Always On Outdoor Light - Best Type

[pbar]

What do you guys think is the best kind of always-on-at-night-outdoor-light, as regards to light output and economy. I have some lights to change, which at the moment are standard halogen security lights, without movement sensors, but connected to separte dusk to dawn sensors. The trouble with these, is that the bulbs don't last very long (they have 60W bulbs at the moment, for economy), as halogens aren't really for use with always on lights, and there are concerns for the running costs too. Those low energy sign lights have been tried, but there isn't much light given out. The lights are used for CCTV cameras to give a decent night time image. Although a little industrial looking for home use, I was thinking of the sodium type of lighting. These seem more of the norm for outdoor lighting, I assume they have cheaper running costs?

 

[ericmark]

It depends on the camera. I have seen infra-red used and also standard SON but it's all down to camera sensor and what colour that sensor will see best. Likely monochrome will use less power but what colour of monochrome is another question.

If it was the human eye then LED likely the best but look at a sensor on a colour camera and one colour need double the number pixels to the other two clearly that colour is not as easy for the sensor to detect but also once the colour mask is fitted that colour will see more.

 

[bernardgreen]

pbar asked the question in 2011

Delivery to crescent harbour seems to have been delayed,

 

[ericmark]

I should have realised it could only happen in America.

 

[pbar]

pbar asked the question in 2011

You beat me to it, was just about to say that! Thanks for the reply, anyway. It wasn't really a camera question, I know enough about those, it was more so a lighting one. As I wanted 'always on' lighting (at night, obviously), I opted for low energy 36w spiral type ones. Get a few thousand hours out of the bulbs, and the same light units have been up for about three years. But am open to any better suggestions.

 

[deadshort]

3years and you want better !


DS

 

[pbar]

It's the best I could think of at the time. Open to suggestions for an improvement though! There doesn't seem to be much out there for a light that's constantly on, loads of sensor options though.

 

[Trazor]

Why do you wish to waste energy, and pollute the night sky.

 

[pbar]

Thanks for your reply. Just have a read of my initial post again. I don't wish to waste energy which is what prompted the question, want to waste as little as possible! I opted in the end for a single 36w low energy outside light. But would prefer even less. I don't wish for light pollution either. The area in question is already well lit, just not on this particular property, which has the cameras. You will not get a decent image on a non infra red CCTV camera without artificial light.

 

[JohnW2]

I don't wish to waste energy ... I don't wish for light pollution either. The area in question is already well lit, just not on this particular property, which has the cameras. You will not get a decent image on a non infra red CCTV camera without artificial light.

Do you need "decent CCTV images" when there are no moving human beings around? If not, PIR-controlled lighting would perhaps be suitable, rather than 'on-all-the-time' lighting?

Kind Regards, John

 

[pbar]

Thanks for your reply John. Unfortunately sensor lights are not really suitable as the area is such a size/shape that they may not always be activated by an intruder.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So in the last 3 years how many people have been convicted of offences using the evidence of your CCTV recordings?

 

[pbar]

Thanks for your reply. I can tell you that in the last five years approx. (as the cameras in question have been up longer than three years, it's just that the lighting was changed then, before that there was a different kind of energy light but the bulbs needing changing too often, and before that were halogen ones but way too expensive to run), there have been four or five separate incidents, one of which definitely led to a conviction, the person in question was recognised on the footage and had done several things that same night as it turned out. I don't know your area obviously, but honestly, it's very surprising just how many opportunists are out at night. Go for a random local drive at 3.00 or 4.00am, you may be surprised.