Motion detector and dusk to dawn lights

KennyG · Feb 23, 2017

Cheap lights are always a bit of a crapshoot. However, I've had good luck with the "jelly jar" plastic fluorescent dusk to dawn lights. The ones with the long tube pin base bulb. I've got two that I think I paid about $15 each for at Menards and they've been working for about 5 years now. If they give out I will probably go to LED.

LD1 · Feb 23, 2017

I didnt see it mentioned what kind of light you want? Spot/flood light? or security type light?

IF you have access to mount high, contact your rural electric company and see what they use for "Security" lights.

Around here, you can have the option to "rent" them for $2/month. But that only works if the location you want is where they can power it BEFORE the meter but AFTER the transformer. Didnt work with my arrangement, where I wanted it the wire would be coming off my juice after the meter, but bought it from them. But since about 90% of the ones they put up are "theirs", and the electric company has to service them and replace the bulbs, the ones they use are pretty good ones.

jcummins · Feb 23, 2017

I'm wanting led spot for shining onto a flagpole...but also have a lantern type light next to this, and it does not put out enough light....want to flood this area with more light. Have a regular dusk to dawn in front of my barn that throws some light to this area, but not enough.

I bought what I thought was a dusk to dawn spotlight from Menards....it would work for the flagpole, but it has that generic type of motion module to control it and says on the outside of the box 'dusk to dawn "operation"'. After reading the instructions inside the box, the dusk to dawn is...temporary, and has to be set each and every time. Pretty misleading. It's going back.

Thinking of getting this for the flagpole part. Lithonia OSTLLED 12 P BL - 9W LED Spot Light Fixture

And this to put into the lantern post light. LED Corn Bulb - 1751 Lumens - 14 Watt - 4K - PLT

If I can't run the post light off the dusk to dawn component in to first item, I'd then buy this also. Intermatic K4121C - Dusk to Dawn Photocell

Mulling all of this over, but it's the route I'm heading.

JerryK · Feb 23, 2017

It's not the cheap lights, it's the expensive lights. Originally, they only operated at about 140 degrees, and as they widened out to 240, there is more stuff to trigger them. Most of todays units have to be triggered multiple times in a certain time period before they turn on. If you want a good light, buy the 180 degree heads.. and put it into a nice fixture if you want a better light holder. I've used these type motion detectors for years, and the 240 degree units are a pain.. Too many heat sources drive them nuts.. heat coming out of buildings, chimneys, etc....