Solar light or Energy saving bulb

applepad

I have an outside light which I switch on each evening and turn off each morning, the bulbs been in it a few years,I’m not sure if it’s an energy saving one.

Would you just buy an energy saving bulb? Or buy a decent solar light fitting which will come on at dusk and switch off at dawn?

grumbler

Solar lights are good only with PIR, when they don't stay ON for a long time. For dusk to down you need a mains powered light.

Keep_pedalling

Replace it with an LED bulb.

Norman_Castle

Find out what bulb is in it.

applepad

So next question is, are all energy saving bulbs equal?

grumbler

Define 'equal'.

Efficiency of all LED bulbs is more or less equal. Graphene bulbs (with filament shaped LED) are reportedly 10% more efficient than other types of LED.

Power, reliability, colour temperature and, possibly some other parameters vary.

fatbelly

There's a new generation of Ultra-Energy Saving lights from Philips and I think Crompton.

They are expensive but should last longer so if the outside light is 20 feet up a wall for instance it may be worth paying the extra.

https://www.lighting.philips.co.uk/consumer/ultra-efficient

chrisw

Rather rather than switching it on and off all the time, buy a dusk to dawn led light bulb.

Eg.
https://www.toolstation.com/integral-led-gls-dusk-till-dawn-sensor/p30476

applepad

chrisw said:

Rather rather than switching it on and off all the time, buy a dusk to dawn led light bulb.

Eg.
https://www.toolstation.com/integral-led-gls-dusk-till-dawn-sensor/p30476

So if I get one of these, do I just switch it on at the switch inside ? 

Will it ‘draw’ any electric when light is out?

chrisw

applepad said:

chrisw said:

Rather rather than switching it on and off all the time, buy a dusk to dawn led light bulb.

Eg.
https://www.toolstation.com/integral-led-gls-dusk-till-dawn-sensor/p30476

So if I get one of these, do I just switch it on at the switch inside ? 

Will it ‘draw’ any electric when light is out?

Yes, you leave the switch inside permanently on, unless of course you don't want the light to come on for some reason.

The photocell will draw a small amount of power during the day when the bulb is off but it really will be minimal.

The other advantage is that it will continue to turn on and off even if you are not at home.