into the appropriate terminals 5 and tighten the terminal-block screws to secure the wires. (If the wire ends are not straight, you may want to cut and re-strip them first.)

3  Feed incoming wires through the wiring plate and screw it to the bracket.
3) Feed incoming wires through the wiring plate and screw it to the bracket.

4  Attach the ground wire to the ground screw on the wiring plate.
4) Attach the ground wire to the ground screw on the wiring plate.

5  Insert and tighten the neutral and hot wires to the terminals on the wiring plate.
5) Insert and tighten the neutral and hot wires to the terminals on the wiring plate.

6  Align the posts on the plate to the holes on the back of the fixture, then bolt the fixture securely.
6) Align the posts on the plate to the holes on the back of the fixture, then bolt the fixture securely.

7  Adjust the lamp heads and the motion sensor below.
7) Adjust the lamp heads and the motion sensor below.

To secure the light fixture to the wiring plate, align the posts on the plate to the corresponding holes in the fixture 6. Then bolt the fixture securely. At this point you may want to adjust the lamp heads and the motion sensor below 7. Now you can download the Defiant app onto a smartphone and follow the prompts to pair the light to the app, adjust the light settings, and test the sensor.

 


Wiring Complete, 3rd Edition

Excerpted from Wiring Complete, 3rd Edition (The Taunton Press, 2017) by Michael Litchfield and Michael McAlister

Available in the Taunton Store and at Amazon.com.

Previous: Installing Low-Voltage Path Lights

Guide

Wiring

Chapter

Outdoor Wiring

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Wiring

Wiring

Trusted, code-compliant guidance from the pros for working safely on any wiring project

View Project Guide

View All Project Guides »

Become a member and get unlimited site access, including the Wiring Project Guide.

Start Free Trial

Working with Electricity
  • Basics
  • Safety
  • Troubleshooting and Upgrades
Tools and Materials
  • Electrical Tools
  • Electrical Boxes
  • Cables and Wires
Receptacles and Switches
  • Materials
  • Wiring Receptacles
  • Wiring Switches
Lights and Fans
  • Lighting Design
  • Installing Lights
  • Fans
Rough-In
  • Planning
  • Installing Electrical Boxes
  • Running Cable
  • Retrofit Work
  • Making Connections in Boxes
  • Electrical Conduit
Outdoor Wiring
  • Basics
  • Outlets
  • Installing Lighting
Panels and Subpanels
  • Understanding Panels
  • Circuits
  • Installing a Subpanel

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 81%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data