PIR rated 60W LED or 300W Tungsten?

[gary350]

PIR rating,
60W ÷ 120V = .5a LED
300W ÷ 120V = .2.5a Tungsten

LED light rating
70W 120V = .58a

It looks like 60W PIR is over loaded with .58a LED but it is rated 2.5a on Tungsten?

My LED security light keeps killing the PIR. First time PIR became a short circuit and LED light stayed on all the time. Second time after dark movement turns PIR on LED stays on all night then morning sun turns PIR off.

I don't understand why 2.5a Tungsten is ok but .58a LED is not.?

 

[Tony Stewart]

The LED uses an inductor to integrate rectified AC to DC current. When the PIR decides to switch off the load, there is a chance of a flyback high voltage impulse, If the PIR sensor has no immunity to this, then a fault may occur.

It would have to be a relay to cause the flyback pulse. These are commonly used in AC PIRs.
If the PIR used an SSR like a Sharp S202xx, let me know.

To correct this hypothetical cause, a TVS or RC snubber may fix the problem across the load.
R=350V/0.5A = 700 Ohms, C = 1 to 4.7 nF X-class film cap. is my estimate.

 

[schmitt trigger]

Either what Tony has mentioned or the LED supply has an input capacitor which causes an inrush current.
Of course, tungsten lamps also have a large inrush current but very likely it has a lower peak current.

 

[gary350]

Now that outside temperatures are colder the PIR works much better. Is that normal? When we were having 100°f weather PIR range was 20 ft. Now weather is 70°f PIR range is 125 ft cars that drive by our house turn on the light. I turned range adjustment all the way up trying to make PIR work at 100° and now I need to readjuster to shorten the range 70' is enough.

 

[Diver300]

PIR sensors work by detecting the changes in infrared radiation as objects move across the field of view. The lenses are made to have strips that alternate between sensing and not, so that something moving will alternate between being seen and not. If the moving object is warmer than the background, the infrared will be more when the object is in view and less when not.

When it’s 100°F outside, there’s little difference between the background and a person’s body temperature, so the sensor has less change to work with and it’s less sensitive.