Customer Reviews

AmerTac MLC2BC 75-Watt Indoor Motion Activated Light Control

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(28)

 

 

I bought two of these things and they drove me crazy at first. For years I've used BRK Model PIR720 sensors which are *somewhat* similar. The BRK's only work with incandescent bulbs and I've been switching over to Compact Fluorescents (CFLs) with which the Amertac MLC2BC are supposed to work. (Not that it matters a whole lot, since one function of these devices is to turn off the light if you forget) But the main reason I switched to this device is because Home Depot, which is where I happened to go to get more of the BRK devices no longer had them in the store and had the Amertac instead.

I was hesitant at first because the BRK senses in two directions 180 degrees apart, which makes it a good choice in a hallway where you need the light turned on when approaching from either direction. I tried calling the 800 # on the package while in the store to see if they might have a two sensor version and gave up after waiting on hold for a long time. But one of my locations is over the washing machine which is always approached from the same direction so I got the Amertac anyway.

As the other reviewers reported, I did not get the response expected from either of the two units I bought. I tried them in other locations and finally determined, as they did, that they do not work. Figuring that maybe they had a bad production run I returned them, waited a few months and bought another pair. Lo and behold, same issues. Then it dawned on me what was going on. The Amertacs have a feature that is completely NOT MENTIONED in the manual! Unlike the BRK's, the Amertac devices inhibit operation in the event there is already [some] light in the area.

Apparently what they did is to take the sensor from devices such as outdoor floodlight control and package it into a screw in base. In outdoor floodlamp application you don't want the lights coming on every time someone walks by in the daytime, only at night. That is why the Amertac devices sometimes won't come on until you stick your hand right up to the sensor and block ambient light. So they work fine in a fairly dark area like a basement if they're not facing a window in the daytime, for example. In an area like a pantry where there is likely to be light coming in from the kitchen or in the case like the location of my washing machine where there happens to be a window behind me when I stand facing the machine, the Amertac will not activate in the daytime until you wave your hand in front of it to block the light from the window. It is pretty sensitive to ambient light.

What this device needs to be useable in non area-lighting applications is a) to mention in the manual that the thing has both motion and light sensors and b) to include a switch on the thing to disable the light sensor funtionality for applications where it's problematic.

I may open one of the things up to see if the light sensor is separate from the motion sensor, if so it would be a simple matter to disable the light sensor by sticking a piece of opaque black electrical tape over it while leaving the motion sensor uncovered. In the meantime if you want to make sure the light will activate by motion regardless of existing ambient light the BRK PIR720 is the solution.

Note that the BRK720 is actually sold by First Alert, it is on the First Alert web site as well as Amazon. If you want the light to not respond to motion in the event of ambient light the Amertac is better. Regarding the PIR720 I've had a few fail over the years but I also have some that have lasted many years. They cost about the same as the Amertac devices.

The Amertac light inhibit feature can be good. I now have one of the Amertac devices in a ceiling socket above my workbench, at which I work with an articulated work light. The area doesn't get much light coming in the windows. The ceiling light is inhibited by the work light. When I get up to leave and turn off the work light the ceiling light instantly comes on to light my way out of the area. Perfect for that application, I don't need the ceiling light while at the bench.

Sorry for the long review but there are nuances to understand about the Amertac device about which the manual leaves one entirely in the dark!

I give the device three stars because the manual is incomplete. I would give it four stars if the manual were written properly, 5 stars if the device could also be found on the Amertac web site and if they would answer their phone and if they had a two sensor version and if they had a light sensor disable option.

I owned 4 of the similar First Alert models which I payed double the price each of this device. I had one of the First Alert models fail in my indoor garage (enclosed but not heated)... tried unscrewing it and screwing it back in, turning it on and off and it would no longer motion sense... dead in the water. This does EXACTLY the same thing for half the price... only difference being it has a 10 minute timer as opposed to the 5 minute timer on the first alert. Go with this one.

UPDATE: Originally gave this 5 stars, changing it down to 1. Had this Amertac model for about one year and same thing happened. Dead in the water. I don't know if it is the cold garage or what (coldest it ever gets is about 30 or so?), but none of these light sensors seem to make it more than a year or so. For the price, definitely NOT acceptable durability. Looking to go back to regular lights, but add some sort of separate Insteon sensor which runs them. Something like that, because BOTH the First alert sensor and this one, seem to fail in an unheated garage. Have had 3 of these fail now. 2 First alerts and one Amertac.

I tried the AmerTac MLC2BC in my pantry closet. I could not get it to work at all. I can't tell you if the motion detector works well or not, because the product just didn't do anything. I tried different types of light bulbs, and tried adjusting the position of the motion detector, but no bulb would light up while I was using it. The product appeared to be brand new in good condition, but nothing we did would get it to work, so I sent it back and got a refund. The only good thing I can say is that Amazon paid for the return shipping since the product wouldn't work.

I was excited when I bought it but should have read the reviews first. The motion sensor did not work. I had to turn the light fixture off and turn it back on again for the light to come on. When it did, it took much longer to turn off than 15 minutes. A waste of $20.

I bought this for a closet. Put in the replacement according to the directions (directions are very bad) and it turned on like it is supposed to then after about 20 mins (not 10 like it is supposed to) it turned off. I tried to get it to turn back on by motion but it would not turn on even after waiving my hand in front of the sensor window. Nothing worked. I then went to remove it to see if maybe the bulb had burnt out and when I got close to it the light came on. I tried to get it to work several times with no luck. I thought that I may have a defective unit. I returned it and got a new one thinking it would work and the second unit is even worse than the first one. It only turns on sometimes and usually only when you are waiving your hand in front of the sensor but that does not all the time. I am returning this unit and getting something else. Stay away from this product.

I purchased this product locally several months ago. I used it on a ceiling-mounted light in the basement (with a CFL). It works great. Competitor models reportedly do not work with a CFL.

Last week, I locally purchased a second one. With this one, I added a screw-in electrical receptacle and a 3-prong/2prong converter. I then plugged my shop light into it. It now turns on my shop light (Two four-foot fluorescent lamps, 32 watts each), as I enter my shop. It has been working flawlessly.

After reading the negative reviews on Amazon, I was hesitant to get the second unit. The directions indicate that the unit should be screwed into the fixture with the power off. I did note that the first time it is used, there is a approximately 5 second delay before it activates (the first time). On all subsequent cycles, the unit works instantaneously. Maybe the initial delay is tricking individuals to believing that their unit is broken. My two units work great.

The Amazon price is ~20% less than I can find it locally. I plan to order several more, for my basement and garage. Yes, I would recommend this product to a friend.

I purchased two of these motion controlled sockets despite a large number of negative reviews of this product. I cannot comment on their long term reliability, but out of the box both of them work exactly as described - they turn on when a person is within ~10 feet, and turn off ten minutes later. Contrary to what is stated in at least one of the reviews, they do not have a light sensor. One possible reason that so many people do not get these sensors to work properly is if the sensor window is not oriented correctly - it should face in the direction of the moving person.

I bought one at the local hardware store for use in my basement. It worked right off the bat with the first bulb I used. It never fails to turn on when I walk by, and it shuts off roughly 10 minutes after I leave (I haven't verified it with a stop watch, but it's close). I have no complaints about this product, but everyone else seems to have nothing but negative comments - maybe I got lucky?

What ever the case. I'd buy it again, and I'd recommend it for anyone else.

Thought this would be an easy fix for a motion light in the laundry room. I liked the
easy installation of just removing the existing light bulb and screwing in the motion light controler.
It was all down hill after that. Like on other reviews the light would not turn on every time.
Plus most the time you had to get right in front of the controller and wave your hand in front of the sensor
to get it to activate. I don't have any windows in my laudry room so I installed the Heath Zenith SL-4305
motion light. It's made for a porch light but it has a 360 sensor. Not the prettiest thing but it works like
a champ in my laundry room.

Heath Zenith SL-4305-BK Motion-Activated 5-Sided Porch Light, Black Brass with Frosted Glass

DO NOT BUY THIS ITEM, IT DOES NOT WORK, IT DOES NOT WORK, IT DOES NOT WORK !!!

I BOUGHT 3 OF THEM, AND THE FIRST 2 I OPENED, I INSTALLED AND GUESS WHAT, THEY NEVER WORKED !

SAVE YOUR MONEY !
DO NOT BUY THIS ITEM !

I WISH I KNEW THIS BEFORE I WASTED MY MONEY !