Before buying the Megabrite lights, I previously bought three Mr Beams MB360 Wireless LED Spotlight with Motion Sensor and Photocell Weatherproof Battery Operated 140 Lumens from Amazon to add security to my new house that is under construction. I was happy with the Mr. Beams lights and was planning to buy more until I discovered the Megabrite lights at Costco. I decided to try the Megabrite lights because of the value.
I installed one of the lights facing the front door, and I installed the second one facing the back door. Both lights pick up motion great, and stay on for approximately 20-25 secs. Installation was simple, and instructions were easy to understand. Additionally, I like the adjustable motion sensor angle (see top left corner of product photo). The Mr. Beams and Megabright lights are about equally bright. They both provide a good amount of light to a dark area, but are not super bright. Megabrite uses three AA batteries (included) compared to Mr. Beams' required three D-batteries (not included). I will post an update regarding the longevity of Megabrite compared to Mr. Beams in a couple of months.
The Megabrite package states that the lights are intended for indoor use only, but I'm hoping that they will be ok since I installed them under a porch, which provides pretty good shelter from the rain, wind and sun. The one thing I like a lot better with Mr. Beams is the look. Mr. Beams is more compact and looks like it could possibly be a camera. If Mr. Beams cost just as much as Megabrite, then I would have probably preferred Mr. Beams. However, I'm using these lights as a temporary measure, and value is a bigger priority for me, so Megabrite is the winner in my book for now.
UPDATE October 27, 2011: I've checked on the lights about once a week, and they are all still working. Overall, I prefer the Mr. Beams spotlights. I've noticed that the Mr. Beams spotlights cast a white light, and the Megabrite lights cast a bluish-white light. Thus, the Mr. Beams spotlights are brighter. Also, Mr. Beams lights look a lot better. A couple of people commented about our "cameras" when looking at the Mr. Beams lights. The Megabrite lights look like a 1990s cell phone stuck on the ceiling of our porch. Both the Mr. Beams and Megabrite lights will not turn on if you are moving EXTRA slow, but I doubt a burglar will have the patience to do that. I guess it all boils down to what you plan to use the lights for and how much you are willing to spend. The Megabrite lights serve their purpose to provide light, and are almost half the price.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Prior to the purchase of this Wireless Motion Sensor LED Lights, I have tested the Wireless Motion Sensor Under Cabinet LED Lights, also made by Megabrite. The two products share the same basic design, but the product offered here is better suited for hallway or garage entrance illumination.The motion sensor is based on passive infrared. It is quite sensitive and can detect slight movement even from ~15 ft away. Once on, the lights will remain on as long as there is motion detected, or else it will turn off after ~20 seconds of non-activity. The light dims down gradually, which gives you a chance to wave your arms if you need an extension.
One thing you should know is that: in AUTO mode, the LED lights will only turn on when it is dark outside AND there is motion detected. So if you try to test the light during daytime and the motion sensor doesn't seem to work, cover the photo sensor on the side of the LED panel and try again.
The battery consumption I measured is very low:
When the LEDs are on, the unit consumes between 170mA (when powered by three fresh alkaline AA cells) and 130mA (when powered by three Sanyo eneloop Rechargeable Batteries)
In standby (AUTO) mode: the unit consumes around 1.7mA initially, but after a few minutes of non-activity, it drops further to just 0.1mA
Based on my calculation: If the LED lights are on for 15 minutes every day, then a set of 2000mAh eneloop batteries should last for ~50 days before charging. This battery life is even more amazing than the previous under-cabinet light I tested, which I estimated should last ~30 days under the same conditions. If you choose to use disposable alkaline batteries instead, you can expect the battery life to be about 50% longer. This is because at very power, each alkaline AA cell packs about 50% more energy than an eneloop AA cell. But of course using rechargeable is more economical in the long run.
I'm not sure how weather-resistant those motion sensor lights are. For me, I mounted one unit near my garage door entrance (on the indoor inside), and another unit near the down stair hallway. This way, I never have to search for light switches in the dark again. For that I'm completely satisfied.
Best Deals for 2 Pack: Wireless Motion Sensor LED Lights ~ 10 Wide Area LED Bulbs
-fairly well built, on/off switch (if you ever need it) is mounted on the front of the unit-constant, low level amount of 'whititsh blue' light
-I wouldn't recommend for any outdoor application at all
-stays lit while it senses your presence, turns off immediately when room lights come on
-mounts on its own wall bracket so it's easy to remove to replace batteries
-best value, quality, and reliability compared to the single LED sensors
-not too dim .. Not too bright ... Just the right amount of light without turning the room overheads on .... I.e. walking around the house at night ....
Honest reviews on 2 Pack: Wireless Motion Sensor LED Lights ~ 10 Wide Area LED Bulbs
I have tried many, many brands, some good, some bad, some awful. The biggest 2 issues are brightness and false triggering.This is the only unit that is bright and doesn't false trigger much. It also fades to black rather than abruptly turning off. Well made, easy to install, only use 3AA batteries, not 4, and they last a long time. Don't waste your money on cheap units, you will pay twice...
0 comments:
Post a Comment