In-Bay Lighting Motion Detectors

[2Biz]

I’m moving towards getting LED light fixtures for my self serve bays along with adding motion detectors. I only want one fixture burning while the bay is unused. My CW doesn’t get much use at night, so I want maximum savings while maintaining a good security level.

Can the motion detectors be the same as you’d have for home use? Or would they need to be more industrial rated? Load will be minimal on the motion detector. For you that have moved in this direction, what detectors are you using?

 

[mjwalsh]

I’m moving towards getting LED light fixtures for my self serve bays along with adding motion detectors. I only want one fixture burning while the bay is unused. My CW doesn’t get much use at night, so I want maximum savings while maintaining a good security level.

Can the motion detectors be the same as you’d have for home use? Or would they need to be more industrial rated? Load will be minimal on the motion detector. For you that have moved in this direction, what detectors are you using?

2Biz,

I think that would not work as good as using a relay from the timed output of the coin box. We allow 5 minutes (PLC timed) of the 3 times increased light from our well spaced LEDs & it has worked out very well. That has turned out to be a plus for giving the customer a hint to not be tying up the bay too long after using the coin box. That along with our Blue Colored Blow Dry LED Lettering that goes off after 6 minutes. That subtle hint would not exist if we relied just on motion detection.

mike walsh www.kingkoin.com

 

[cantbreak80]

2B
I would purchase any "brand name" device from one of the big box stores. They will likely outlast you if you mount them high enough and inside "drip proof" handy boxes. And, if they don't last, you'll have spent only a small amount for the experience.

Mike,
Do you really have a problem with customers "tying up the bay too long" at night?

 

[2Biz]

I'm also wondering, if the customer pulled in the bay and seen that only one light was on, why would he put money in the coin box. I would think you'd want the additional lights to come on when the customer pulled in the bay.

I know I wouldn't have to worry about someone tying up the bay too long at night. I don't get that many customers at night. And I have it lit up quite nicely....

 

[MEP001]

I've been thinking about using alarm sensors in each bay, which I can tie into both the surveillance DVR and the lighting. I haven't decided if I want the lights to come on when someone enters the bay of if I should tie it into the bay timer, but if I put it on the timer I'll still use the motion sensor to keep the lights on until no motion is detected for so many minutes. If I use just alarm sensors I can run them through a programmable relay to delay the lights coming on so someone walking or driving through the bays won't make them come on unnecessarily.

Another thought was to use an inductive loop in the floor, but that would be a lot more work and greater cost.

As far as a customer pulling into a bay with only one light on, I've had the back row of bay lights shutting off at midnight for about four years now, except for one bay that's fully lit all night. People almost always use a bay with just one light on.

 

[DiamondWash]

Is this the type of concept you are talking about watch this video from Kleen Rite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G992Sqb_TQ

 

[cantbreak80]

My lighting control remodel is about a year old, so I have some observations to share.

Since credit cards account for nearly 58% of my bay revenue, one might come to the conclusion that that ratio would hold true 24 hours a day…even when the lights are on.

My credit card logs during the past 12 months report 26 transactions between the hours of 10pm and 6am. If the credit card/cash ratio is constant, that means I’ve had maybe 19 cash customers during those same date and time parameters. That’s a total of 45 transactions with an assumed average of $6.50 per…for an annual gross of $292.00.

The lighting control settings allow me to extinguish the lights in up to 6 bays…the bays lights on either side of the engine room operate dusk-to-dawn. During the initial 3 month monitoring period, I determined that leaving Bays 1 & 8 illuminated dusk-to-dawn had no revenue impact. After 6 months, I decided to add Bays 2 & 7 to the “off at 10pm” setting. After 9 months Bays 3 & 6 joined the overnight darkness team. The revenue produced by the two dusk-to-dawn Bays remains steady…with about two visits per month between 10pm and 6am.

Your situation may be different…and some, (including me) might be concerned about security. Fortunately, my lot, the adjacent properties, and the city’s street fixtures are brightly illuminated.

An interesting aside… During my monitoring period, two credit card customers fired up dark bays at about 2am. I suspect they may have been impaired patrons of one of the nearby drinking establishments. All that effort to have bay timer controlled lighting…for a couple of drunks!?!

 

[2Biz]

Is this the type of concept you are talking about watch this video from Kleen Rite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G992Sqb_TQ

The LED fixtures I'm looking at and testing are the standard T12/T8 Watertight fixtures pre-wired for LED tube lights. Each fixture has 3 bulbs, 22w each bulb and puts out almost 8000 lumens per fixture. (2650 lumens per bulb).

I don't have any streetlights that illuminates my CW, so I have to keep lights on in each bay even if its only one (For security).

Problem is, after posting this, I did the math both ways....Switching out to LED fixtures and bulbs with and without motion sensors. Total cost to light the whole wash without motion sensors is only $37 a month...With motion sensors shutting off 5 fixtures, $22 a month! That's averaging 14 hours a day.... Now I'm wondering if it will be worth the effort to put in the motion sensors? I guess I will know more once I get the bulbs in and do some testing. I have clear and frosted 5000k bulbs coming to test. Should be here this week.

 

[mjwalsh]

Is this the type of concept you are talking about watch this video from Kleen Rite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G992Sqb_TQ

For the most part ... working with 2 foot segments is a quite a bit different than where a customer is wondering whether to start because only one light is on. Cantbreak80 makes a good point. I do that too but the control tends to be manual. 2Biz, when the weather is more favorable car washing then yes ... it can help to encourage after dark customers to not tie up the bay in our case. It may differ for others.

 

[MEP001]

Total cost to light the whole wash without motion sensors is only $37 a month...With motion sensors shutting off 5 fixtures, $22 a month!

Don't forget to factor in the cost of the LED bulbs and their eventual replacement. Money spent now to extend their life will pay off in the future.

 

[2Biz]

Good Point! Thanks...

 

[pgrzes]

In my automatic I have 2-4' t8 vaportights that stay on always. I also have 6-4' vaportights on the walls that come on when a wash is paid for, they are on a programmable relay that is set to stay on for 15min after turn on, if its busy they just stay on or we have a bypass switch to leave on. I also tied the relay to a solenoid on my air line. when its slow everything is off until called for. I was thinking of doing similiar in my bays. 1 light on at dark the other on with bay timer on a delayed off. I am using 2 85w cfl's in old hubbel wall packs in bays and been very happy with them.