Z-Wave Generation & Long Range

800 Series sensors bring S2 security, SmartStart QR pairing, lower power and optional Long Range for garages, sheds and driveways. Older Z-Wave Plus (500) sensors still work fine on any modern hub but lack Long Range.

Detection Range & Field of View

Small rooms need 15-25 ft; open-plan spaces and hallways benefit from 30 ft or more and a wide (110-120°) angle. Mount PIR sensors so people walk across the lens, not straight at it.

Power Source & Battery Life

Battery life ranges from about one year (Zooz) to three or more (Ecolink, Aeotec MultiSensor 7). Models with USB or 12-24 V input report instantly and also act as Z-Wave repeaters when powered.

Extra Sensors

Light (lux) readings stop lights turning on in daylight, humidity drives bathroom fans, and temperature feeds thermostats. Multisensors cost more but replace several single-purpose devices.

Pet Immunity & Placement

For security use with cats or dogs, choose a sensor with a rated pet-immune mode (Ecolink up to 55 lb, Ring under 50 lb). Outdoor use needs a weather rating such as the Zooz ZSE70’s IP66.

Most Z-Wave motion sensors are indoor-only, which makes the Zooz ZSE70 stand out. It carries an IP66 rating for porches, driveways, garages and sheds, detects motion up to 30 ft, and also reports temperature and light. The 800 Series radio supports Long Range, which is exactly what you want for a detached garage or a gate far from your hub. It runs about a year on two CR123A lithium cells (better in the cold than alkaline), or you can wire 12-24 V AC/DC to the sealed terminals for constant power and repeater duty. Zooz backs it with a 5-year warranty when registered. It is built for open Z-Wave hubs, not alarm panels.

The TriSensor 8 is Aeotec’s newest Z-Wave motion sensor and the most modern multisensor here. It uses the 800 Series EFR32ZG23 chip with S2, SmartStart and Z-Wave Long Range, and combines motion with temperature (±1 °C) and light (0-30,000 lux). Motion range is listed at roughly 23-33 ft depending on the source. Aeotec quotes up to 2.5 years on one CR123A, though the Amazon listing more conservatively says a year. It mounts with an arm bracket, tape or screws, or flush with the Recessor. It’s a good fit if you want lux-aware lighting and a temperature reading without the bulk of a 6-in-1.

The Q Sensor is Zooz’s 4-in-1 and the effective replacement for the discontinued ZSE40. Alongside motion (up to 20 ft) it reports temperature, humidity (0-100%) and light (up to 65,535 lux), which makes it ideal for bathrooms, where humidity can switch the exhaust fan on and motion can keep the lights on. It runs on two CR123A cells or micro-USB (one source at a time) and repeats when powered by USB. The small multi-directional bracket makes corner mounting easy. Note that Zooz lists specific supported hubs and SmartThings needs a custom Edge driver, and Amazon ratings are the weakest of the Zooz line, so check your hub first.

The Ecolink PIRZWAVE2.5-ECO is a security-style motion detector, and it shows. It has the widest coverage in this guide at about 50 ft wide by 30 ft deep across 110°, a 90° look-down zone, a cover tamper switch, and adjustable pet immunity up to 55 lb, so a dog walking through the living room won’t trip your alarm automations. It mounts flat or in a corner with the included bracket, and one CR123A lasts years (retailers quote three to five). It is a 500-series Z-Wave Plus device with no Long Range or confirmed S2, and it’s sold by a third-party seller, but it remains one of the highest-rated Z-Wave motion sensors on Amazon.

HomeSeer’s MS100 G8 is a straightforward 800 Series PIR from a company that also makes Z-Wave controllers, so it integrates especially cleanly with HomeSeer systems while still working with other open hubs. HomeSeer specifies 25 ft of detection across 90°, a tamper alert, S2 security and Long Range support. Power is a CR123A for roughly a year or 5 V micro-USB, and the adjustable magnetic bracket can be screwed or taped in place. It’s a solid alternative to the Zooz ZSE18 with a narrower view, but the review count on Amazon is still small.

Sometimes the best motion sensor is your light switch. The Enbrighten 26931 (the Jasco line formerly sold as GE) replaces a standard switch and adds a PIR that covers up to 45 ft across 180°. You can run it in occupancy (auto on and off), vacancy (manual on, auto off) or manual mode, with five timeouts from 5 seconds to 30 minutes, three sensitivity levels and an optional low-light-only trigger. Because the motion logic lives in the switch, the light still works automatically if your hub goes offline, while the hub also gets motion events for other automations. It needs a neutral, switches up to 15 A resistive loads, works in 3-way circuits with Enbrighten add-on switches, and acts as a mains-powered Z-Wave repeater.

If your home already runs Ring Alarm, this is the motion sensor to add. The newest Ring Motion Detector connects over Z-Wave to a Ring Alarm base station, or over Amazon Sidewalk without one. It covers 30 ft with a 90° view, has a pet-friendly mode for animals under 50 lb, runs up to two years on two AA batteries (cheaper and easier to find than CR123A), and plugs into Ring’s professional monitoring option. The catch for DIY hub users: it is built and sold for the Ring ecosystem. The older 2nd Gen model was known to pair with generic Z-Wave hubs, but Ring doesn’t support that and we couldn’t confirm it for the 3rd Gen, so buy it for Ring, not for Home Assistant or Hubitat.

The Shelly Wave Motion is tiny: about 32 × 42 × 27 mm and 26 g, small enough to tuck on a bookshelf or cabinet without anyone noticing. Inside is an 800 Series radio that you can include as Long Range or regular mesh, S2 security, SmartStart and over-the-air updates, plus a lux sensor with a configurable threshold. You can tune sensitivity, blind time and the no-motion report time. It runs on a single CR2477 coin cell rated for two to three years. Shelly doesn’t publish a detection range or angle, it isn’t a repeater, and Amazon reviews are few and mixed, so treat it as a discreet specialist rather than a whole-house standard.

This is the same Enbrighten motion sensing switch as pick #8, sold as a 2-pack. It’s the easy way to convert a pair of rooms at once, such as a laundry room and pantry, or both ends of a garage, with automatic occupancy or vacancy lighting that keeps working even if the hub is down. Each switch has the same 45 ft, 180° PIR, adjustable timeout and sensitivity, 15 A resistive rating and mesh-repeating Z-Wave Plus radio. Compare the bundle price against two singles before you buy, since Amazon pricing between them varies.

The PIRZWAVE2-ECO is the predecessor of pick #6 and is still sold new on Amazon. It offers the same security-panel style design with 55 lb pet immunity and flush or corner mounting, on an older classic (pre-Plus) Z-Wave radio. That makes it a reasonable match if you’re extending an older controller or an existing Ecolink install, or if the 2.5 is out of stock. For a new setup, the PIRZWAVE2.5-ECO or an 800 Series sensor is the better buy.

Want one sensor for every room?

Standardize on the Zooz ZSE18 800LR: modern radio, 120° coverage and battery or USB power.

Need climate and light data too?

Pick the Aeotec MultiSensor 7 for six sensors, the TriSensor 8 for 800 Series, or the Zooz Q Sensor for bathrooms.

Mounting it outside?

Only the Zooz ZSE70 is IP66 rated, and its Long Range radio reaches detached garages and gates.

Have pets and want security alerts?

Use the Ecolink PIRZWAVE2.5-ECO with 55 lb pet immunity, or the Ring sensor if you run Ring Alarm.

Hate changing batteries?

Replace the wall switch with the Enbrighten 26931, or power a ZSE18, ZSE11 or MultiSensor 7 by USB.

Want it to disappear?

The Shelly Wave Motion is the smallest, or flush-mount an Aeotec sensor with the Recessor.

Do Z-Wave motion sensors need a hub?

Yes. Z-Wave sensors have no Wi-Fi, so they report to a Z-Wave controller such as Home Assistant with a Z-Wave USB stick, Hubitat, SmartThings, Zooz Z-Box, HomeSeer or Homey, which then runs your automations. The Ring Motion Detector is the exception in that it pairs to a Ring Alarm base station. The Enbrighten motion switch can also run its light on its own without a hub. If you still need a controller, see our guide to the best Z-Wave hubs and USB sticks.

Why do my lights turn off while I’m still in the room?

PIR sensors detect moving heat, so someone sitting still at a desk or on the sofa eventually stops triggering them. Raise the sensor’s retrigger or no-motion timeout, lengthen the “off” delay in your hub automation, and aim the sensor so it sees your seating area. For rooms where people sit still for long periods, pair motion with a presence or mmWave sensor, or use vacancy mode on an Enbrighten switch so the lights only turn off after a long timeout.

Should I use Z-Wave Long Range for motion sensors?

Use Long Range for sensors that are far from the hub or outside the mesh, such as a ZSE70 on a detached garage or a sensor at the end of a long driveway. Indoors, a normal mesh is usually fine because your mains-powered Z-Wave switches and plugs relay the signal. Long Range only works when your controller and USB stick support it, and Long Range devices talk directly to the controller rather than repeating for others.

How long do Z-Wave motion sensor batteries last?

Manufacturers claim roughly one year for the Zooz sensors and HomeSeer MS100, up to 2.5 years for the TriSensor 8, about three years for the MultiSensor 7, and three or more years for the Ecolink. Real life depends on how busy the room is, how often you report temperature or light, and how far the sensor is from the hub. Use lithium CR123A cells, avoid rechargeable 3.6 V cells unless the manual allows them, and consider USB power for high-traffic areas.

Will Z-Wave motion sensors work with Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home?

Not directly, because Z-Wave is its own radio protocol. A hub such as SmartThings, Hubitat or Home Assistant can expose motion events to Alexa and Google routines. To use them in Apple Home or other Matter ecosystems, choose a hub that bridges Z-Wave into Matter. Our guide to the best Matter bridges for Zigbee and Z-Wave covers the options.