This Light’s Easy to Install, but it Doesn’t Last

Cooper MS188W Motion-Detecting Halogen Security Light 

I’m not particularly paranoid, but it’s still something comforting to see a motion-detector light mounted at our garage door. For one, having one is easier than scrabbling for keys and keyholes in the dark and for another, the kids like to leave toys just outside the back door for me to trip over..

Soon after we got settled into our last house, we put up a security light with a motion detector in just that spot. At one of the BigBox stores, we found a 300-watt halogen fixture; the Cooper MS188W Halogen Motion-Detecting Light (available in white or bronze).

Installation

We mounted ours on the soffit, but it can also be installed on a wall.  The light itself’s in the middle of a hinged arm with a motion detector at the end. When mounted on the wall, the light sticks out with the sensor hanging straight down. Mounted on a soffit like ours, the arm forms a straight line with the light in the middle and the detector at opposite end from the mounting point. The whole thing’s about ten inches long.

Cooper configures the light to mount on a standard junction box with two screws (no crossbar). In the box you’ll also find wire nuts and connection instructions. The wiring harness comprises aluminum lamp cord in black and white insulation and a braided grounding cable. They include a foam rubber gasket to provide weatherproofing, but if you’re smart you’ll caulk it as well. A 300W halogen bulb is included in the box. You have to remove a pair of metal clips from the glass face of the light fixture and pry out the glass to install the bulb; a rather tricky operation. Specs As you might expect, the light’s UL listed for outdoor use in wet areas. Its sensor is said to cover a 180-degree horizontal angle with a range of 70 feet, dependent on how high it’s mounted. There’s a photocell that detects ambient light to keep the motion detector from coming on in daylight. You can set the light to stay lit for 1, 4 or 12 minutes; and there are other modes controlled by switching it on and off at the.

I found it fairly easy to install, but it might have been easier if Cooper had included some sort of hanging strap to support the light’s weight while you connect the wiring. Adjusting the light’s position and angle and aiming the detector are straightforward, though installing the halogen bulb is a pain in the rear. Adjusting detector sensitivity is basically a matter of repetition, using simple instructions. 

Durability For a year or two, our light illuminated out the driveway and kept the local herd of feral cats in the bushes. The downside of out light was that the motion detector went belly-up within three years, even though it was in a relatively dry, protected location. The light came on only if I manipulated the sensor by hand, rendering it fairly useless. I replaced it with a different light, a Heath-Zenith 250-Watt Quartz Security Light with Motion Detector that was still working five years later when we sold the house. Based on its short lifespan, I can’t recommend the Cooper light.

Summary

Plus: easy to install, bright light, functions as expected

Minus: light bulb compartment difficult to open, fails just after warranty expires

What They're Saying: Our Cooper MS188W Motion-Detecting Halogen Security Light worked fine and was relatively easy to install; but didn't last long enough.