Turn on light automatically in downstairs toilet

[ShortLass]

My downstairs loo is not the brightest of places. I would like the light to come on automatically when you go in there so it doesn't appear too dim.

One obvious way is with a motion sensor. But I've heard people complain that it senses people walk past the door even when closed (I guess it can see through the gap) and turns the light on when it's not wanted. As the downstairs loo is right off the main hallway with lots of to and fro traffic, this could become annoying.

A separate motion sensor (PIR) can be wired into the light switch and you use your existing light. Or you can get lights with motion sensors built in, such as www.lights.co.uk/round-aras-led-ceiling-lamp-sensor-matt-nickel.html, but they all seem to be too big for a small room at 30cm and more. The one I've linked to is the smallest I could find, but still at 26cm in diameter.

Another way would be a sensor on the door which turns on the light for, say, five minutes enough for a person to do their thing and leave. But the door sensors I have seen are for wardrobes etc which turn on the light when you open the door and turn it off again when the door is closed plunging the person inside into darkness.

If anyone has done this and has a recommendation, I'd love to hear it.

Not exactly what you did, but our downstairs loo comes off the utility room and it was a bit funny having a switch on the way into each, so were just wired them so the utility switch turns both on. You could do that with the Hall light, although it seems wasteful if you use an LED bulb of a few watts then you won't really add to your bills.

Thanks for the suggestion, John. But I wanted to stop the light coming on when people walk down the hallway, not the other way round.

I just want the light to come on when someone goes into the downstairs loo, not happens to walk past it.

I guess I'll have to put a motion sensor light in there and hope for the best. Unless anyone else has any solutions.

Use a motion sensor but position it on the door frame facing away from the door, or on the side wall pointing across the room, so that it isn't pointing at the doorway

What's the issue with using a switch 😂

Depending on your light fitting you could use a light bulb with a built in motion detector.

Oh sorry, I missed that you had already thought of bulbs with built in motion detectors

I'm not seeing why a switch isn't working for you?

A switch doesn't work because in the day, you would walk in and not turn it on and it is gloomy in there.

I would like it to be bright as soon as someone walks in, which isn't possible with the amount of daylight coming in.

I like the idea of putting the motion sensor where it points away from the door. Perhaps above the door frame will work. Rather obvious when your think about it.

If you prefer people to turn it on, could you not just ask them to do so? Sounds like an awful lot of worry and effort to me over something that is easily sorted!

A switch next to the door or a switch outside the door before you go in?

Replace the door with one with frosted glass in it?

Any one of the millions of motion activated battery lights on Amazon

I'm sure I'm missing something. 😂

I'm the one who will never turn it on. But it would be nice if it was bright in there and not gloomy.

Just thought people might have had experience of putting one of these in.

We have these sort of lights in the loos at work and they work well.

Weight activated switch? Would have the bonus of plunging seat squaters into darkness 😃.

I think it's different in a work situation. People expect it. In a domestic loo people will be trying to find the switch to turn the light off. If it's on when they enter they will just presume the last person using the loo left the light on. I think it might confuse guests.

Should

That's not such a daft idea 😄 HERE is a motion activated light for your toilet seat.

I hope they mean motion as in movement 😳

Peachy it is still a daft idea, just so happens someone has made one, although I was thinking of a mat which you step on.

off to find light up toilet light to befuddle dh on his next nighttime excursion, wonders what cats will make of it, tell the Christmas bargain thread, they will love it!

If the sensor faces away from the door, it will not switch when you open the door, but come on after you walk in - thus being slower to activate than a switch.
I am also confuzzled why you want the light on but you refuse to turn it on.

Peachy I've got one of those and the light is set to pink to match the accessories in my bathroom. It was a bit worrying at first because I saw my pee was bright orange. I defeated the object by switching on the main light to find that pink and yellow make orange and it was not an urine infection.

Love it so much bought my dsis and dm one.