IR 2180 UP ECO Flush-Mounted Motion and Dusk Sensor, 180°, White – Steinel

The Steinel IR 2180 UP ECO is a flush-mounted motion sensor with light-level measurement that fits into the wall box in place of an ordinary light switch. Its white square frame (RAL 9010) holds the domed lens of the infrared sensor and a push button for switching the light on and off by hand.

Fitting it in place of a switch

The box contains three parts: the load module, the frame and the sensor module. The load module slides into the flush box and is screwed in, and the frame and sensor module clip on top. The sensor works in both two-wire and three-wire installations — the neutral can be connected but does not have to be, so it also suits older wiring where only the live and the lamp wire reach the switch. No earth conductor is needed.

The smallest load the sensor will switch reliably is 1 W with the neutral connected and 4 W without it — worth checking if it is to control a single, very low-wattage LED bulb. Up to five sensors can be connected in parallel to control the same circuit; each then needs the neutral connected, and the total permissible load does not increase. Because this is mains-voltage work, installation should be done by an electrician.

Range and detection

The sensor covers a 180° angle. Its range depends on the direction of movement: someone walking across the field of view is detected at up to 8 m, someone walking straight towards the sensor at up to 2 m. Steinel recommends a mounting height of 1.1 m — roughly where a light switch usually sits — and no more than 2.2 m. Creep-under protection means it also picks up movement directly beneath it.

Settings and where it is used

Two rotary controls sit under a hinged flap. The light-level threshold is set between 2 and 1000 lx — at a low value the light comes on only after dark, while in daylight mode it switches regardless of brightness. The time the light stays on after the last detected movement ranges from 5 seconds to 30 minutes. It leaves the factory in daylight mode with 5 seconds.

IP20 means indoor installation only. Steinel intends the sensor for corridors and hallways, stairwells, toilets and washrooms, kitchenettes, and utility rooms — anywhere the light should come on as you enter and go off by itself.