When Good Lighting Goes Bad

Excerpt from…
"When Good Lighting Goes Bad" © 2009 by Peter Gault

Motion sensors are great lighting tools when used in the right place. Outside your home, garages, business entry areas, are all great spots for motion sensor lighting. In the restroom, not so much.

It’s a delicate subject, I know. So without painting too much of a picture, consider this before installing motion sensors in your restroom…

I don’t know about others but I don’t do a lot of moving around, jumping up and down or arm waving while I’m doing God’s work. The topic has never come up. Aren’t you glad I’m taking care of that now?

The restroom fluorescent lighting was doing its job, eliminating every shadow. I was whistling a quite tune to pass the time. It was a calm moment. Suddenly I was in darkness – black as pitch!

Since I’d been so still and calm, the motion sensor for the restroom light decided I’d left the room. Frantically I began waving my arms, stamping my feet. No good. Maybe if I clap, snap, make some sort of noise. I know it was a motion sensor. Hey, I was in a vulnerable position and was trying everything I could think of.

Turns out that particular sensor required some amount of light so it could register shadow movement. There was no laser. No infrared beam. Luckily I discovered (after awkwardly feeling around the wall), a push button at the bottom of the switch. Never have I been so thankful for piercing light of fluorescent tubes.

Installing motion sensors on your light is all well and good – in the right places. Be mindful of invited guests and their need to see in a well-lit restroom.