Outdoor security lights

[Broadback]

I have three outdoor security lights that are becoming very tatty. I am looking to replace them, how about LED versions, are they reliable and what is a good make/source please?

[Bill Wright]

I have some 10W one and 30W ones from CPC. Not the cheapest. They have been really good.

Bill

[Broadback]

Gulp, you are correct Bill they are not cheap but I guess you get what you pay for.

[The Medway Handyman]

[Chris French]

In message , Phil L writes

There are cheaper versions.

I'm certainly looking to replace our outside lamps with LED ones. Bulbs seem to always want replacing for starters

They are all old, two are up high and replacing the bulbs is a PITA (so doesn't get done for ages) - and the PIR's seem to have died

The one of the drive I might as well do while I'm at it

[meow2222]

But 6700K, nasty

NT

[Dave Liquorice]

Got a cheapy 10W jobbie here, it works. It's a cool white thing which I don't really like if I wad to buy any more they would be warm white.

On the cheapies read the description carefully. Some say they have stainless screws, yes they do for the cover glass but not the bracket bolts. Others have stainless for both or so they say. My cheapy has steel bracket bolts and they showed signs of rust within 24hrs of installation...

Check that there is earth continuty from the wire to the case and even if present it may still be worth opening up an making sure that it's a good connection not a eye just placed of a part painted thread...

10 W is ample to light any body up and doesn't create deep dark shadows or a great deal of glare. These LED lights tend to be very bright point sources so you don't really want them in your eyeline.

[alan_m]

It only your neighbours that will have to look at it. IMO, "cool" (blue) white is better for outside LED flood lighting.

[Johny B Good]

Ghod knows how ancient that is (I mean less luminous efficiency than a warm white CFL at _that_ colour temperature?).

[fred]

On a recommendation here I bought one of these recently

Cheap as chips so worth a punt.

Very light components. But it does work efficiently. No where near the output of a 500w jobbie but it does project a much 'friendlier' light.

Heaven knows how long it will last but at that price ..............

[stuart noble]

I don't think 10W would be enough for the "high up" ones Chis is talking about. I have a 20W and it's just about enough, but nowhere near the equivalent of the old halogen. Can't remember the wattage of those but they were pretty bog standard for a number of years

[BobH]

I have a 10w LED security light just above my back door, and it is perfect for my needs. I also have a 30w LED security light over my back garden, and again suits me just fine. I bought them to replace 100w halogen and 500w halogen lights which we have had for over 14 years now.

[stuart noble]

I don't understand why 10w has become the norm for a "security light". B&Q 10 watt floodlight? No way is 10 watts going to flood anything with light

[Broadback]

As I understand it there is a problem that bright lights throw dark shadows which is helpful to criminals. whereas less light still shows up intruders.

[dennis]

Not everyone is trying to light up a railway goods yard, some have gardens that 10w is more than enough (less than 50 feet) and you can always fit more than one.

[DerbyBorn]

"Dennis@home" wrote in news:546f3efc$0$20049 $b1db1813$ [e-mail]:

Aim is critical. So many installers seem to want to impress by throwing the light as far as possible. This only creates annoyance to others and leads to a dark area under the lamp.

[Tim Lamb]

In message , DerbyBorn writes

There can be an issue with aiming the close mounted PIR sensibly and stopping the lamp reflector illuminating passing aircraft.

[Bill Wright]

Since LED floods are a point source, the reflector being decorative only, you can mask off area that are best left dark with black insulating tape.

Bill

[Stephen]

This is the reason why I buy seperate pirs and seperate lamps. I wire these up with a 3-position switch to allow me fully on (for garden parties), Automatic or fully off (for lamp changing).

I can then aim them independently of each other. lamps downward to the ground without lighting other people's back gardens or into their bedroom windows. The PIR can be aimed so that people walking in back gardens or passers by on the pavements or cars passing by are missed completely.

I often use one PIR to control 2 or 3 lamps. To me, having 2 or 3 lights come on without a visible PIR under any of them makes it look less than a typical integrated PIR & Lamp jobby.

[stuart noble]

But those expecting a like for like substitute for halogen are going to be disappointed.