Security Lights: Brand Opinions ?

[Bob]

Hello,

Was wondering if anyone has any strong opinions regarding quality between Heath-Zenith vs. Lithonia Lighting on their line of overhead garage door security lighting (the kind with the IR sensor that turns the lights on when it detects motion)?

Seems as if Heath Zenith really has the product line all sewed up, but both HD and Lowes are now getting in this Lithonia line, also. Both out of China.

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

BTW: any other brand worth considering that is not carried by them, but can be ordered on-line ? Why ?

Thanks, bob

[dadiOH]

If you get them with reflectors, make sure the reflectors aren't steel (rust).

[DerbyDad03]

Another source to consider, besides HD, Lowes and on-line, is a lighting store, especially the Parts counters found at the back of many of them.

Ask the counter guy what the contractors are buying based on low, mid and high range fixtures.

Also keep in mind the issue you might run into with a built in sensor:

If the sensor is not adjustable and the fixture is mounted such that the sensor points straight up the driveway, you may not get the motion- detection sensitivity you'd like.

I ran into that with a fixture my Dad bought and I installed next to his front door. If you walk up his walkway towards the door - the normal approach - the sensor does not see you until you are already climbing the steps.

Most sensors work better if you are *crossing* the detection zone vs. walking straight into it.

[gfretwell]

You can mitigate that somewhat by the tilt of the head. If you tilt it down your hot spot is moving vertically across the bezel and that is what triggers the detector (the ridges on the bezel vary the IR detector output)

[DerbyDad03]

Some fixtures, like the one Dad bought at Home Depot don't have "tiltable" heads. The sensors are built right into the fixture and the only way to tilt the sensor would be to tilt the entire fixture. Hard to do with one of these:

[ShadowTek]

I recently bought one of these, and I'm very satisfied with it.

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