I'm pretty sure I've seen generic motion sensors that can be attached to the hubs of outdoor (raintight) electrical boxes. These could be used in conjunction with any light you wish. Try calling a good local electrical supply jobber.

Ah, here's one of them. I also ran across this interesting gadget.

Yeah I saw those, but the problem is I want the best of both worlds; A light that turns on at dusk for a set amount of hours then stays in motion detection mode during the night. Seems as if I'll need to have a separate motion security light I guess. I'll keep looking, it's just that I want a certain style light and the ones with built in are limited in style.

A lighting control system will do this. You need an astronomical time clock to turn the lights on at dusk and off at the time you choose. After that the system turns the light on at motion detection with a contact closure sensor. Any lighting control system that has both astronomical time clock and contact closure inputs can do this. Or you can dual feed the exterior light with both an astronomical timer and motion sensor using the same electrical circuit. Either one can turn on the light. A regular switch should be included to turn off everything to change the lamp with option 2.

I use two-thirds of your system. I have a photocell that turns the outside lights on at dusk, and a timer that turns them off at 2am.

davidr

Landscape lighting transformers tends to favor that straightforward method of control. It's the motion sensing after a timed on/off period that makes this more interesting.

thanks dimforfun, what system? any link?

I can only recommend the higher end lighting control systems by Lutron or Vantage. There are several others. For one to make sense you'd likely want to do far more than automate the post light.

Intermatic has wall box astronomical timers including designer style.