Outdoor lights that turn on at dusk automatically?

Kamran

Dear all, hope you're well!

We're having a brick shed built at the end of the garden and would like 2 exterior lights to be at the front of it, that automatically turn on at dusk, and off at dawn. There will be electrics in the shed, including bar lights and a few power sockets inside.

- any recommendations as to how the best way to achieve this would be?
- do I pick a particular pair of lights that I like (outdoor, waterproof etc) and then purchase a separate light "sensor"?
- can one "sensor" trigger both lights?

Any advice or links to products would be greatly appreciated! :T

marlot

I just fitted these to regular lights.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/osram-intelligent-sensor-stick-compact-fluorescent-lamp-es-15w/90068?kpid=90068&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&kpid=90068&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping%20-%20Lighting-_-Shopping%20-%20Lighting&gclid=CjwKEAiAjNemBRCgp_vymcvVym0SJACRp_UZtQjXHHkoOhzWq8CMs_31dIf8k4RsrFeYRhgZzOTu2xoCUtnw_wcB

But if starting from scratch like you, I'd use a separate sensor and regular lights.

Why not make them motion sensitive too, and cut the electricity use? It seems rather wasteful to have them running all night.

jayyar66

As above, I fitted one of these:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Lighting/d220/LED+Lamps/sd3276/LED+7W+Dusk+To+Dawn+Sensor+Lamp+/p36407

At just 7 watts it's almost half the power of the low energy one in the previous post. I've fitted it in an existing bulkhead fitting above my front door and I've been very pleased with the amount of light from it. HTH :-)

Biggles

Yes, one sensor can trigger both lights, I have had that arrangement for some years. Now that I use LED lights, the power usage is trivial and you don't get bothered by the 'false alarms' that you always get with PIR-operated lights.

sparky260500

Biggles wrote: »

Yes, one sensor can trigger both lights, I have had that arrangement for some years. Now that I use LED lights, the power usage is trivial and you don't get bothered by the 'false alarms' that you always get with PIR-operated lights.

That's because there on all night anyway.

chrisw

I used one of these sensors:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PHOTOCELL-SWITCH-DAYLIGHT-DUSK-TILL-DAWN-SENSOR-IP65-/121536718469?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c4c272685

And two of these bulbs from screw fix which are only 2watts each so running costs are extremely low:-

http://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-candle-led-lamp-es-2w/8251f

DUTR

Kamran wrote: »

Dear all, hope you're well!

We're having a brick shed built at the end of the garden and would like 2 exterior lights to be at the front of it, that automatically turn on at dusk, and off at dawn. There will be electrics in the shed, including bar lights and a few power sockets inside.

- any recommendations as to how the best way to achieve this would be?
- do I pick a particular pair of lights that I like (outdoor, waterproof etc) and then purchase a separate light "sensor"?
- can one "sensor" trigger both lights?

Any advice or links to products would be greatly appreciated! :T

I got a pair of solar curve lights from that well known auction site, they are 100 Lums and are dim when the sensor is off and go bright when in the detection zone.

Biggles

sparky260500 wrote: »

That's because there on all night anyway.

Er, my point exactly....

Kamran

chrisw wrote: »

I used one of these sensors:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PHOTOCELL-SWITCH-DAYLIGHT-DUSK-TILL-DAWN-SENSOR-IP65-/121536718469?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c4c272685

And two of these bulbs from screw fix which are only 2watts each so running costs are extremely low:-

http://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-candle-led-lamp-es-2w/8251f

Thanks for all your advice!

Went for the following products:

2 of these lanterns
http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/lighting/outdoor-wall-lights/judy-frosted-panel-lantern---cream-074862

1 of this photocell
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009WWL4N4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

and thinking of purchasing 2 of these LED 9W bulbs
http://www.amazon.co.uk/AURAGLOW-Screw-Light-White-Equivalent/dp/B009S58RCG/ref=sr_1_4?s=lighting&ie=UTF8&qid=1424360982&sr=1-4&keywords=LED+es+bulb+10w

but at £7.99 per bulb, is this good value? Are LED bulbs definitely worth the investment?

Thanks!:T

chrisw

You might find those bulbs too bright. I fitted 5w LEDs initially (40w equivalents) but it was way too bright at night time and blinded the neighbours opposite. I found the 2w ones give the right amount of light I need to light up the immediate area but not painful to look at at night.

Biggles

The bulbs will certainly appear very bright if on all night. 5w or 6w should be the absolute max.

And those light fittings are really just decorative lanterns; you need something need more like a floodlight, that will direct the light to where you need it to be.