Outside lights for security.

[Rich]

I would like to install some outside spotlights with motion detectors to both provide light for the family coming home at night and also as a security issue.

The house is vinyl sided, with a porch but no garage. I would like to also have a switch to turn them off and on.

I have 2 outside outlet boxes mounted on the exterior walls.

What would be the best way of running the cable and setting up the switches?

One other thing is that the house is only 5 years old so the walls are loaded with fire breaks making running wire difficult at best.

I would like to mount one on the corner of the front porch facing the driveway and one on the back corner of the house facing the street. It's a corner property.

TIA

[zxcvbob]

You might wanna reconsider. The type of lights you are describing will create a glare problem, and actually make it harder to see for "the family coming home at night." You can read about it at

Instead of spotlights and motion detectors, you might consider something like this, with a 14W to 20W compact fluorescent light instead of an incadescent:

You'd be amazed how much light a 14W bulb puts out when your eyes are adjusted to the dark. But don't try to use a compact fluorescent with a dusk-to-dawn sensor (I'm not sure why but they make the bulbs burn out very quickly.) I have a 14W fluorescent in a jelly-jar fixture and it lights up my driveway at night. It uses so little electricity it doesn't matter if I forget to turn it off in the morning occasionally.

Best regards, Bob

[m Ransley]

X 10

makes a inovative, designable system

[m Ransley]

post a photo

[Rich]

Actually I have an X10 system that I've just purchased for camera security. Are the light fixtures for the X10 system low voltage? how much light do they project? I am interested in not only lighting things up but providing enough light for my X10 cameras.

TIA

[Rich]

Are these low voltage or standard house voltage.

tia

[zxcvbob]

Standard 120V. Which I know doesn't address your question about wiring methods.

Best regards, Bob

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You can run conduit and paint it to match the siding. It will be pretty much invisible. Depending on the layout of the house, you can go right through the wall into a utility area for the wiring.

As for switches, look into the X-10 system. I can turn some of my light on and off from three locations in the house and from my car with Home Link. If I hear noises outside at night, I just push a button and a light goes on. Ed

[Greg]

You can usually get into the attic through the soffit.You can pick up power there and X-10 the turn off.

[Tom Baker]

We use a low voltage system with timer. The lights are hung in trees with housings pointing light down. Wires are run through ground cover and up tree trunks. The wires and housings are near invisible.

Puts the light where you want it, not in your neighbors' windows. I have a couple of neighbors with lights that produce lots of glare. One shines across two properties into my yard.

TB

[Jeff Cochran]

Might look at a low voltage alternative. Easier to run and conceal wires, can be set on timeers or motion sensors, still provide the same light.

Jeff

[Rich]

Thank you to everyone for some great advice!!! Seeing as I already have an X10 system, I am going to look toward low voltage alternatives.

Thanks again!

Rich

[Mike Fritz]

One should mention that 14 watts is just how much energy the light consumes. In reality is produces light similar to a 60 watt incandescent light. Compare the "LUMENS" on the package to get a realistic idea of light output.

It depends on the sensor. The CDS cell that "sees" the light/dark isn't like a switch that can get on or off. It's more like a dimmer that gradually sees dark or light through a range. The majority of fluorescent light require full power, or 120 volts.

A lot of newer sensors now switch fully on and fully off. Make sure it says that it works with a florescent or ballast light.

--Mike