Solar Security Lights: All-Night, Motion Sensor or Camera?
For most gates, back doors and shop fronts, a motion sensor (PIR) solar flood light is the better security buy: it only lights up fully when someone moves, so as a general rule the same battery stretches further, and the sudden light tells you something happened. Choose a constant dusk-to-dawn light where a guard or caretaker needs steady light all night, and a solar camera flood light where you also want a recording of what happened, sent to cloud storage over Wi-Fi. At AHIHQ, motion sensor flood lights start from KSh 5,000, a 100W all-night unit with a published runtime costs KSh 5,200, and camera flood lights start from KSh 14,000.
Three ways a solar flood light secures a property
| Type | What it does | Best for | Example price |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-night (dusk to dawn) | Stays lit through the night while the battery lasts | Guarded gates, parking where people move all night | KSh 5,200 (100W, 6000mAh) |
| Motion sensor (PIR) | Wakes up when it detects movement | Back doors, side passages, stores, quiet gates | From KSh 5,000 |
| Camera flood light | Lights the area, records 1080p video and connects over Wi-Fi | Shop fronts, yards, sites where you want a record of events | From KSh 14,000 |
Before comparing models, remember that the "W" figure on a solar flood light is a marketing number, not a measure of light output or runtime. Compare by battery capacity (Ah or mAh) and panel watts instead. Our guide to solar flood light wattage explains why.
All-night light or motion sensor?
Why a motion light lasts longer on the same battery
As general guidance, a light that is off for most of the night draws far less from its battery than one that burns from dusk to dawn. A PIR light at a back door may only run for a few minutes in total each night, so a battery of a given size goes further, and on cloudy days there is more left in reserve. A constant light uses its charge steadily, so it is the one most likely to fade before morning after a poor day of sun.
The 100W Solar LED Flood Light 6000mAh has no motion sensor listed and publishes a runtime: a 6V 8W panel charging a 3.2V 6000mAh LiFePO4 battery, with the manufacturer stating 10 to 15 hours of discharging once charged. Its lamp carries both 3000K and 6000K LEDs, so it can run warm or cool. For a bigger compound, the 200W model with a 12000mAh battery doubles the battery.
Where PIR disappoints
- Moving trees and washing lines. As general guidance, a PIR sensor reacts to warm, moving things, and branches, flags or a hanging cloth swaying in front of it can set it off. Aim the sensor away from them.
- A wide yard. As a rule of thumb, one sensor covers a limited zone. On a large plot, someone can walk along the far edge without waking the light. Use more units, or a constant light on the open ground.
- A guard who wants steady light. A watchman at the gate usually wants to see the whole area all the time, not a light that flicks on and off. Here an all-night light, or a PIR unit switched to its constant-on mode, suits better.
The motion sensor range
The 0860 family offers both PIR sensing and constant-on modes, so one fixture can do either job:
| Model | Battery | Panel | Remote | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50W PIR, 6Ah | 3.2V 6Ah LiFePO4 | 6V 6W | Yes | KSh 7,000 |
| 100W PIR, 12Ah | 3.2V 12Ah LiFePO4 | 6V 10W | Not listed | KSh 8,600 |
| 150W PIR, 15Ah | 3.2V 15Ah LiFePO4 | 6V 12W | Yes | KSh 11,000 |
The supplier publishes no charging hours, runtime or detection range for these three, so we do not quote any. Compare them by battery: the 100W carries twice the 50W's capacity.
A lower-cost option is the Solar LED Flood Light with Motion Sensor, with an IP65 body, LiFePO4 battery and a stated runtime of up to 36 hours on a full charge. It costs KSh 5,000 (50W), KSh 6,500 (100W) or KSh 8,000 (150W) per piece, with carton prices for contractors. Its battery capacity is not published, so it cannot be compared on Ah with the 0860 family. The full range is in solar flood lights with motion sensor.
Solar camera flood lights
A camera flood light puts a Wi-Fi camera and a solar flood light in one die-cast aluminium housing, so a gate or yard is lit and watched without trenching for power. All three models record at 1920 x 1080P, send alarm recordings to cloud storage, and take an optional 16G or 32G TF card for local recording. The manufacturer states a 2-year warranty.
| Model | Battery | Panel | Mounting height | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100W camera, 12Ah | 3.2V 12Ah LiFePO4 | 5V 20W | 3 to 5 m | KSh 14,000 |
| 200W camera, 24Ah | 3.2V 24Ah LiFePO4 | 5V 28W | 4 to 6 m | KSh 18,600 |
| 400W camera, 42Ah | 3.2V 42Ah LiFePO4 | 5V 40W | 6 to 8 m | KSh 25,600 |
What to check before you buy
- Runtime is not published. The camera sheets give no charging or discharging hours. Compare by battery: the 200W has twice the 100W's capacity, and the 400W has the largest in the range.
- No published detection range. The sheets do not state a camera viewing distance or motion detection range, so plan the position by eye, and ask us before buying if a figure matters.
- Wi-Fi must reach the pole. These cameras connect over Wi-Fi, so your router signal has to be usable at the mounting point. As general guidance, check signal on your phone standing at the spot; walls, gates and distance weaken it, and a Wi-Fi extender may be needed.
- Height. Mount within the manufacturer's stated height for each model, listed in the table above.
See all models in solar camera flood lights.
Site-by-site picker
| Site | Suggested type | Starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Back door or side passage | Motion sensor | 50W PIR, 6Ah, KSh 7,000 |
| Gate with a guard | All-night | 100W, 6000mAh, KSh 5,200 |
| Gate without a guard | Camera, or motion sensor | 100W camera, 12Ah, KSh 14,000 |
| Duka or shop front | Camera | 200W camera, 24Ah, KSh 18,600 |
| Yard or parking | Motion sensor, larger battery | 150W PIR, 15Ah, KSh 11,000 |
| Perimeter or open plot | Large camera unit, plus all-night lights along the fence | 400W camera, 42Ah, KSh 25,600 |
For prices across every solar flood light we stock, see solar flood light prices in Kenya.
Where to buy
All of these lights are stocked at our Nairobi trade counter at Royal Business Park, opposite Complast, Old Mombasa Road, open Monday to Saturday, 8:00 to 17:30. Pickup at the counter is free. We deliver countrywide at a flat KSh 350, free on orders over KSh 15,000. For stock checks, message us on WhatsApp. Trade buyers can request a trade quote on our trade page.
Common questions
Can a motion sensor solar light stay on all night?
The 0860 family (50W, 100W and 150W) lists both PIR sensing and constant-on modes, so it can run either way. On the 50W and 150W models the supplied remote switches between them.
How long does a solar camera flood light run at night?
The manufacturer does not publish charging or discharging hours for these models. Compare them by battery capacity: 12Ah, 24Ah and 42Ah.
Do solar camera flood lights need internet?
They connect over Wi-Fi and send alarm recordings to cloud storage, so they need a Wi-Fi signal at the mounting point. An optional 16G or 32G TF card allows local recording as well.
Why does my motion light keep switching on by itself?
As general guidance, a PIR sensor can be triggered by moving branches, animals or warm air from vents in its view. Angle the sensor away from them, or switch the light to constant-on if the site needs steady light.