Front Door light: PIR and CFLs

[RichThompson]

Hello,

I've fitted a CFL to my PIR activated front-door light to save one or two pennies. Before I did this I noticed the lamp would only stay on for about 5 seconds with no-one in range to set it off. Having fitted the new bulb and to try and prevent it burning out too soon from too many quick on-offs I went to adjust the 'time-on' screw but found it had either vanished or was damaged so I couldnt adjust it.

So now I'm looking for a new PIR front door light which can take a CFL. I've only found one CFL model in Argos for £25 but doesnt have a PIR. Does anyone know where I could get what I'm looking for - or is my only option to buy a separate PIR and link it to the lamp?

Any help would be much appreciated,

R

 

[JohnD]

I have a better idea

Suppose you pay 8p per kWh for your electricity (like me).

Suppose you have an 8W CFL

If you leave it on all night, it will burn for 125 hours for 8p
If you use a simple photocell lamp, at, say, 8hrs/night, it will cost you less than £2 in electricity per year.

Now consider the cost of a PIR. How many years will it take to recoup the cost?

 

[breezer]

i agree with you JohnD, but having a light on all night to some is annoying (even if its a CFL)

I did install an eyelid light (with cfl) and separate pir for my mother for this reason

Mind you, for me, we have a hi / lo pir.

don't know if you know about them, only works with incandescent lamp, but you can set it to glow (thinks its anywhere from 20-100%), and when the pir "sees something" it goes to 100%

and during the day the lamp is off.

it gives just enough light to see the house number, although its pointless now as i have since made our number in LEDS

 

[Steve]

it gives just enough light to see the house number, although its pointless now as i have since made our number in LEDS

Sounds tasteless / tacky. Any chance of a photo?

 

[RichThompson]

Fair point about cost.

I think the CFL-only (15-watt) model I saw in Argos has the option of setting the number of hours it stays on for from dusk. Fine as long as you dont get back from a late night out at 2am and its timed out .

 

[breezer]

it gives just enough light to see the house number, although its pointless now as i have since made our number in LEDS

Sounds tasteless / tacky. Any chance of a photo?

makes everyones life easier, since all taxis delivery people now know where number xx is

have you ever tried to find a house at night that you have never been to before and its dark ? (and you forgot you mobile?)

 

[JohnD]

on an amost unconnected point - I noticed in Australia that people paint their house numbers on the kerbstones by the entrance to their homes - a great idea. I've done it here.

Their taxis also have a sort of foglamp on the roof that shines sideways to illuminate footpaths and doorways - another great idea.