Security Lighting - But efficient

[Steveal]

I currently have a crop of 500W lights with individual PIR control providing 'security' lighting around my home.

I'm becoming convinced that having low wattage lights controlled by a photocell (dusk to dawn) might be superior.

The 500W lights are under the eves of a normal 2 story house, so about 5 metres above ground level.

Can anyone suggest suitable replacement lights which will be low wattage (or energy efficient?) and effective from that height?

Steve

 

[1john]

son lighting on a dusk till dawn is fairly cheap, a 70W lamp will illuminate a large area, although they are orange like some street lighting, metal halide i think is a white light but have never installed them so cant comment from experience. the SON lights would work best on a photocell i dont think they are any good on a PIR due to warm up times.

 

[electronicsuk]

You could install a floodlight that uses a low energy CFL such as these, although at 5 metres from the ground it's likely they wont be very effective. Some form of discharge lighting is probably the way to go, and SON will be cost effective and provide plenty of light if you don't mind the orange-streetlight tinge. Metal halide will provide bright white light and is still cheap to run, but as far as I'm aware, doesn't provide quite as many lumens per watt as SON.

 

[Chri5]

Have a look through this lot:-



http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Lighting_External_Index/Lighting_Floodlight_Index/index.html


LED stuff would do the job, but some is very expensive such as this, which is a nats whisker under £300

 

[RF Lighting]

PL floods are the best for this sort of thing on a normal domestic property.

Discharge floods would be overkill IMO

 

[Steve]

Agreed, if its dusk to dawn the OP wants, then a few PL floods would be best.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In..._Smartflood/index.html#Floodlights_Smartflood

Any of them would do the trick, IMO. (Except the ones with a PIR - bad idea!)

 

[Steveal]

Thanks to all who responded.

I have a total of 5 of the 500W PIR jobs to replace. I'll start by replacing one with a 26W smartflood with photocell and see how that goes.

Steve