Photo of floodlights with motion sensor

The Five Best Floodlights With A Motion Sensor

One hilarious thing you might have the pleasure of seeing is a thief caught by a motion-sensing floodlight. Much like a deer, their first reaction is to freeze.

They usually have the forethought to run away at this point. Here are the five best floodlights with a motion sensor review.

Regardless, a bright light and motion detector is the right security combination. So to address these needs, we’ve found five of the most reliable floodlights with a motion sensor.

By the end of this article, you will be able to find something that fits your needs. 

The Five Best Motion Sensing Floodlights

  1. Ring Solar Floodlight – the best overall
  2. Otdair Solar Security Light – good for a wide-angle shot 
  3. Westinghouse 2000 Lumens Solar Security Flood Lights – great for families on a budget
  4. LePower 1600LM LED Solar Security Lights – the most flexible
  5. Baxia Technology BX-SL-101 – incredibly bright 

Ring Solar Floodlight – The Best Overall

The Ring Solar Floodlight is one of the most popular motion-sensing lights because of its expandability.

The light itself shines at 1200 lumens, which is enough to blow up a driveway. Typically, that’s everything you need to deter a thief. 

You can purchase an additional Ring Bridge to include smart features. An essential smart part includes mobile notifications through the Ring app.

Granted, you might receive a few mobile notifications about hungry raccoons, but purchasing a separate security camera can make this an incredibly inexpensive and effective security system.

The system also works with Alexa, resulting in voice activation. 

With a 15 minute install time, this light is simple and powerful in its smart home integration.

While that means many additional investments, the Ring Solar Floodlight by itself is still a powerful tool.

ProsCons
It has a quick 15-minute install timeMultiple purchases make Ring a pretty expensive overall system
The Ring app allows you to control scheduled on and off timesUsage of the Ring app requires purchasing a Ring Bridge
You can receive mobile notifications with the purchase of a Ring Bridget
If the solar function doesn't work, you can also charge the battery with a USB cable
If you want a floodlight that can integrate easily with other smart home features 
Best Floodlights With A Motion Sensor Reviews

Otdair Solar Security Light – Good for a Wide-Angle Shot 

With 360 degrees of rotation, the Odtair Solar Security Light is an incredibly customizable experience.

As a waterproof motion sensing light, that means that you will catch thieves in the rain. 

This product can detect movement from 33 feet away, resulting in an extensive spread.

The included lithium battery lasts up to 30 hours, meaning that it can tolerate being without the sun for a while.

LED lights, which Otdair supports, are known to last a long time. You can buy different variants (one through three).

Also, it will need a full eight hours of sun to work. 

ProsCons
It's fantastic if you have a wide drivewayIt doesn't have any smart home expansions
If you don't need a motion-sensing light with smart featuresThe swivel arm holding the lights is a bit loose
Lithium-ion batteries are known to last a long while
Best Floodlights With A Motion Sensor Reviews

Westinghouse 2000 Lumens Solar Security Flood Lights – Great for Families on a Budget

At 2000 lumens, this light feels like something out of a stadium. Any thieves caught in the mix of this will probably feel overwhelmed, which is a good thing. 

This light also has a pretty reasonable cost considering their overall coverage. The budget focus means that your charge time doubles, and there are no smart features.

But that isn’t much of a deal-breaker for people not looking for this. 

With a total of 80 LEDs and a simple installation, this solar-powered lighting has excellent longevity.

It’s also made of cast aluminum, which typically lasts longer than other plastic options. 

ProsCons
If you don't want to spend vast amounts on a solid lightIt does not have any smart home expansion potential
It is incredibly bright, making it suitable for darker cornersThere is no additional USB if the solar component fails
It has aluminum material, making it incredibly sturdy
It has three different lighting modes between 30 to 90 seconds
Best Floodlights With A Motion Sensor Reviews

LePower 1600LM LED Solar Security Lights – the Most Flexible

With three adjustable light heads and 1600 lumens, LePower makes a fantastic LED. The adjustable heads give it the potential of reaching up to 72 feet away.

That’s a bit too much, as you might end up illuminating your neighbor’s yard.

Rural locations will benefit more from this, especially when it comes to isolated houses.

A 15-foot cable provides you potential opportunities for multiple placements.

That means you can place the LePower on the east side of your home while positioning your solar collector in such a way where it can take advantage of the sun’s position.

Be prepared to wait three days for the charge time. The claimed lifetime of this is 50 thousand hours.

However, the semi-plastic ABS material might have you assume otherwise.

ProsCons
It is excellent for people who live in rural areas72 feet is a bit invasive to smaller neighborhoods
It detects motion up to 72 feet, which will scare off distant thievesLess lighting power than other comparable models
It is easy to install
Best Floodlights With A Motion Sensor Reviews

Baxia Technology BX-SL-101 – Incredibly Bright 

The Baxia Technology Outdoor solar light is a wireless waterproof motion sensor.

The integrated design makes it suitable for stone walls and installation directly into the sides of homes. 

This product is incredibly stylish to people who are particular about what they want.

However, the static design gives this light smaller coverage. It will also dim if the lights stay on beyond 15 minutes.

While you won’t expect this to illuminate areas beyond a nearby sidewalk, the combination of function and design is a niche change of pace. If you are looking for that balance, this will be a good purchase.

ProsCons
If you have a stone wall or privacy fence to mount this onThe design choice makes them less flexible for security purposes
If you are concerned about design preferencesThe more narrow light focus means you will need to buy more
It has a 180-day limited product guarantee periodThe motion-sensing distance is limited to ten feet
Best Floodlights With A Motion Sensor Reviews

What You Need to Know Before Buying A Motion Sensing Solar Floodlight

A motion-sensing solar floodlight is a bit of a mouthful. This section will dig into what you need to look for in an excellent solar floodlight.

Why Should I Purchase a Solar Floodlight?

If you want to purchase a solar floodlight, you should do so for two primary reasons:

  • The First (and the most common) is to deter potential thieves. Most of them will turn tail and run if they see a bright LED suddenly turn on.
  • Second, solar lighting does not use any electricity. As a result, you contribute to a greener environment and remain conservative.

Energy conservation is significant, as leaving your lights on overnight every night will result in more needs for replacement.

Also, leaving on your lights will add $10 per month per lightbulb (on average) to your bills.  

There are more uses we will get into later.

What Distance Should I Look For In My Floodlights?

The standard driveway is typically around 20 feet in length. This footage is the bare minimum you should look for in your motion-activated lights. Ideally, you need to reach out to 26 feet, which includes just beyond the sidewalk. 

If you live in rural areas or have a large backyard, your expectation should be higher. That’s where the LePower’s available 70+ feet of movement detection may be in handy.

The idea is to have a light that can detect movement at the edge of your property line (or just beyond). To find this out, you will want to measure out the square feet of your property.

How Many Lumens of Light Do I Need?

Lumens measure the level of light coming out of your lightbulb. More lumens result in a bright light that will cover a more expansive space.

Typically, this has an inverse effect on the hours of light you get, as more glowing lights generally are less energy efficient. 

Ideally, it would be best to look for something around 1600 lumens, as those typically require eight hours of charging. They also ideally will last over 20 hours. 

What Type of Battery Should I Look For in Solar Flood Lights?

The standard type of battery you should look for is Lithium-Ion batteries. Specifically, you should look for batteries that are around 2000 to 4000 mAH (Milliamp Hours).

The higher this number is, the more energy it can store. Around 2000 to 3000 typically means you have a battery lasting about 20 to 30 hours.

That number varies heavily depending on the power consumption of the light. More battery power is almost never a bad thing.

What Weatherproofing Should I Look For With Motion Activated Lights?

All of the lights on this list are excellent at weatherproofing. When you want good weatherproofing, you should look for the following claims:

  • Rain-proof
  • Frost resistance 
  • Heat resistant

The last one is not a typical claim of most lights. The best way to determine an item’s heat resistance goes back to the user’s manual. Otherwise, contact their customer service departments. 

How Long Should Solar Floodlights Last?

In an ideal world, our purchases would last until we need an upgrade. However, the standard longevity of most of these items is around three years

Warranties in this field typically only last up to one year. Turning them off during the day can improve that longevity. 

What are Some Non-Standard Uses For My Solar Motion Lights?

LED security lights, particularly floodlights, can be used to illuminate vast areas. If you are seeking to repurpose your lights beyond security and ease of walking, below are some additional ideas:

  • You can use them to illuminate your backyard to play nighttime games (football, tag, etc.) 
  • You can illuminate your yard for backyard grilling or enjoying your patio space
  • You can use them (temporarily) to grow plants (if they are LEDs) 
  • You can use them for creative photography projects

You can buy non-security floodlights that would be more suitable for this use. However, you can use any floodlight in a pinch. With many of these, the flexibility of turning heads and good positioning will allow you to brighten large distances. 

Best Motion Sensing Solar Floodlight Brands

The brands we discussed during this run the gambit on what they do. Here are the details about them:

Out of the options, Ring is the only actual security company. All of the other companies focus primarily on quality lighting.

Regardless of what kind of company they produce, all of them provide security solutions with their motion-sensing lights. 

Motion Sensing Solar Floodlight FAQs

How Do You Reset a Motion Sensing Light?

There’s always the potential of your motion-sensing lights becoming disabled. In this case, you can follow the following instructions to reset most lights:

  1. Find out what is causing a motion-sensing light to malfunction
  2. If your light has an off/on the switch, flip it
  3. Reset the breaker connected to your light
  4. Check to see if your solar panel is dirty 

Next, we will dig into different causes for malfunctioning floodlights.

What Causes a Motion Sensing Light To Malfunction?

The most common reasons for a malfunctioning light include the following:

  • If your motion sensing light doesn’t turn off or on, check to see if the sensor is dirty. 
  • Your motion sensor light may be stuck in a loop and require a reset.
  • If your light seems to dim often, your solar panel might be dirty.

How Do You Clean a Solar Panel?

Because solar panels are sensitive, you want to be very picky with how you clean them. You wouldn’t want to break them if you can avoid it. 

When cleaning, limit yourself to soft scrubbers and mild cleaners. Soapy waters, made from mild dish soaps, would likely work for your needs. 

If possible, try to limit your cleaning to a simple water hose. The most critical area of focus is to get a soft squeegee or scrubbing brush. 

If your solar panels keep getting dirty, you may check out see how flat they are. If trees surround your house, consider cutting them down.

You may also check the pollen counts of your local area. 

Why Do Solar Lights Use LEDs?

While some porch lights still rely on an incandescent bulb, LED lights are far more useful for solar lighting.

The reason? LEDs typically last around 50,000 hours, which is a pretty ridiculous count. 

For a light that you are encouraged to set and forget, LEDs are a vital inclusion. 

Final Thoughts

As the only genuine security company, Ring’s Solar Floodlight is an easy pick for our favorite. Given their emphasis on security through their wide variety of products, they have the most significant expansion potential.

The purchase of a Ring Bridge and doorbell camera pushes Ring beyond the “solar-powered” lighting” arena. 

If you don’t choose to have a smart home, almost any other light would be more appropriate for your needs. LePower lights are a bit more suitable for rural areas, while Baxia is better for path lighting.

Regardless of where your priorities lay, there is a light on this list for you. 

Prioritizing your family’s needs is paramount to ensuring their safety. When it comes to good security lighting, they can prevent or encourage a home invasion or lack thereof.

Lights can provide some peace of mind, but the addition of a smart home security system can also help. 

Thank you for reading this buyer’s guide on solar security-based floodlights. By clicking on the links to the products above, you allow us to continue to create high-quality content.

If you consider it, we would be most grateful.

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