Outdoor lighting

[KubotaSteve]

I am currently using a Halogen two light motion light (each 250 watt) at my house. I went this route originally because I like not having the area constantly lit up but yet when we pull in the cars the light comes on for going to the house (haven't built the garage yet). The halogen lights burn out frequently. I am debating on what type of lighting to go with and I think I am going to go with the larger dusk to dawn sodium or mercury lights but wanted some input. One thing I have heard is that these lights will blow if the power goes out while they are on because the need a cool down period or something. My main concern is safety when we come in at night since I live on a rural road and no street lights around. I like the idea of being able to have control of turning the light out if I want to keep it dark. Pro's or con's, suggestions?????

 

[PBMAX]

don't know how cold it gets were you, are but they now sell florecent flood bulbs to replace the standard incandesent flood light bulbs. This could be less trouble when it comes to bulbs blowing out but they can take more time to come on in cold weather(can't use them with dimmers). I also don't know what the max light they produce is compared to Hologen or incandesent. I have the standard floods with incandesents and plan on putting dimmer on them do increase the life of the bulbs. You can also do this with hologen but watch the ratings on the dimmers. Hologen tend to blow quick if you get oil from for skin on them while installing them or if the get jarred/shaken hard while on.

Me personally my nieghbor accross the vale has a mecury light on a pole I would love to shoot out. But being a good neighbor I guess I'll have to hope the trees between us get tall enought to block it out. It has a bright ugly color to it....and is harsh on the eyes... even at 1/8 or so of a mile away.

the dimmer won't help with the motion detection lights of course.

Course i moved to the hills to see the stars so I only have lights I can turn on/off as you mentioned. Even if it is motion sensitive.

You should have seen the look on the al power guys face when I said no to the steet light unless he would put switch at the pole so I could turn it off if I want to...
Well of course he couldn't do that....

 

[Bob_Skurka]

We use both Hi Pressure Sodium and Mercury Vapor lights in our warehouse. We have a LOT of power failures, never had the lights blow because of that. But the lights are harsh. We use both types of lights and have them in every other fixture because between the two types they yield reasonable color rendition to the human eye. Just using HP Sodium is a very yellow light and some colors seem very faded. Using just the Mercury Vapor is a harsh white light and it washes many colors. They are also annoying to the eye. Neither is an "instant on" type of a light and both need ballasted fixtures that take time to warm up so they are best left on for long periods of time. The ballasts and the light can both blow out for various reasons, and if you buy these lights, you get what you pay for so the cheaper you go the crappier you get.

If you don't want to tick off your neighbors but want to use one of these types, then buy a high quality fixture that casts the light were you want it. Many fixtures are nothing more than a bulb holder with a protective lens that does not focus the light down in any reasonable pattern, you end up needing 400 watts of electricity to put out the amount of light you need when a good focused fixture and a 250 watt bulb would easily provide the illumination you need, WHERE you need it, as opposed to simply throwing light up into the sky where it does zero good to you.

There are SOME low temperature compact flourescent fixtures available that are suitable for outdoor use. I have some at my home and like them. I also have a couple junky ones at my home and hate them. But I love the lower electric bill that the flourescent fixtures give. A 22 watt compact flourescent bulb puts out the same lumens as a 100 watt light bulb so you can run 5 compact flourescents for about the same price as running 1 100watt incandescent, unfortunately the upfront costs are higher with flourescents.

 

[CTyler]

The light should not blow because of a power hit. Once you shut one off(lose power) it takes time before it will come back on again. They won't pop back on again.

Regarding fluorecent lights yes you can put a dimmer on them but thier pricey.

I am also considering what to do for lighting and don't like the "security" light offering from the Power Co. either.

 

[PBMAX]

CTyler, your are right, you can dimm some florecents but the ones I have seen at the hadware stores (flood light style) have the non-dimmable balast built in to the light and have a warning on the package. I suppose you could still dim these but I'd imagine it would be hard on the balast... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

They are as you mentioned pricy. I'm field engineer working for a lighting control Co. and we sell the electronic dimmable balast and dimming controllers. needless to say I won't be taking any home... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif not at commercial prices /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[RobertN]

www.uniquelighting.com

 

[tomnky]

I have just started looking into this very thing.
I intend to put a decorative lamp post in the front yard and probably will go with a metal halide lamp, these post fixtures are available with different wattages from 70 watt to 175 and the have frosted lens in them ,at least what I have seen does.
The Lamp Posts are die-cast aluminum with a powder coat finish, But "They ain't Cheap"( anywhere from $600.00 Up to well over $1000.00.

Lithonia seems to have good quality Fixtures..