B&Q (And others?) LED external floodlights

[Simon Finnigan]

Hi everyone, I`m looking at more external lighting for the house. We currently have 3 x

300W floodlights for parties, but it`s all or nothing, and it`s a lot of power to burn just for checking something out in the back garden. I was in B&Q the other day and spotted some PIR floodlights that use LED`s. They also had a solar charging unit for this. I quite like the idea of being able to just put it on the wall and leave it turned on, so I get some light at night but not the scary amounts I get from the current 900W of lights :-)

Has anyone used them, or seem them working in the real world? And if so, opinions please!

Thanks in advance for your help!

[The Medway Handyman]

Just found this

LED & not cheap - how much was the B&Q light?

[John]

Not the same thing but I got an LED spotlight to light up a gargoyle in our back garden and it was crap. These things have a long, long way to go yet to being an acceptable source of light. Took it back to B&Q and swapped it for a "traditional" spotlight - excellent.

John

[The Medway Handyman]

I'd like to know as well. They seem ideal - if they work.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yes. The spectral response of 'white' LEDs make CFLs look positively perfect.

[Dave Liquorice]

that some how the 6V 4A/Hr battery fully charged with the 6V 10W lamp has a, theoretical, run time of just 2.5hrs...

At this time of year unless the solar panel is rather large there won't be enough light to fully charge the battery during the day. The balance might be OK with the 60s restriction and only a few tens of activations.

[Simon Finnigan]

Anyone want to volentuer to go and get one and try it out? :-) They`d be great IF they work, and I`m surprised nobody has put their head up to say they`ve tried them. Either they`re VERY new indeed, or everyone who bought one is so ashamed of their poor performance they`re hiding :-)

[Simon Finnigan]

£29.99 rings a bell - a similar price for the solar charger.

It`s not for long term lighting of the garden for a party, we`ve got half of heathrows lights mounted on the wall to do that, it`s for an additional step between a torch and 900W of energy wastage :-) I`ve tried finding them on the B&Q website with no joy. Ebay is giving few results, but not entirely convinced that the 5LED model will produce a "flood of light". Why do I get the feeling i`m going to be the Guinea pig here? :-)

[Edgar]

Because you're the one who has difficulty getting about your garden to check things without a flood of light. I'd use a lantern.

Edgar

[Simon Finnigan]

Good for you. I have torches to use, but a torch is not as convenient as a floodlight for many jobs is it?

[Edgar]

The lantern seems quite adequate. Good light. Stands up on its own. Useful in the loft or under the floor when working on electrics. I wouldn't cut the hedges or chainsaw things under that light but those kind of jobs are best done in good daylight.

Edgar

[Si]

I find daylight works best.

[Simon Finnigan]

Must be nice having daylight when you get home from work :-)

[Simon Finnigan]

And for wandering round, moving stuff, tidying up etc? Yes a lantern can be good for some jobs, but it`s hardly the perfect solution to every possible lighting requirement is it? :-)

[Si]

In message , Simon Finnigan writes

It is, and it's also nice being able to alternate that with several hours daylight before I go to work. :) However at my age, on balance, I think I'd rather be stuck with the problems everyone else has, & in another few years I will.

[Edgar]

8>

Your problem. Your money. Your choice.

Edgar

[Peter Parry]

If its anything like the LED "solar floodlight" a neighbour has its between a small candle and one of those torches you used to be able to buy which used one battery and had a bulb with a glass blob at the end to "focus" the light.

It is possible to tell the "floodlight" (more a damp fog than a flood) is on without having to use night vision goggles, but only if you look directly at the light.

If you stand outside with your eyes closed for 30 minutes, and have no other light sources within several miles to ruin your dark adaptation, then when you open your eyes you can detect white painted dustbins and similar large objects up to a range of nearly 2metres from the light.

[Edgar]

And just to finish off the lantern I use is a Uniross CH8858. It's discontinued now but I imagine there's still something like it.

Edgar

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The interior lighting in my old car consists of two 6w bulbs in fittings mounted on the door pillars. So not enough light to do anything by. No room for larger bulbs - they melt the lenses. Don't ask how I know. So I decided to make up some LED replacements. Didn't want that horrible blue look so got some ones described as warm white. Which turned out to be an even more horrid shade of green...

[Dave Liquorice]

The site that was posted earlier also does LED floods with a goodly number of LEDs. Of cousre you still have the issue of runtime from a battery and how to charge that in the 6hrs of daylight you get at this time of year.

Commercial LED lighting has certainly taken a big leap in the last year or so with devices with 1W or more ratings.

Not if it's cloudy. It will be dark, real dark, can't see a thing dark, no matter how dark adapted your eyes are. Star light is ample for moving about without bumping into things but it doesn't penetrate cloud well, neither does Moon light... Most places in the UK probably have more than enough sky glow though, we don't. It's actually a bit unnerving standing outside knowing your eyes are open but not being able to see anything.