Position matters more than wattage. A passive infrared sensor picks up movement travelling across its field better than movement heading straight at it, so aim it across the walkway rather than down it. A ceiling mounted 360 degree sensor typically covers a circle roughly 6 metres across at a standard 2.4 metre ceiling height, though this varies by model, so check the detection range on the specification sheet. Keep the sensor away from a heater, an air conditioner outlet or a clothes dryer, because moving warm air can trigger it, and remember a passive infrared sensor needs line of sight, so it will not see you through a door or a stairwell wall.

Yes for a laundry, with care in a bathroom. The first digit of an IP rating covers solids and the second covers water, so IP44 suits a covered, splash prone spot such as a laundry. Bathrooms are harder: Australia has zone rules around the bath and shower with a minimum IP rating for each zone, so confirm with your electrician which zone the fitting falls in. The practical catch is that a passive infrared sensor reads movement, not occupancy, so it can switch off while you are standing still in the shower, and steam moving past the lens can false trigger it. Mount clear of the shower head, set the TIME dial to 5 minutes or longer, and for a main bathroom consider a standard fitting on a switch instead.

Most can, though not all. Flicking the wall switch off then on in quick succession, commonly off, on, off, on, puts the light into manual override, where it stays lit until you switch off at the wall and leave it off for about a minute to return to sensor mode. The exact number of flicks varies by brand and some models list manual override as not supported, so check the manual for your model. This also explains the most common complaint: a sensor light that will not switch off has usually been left in override by accident. The other two causes are a LUX dial set to the sun symbol, which lets it trigger in daylight, and a TIME dial wound to maximum.

Often, yes. A passive infrared sensor detects moving body heat, and a dog or cat crossing the detection zone gives off enough to trigger it, particularly at floor level in a hallway or laundry. Turn the SENS dial, sometimes marked RANGE, down so the sensor is less eager, and where the fitting allows, angle the lens slightly upward so the detection zone starts above pet height. Microwave sensors detect movement rather than heat, so pets set those off as well. A few models list a pet immunity weight in their specifications. Setting TIME to its minimum, often around 10 seconds, at least limits how long a false trigger keeps the light on.

That is what the LUX dial controls. LUX sets how dark it has to be before the sensor will respond at all. A sun symbol means the light will trigger at any light level, including daylight. A moon symbol means it only works at night. A truly windowless hallway, garage or walk-in wardrobe sits below the trigger threshold around the clock, so the light responds on either setting. The dial matters most in a space that does get some daylight but is still too dim to see by, such as a hall with one small window or a garage with a side pane. Turn those towards the sun so the light still responds during the day, and towards the moon in a room where you only want light after dusk.

Most fittings on this page are 240V mains powered, and hardwired lighting in Australia must be installed by a licensed electrician. Mains fittings give full room brightness, never need recharging and can be overridden at the wall switch. Battery, USB rechargeable and plug-in sensor lights, the stick on type used inside a wardrobe or under a cupboard, need no electrician and can be moved anywhere, but they are much dimmer, commonly under 200 lumens, and need recharging every few weeks to a few months depending on how often they trigger. Check the individual product page for how a given fitting is powered. Use a battery or plug-in unit for a small cupboard and a mains fitting for anything you need to see the whole room by.