[jeffnc]

Can't figure out what forum to go with this, so I'll try here first - please advise if there's a better forum.

Looking to help my friend install these. He's not sure what's available. These are going on the corners of his house to cover his driveway/sidewalk, which forms a 90 degree angle. That area of the house juts out, so there will be 2 lights installed at 2 outside corners, probably with 2 bulbs each. This is an eave mounted location.

Through some trial and error, he's decided he wants:
- LED lighting
- the ability to leave the lights on permanently, or at least have them come on at dusk and stay on. They want this mostly when they leave town, while at home, standard motion sensor mode is OK.
- warm white light, as opposed to the bluer, brighter LED light

So, would it be best to go with an integrated LED light, or pick a standard socket unit, and screw in LED bulbs? Recommended units?

The first one we tried was this, but it did not have the features required, and the LED light was not warm. (It claims to be wall mount only, but it functioned properly eave mounted too, as it turns out.)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant-180-2-Head-White-Outdoor-Flood-Light-DFI-5936-WH/205076423

This one
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant-180-White-LED-Motion-Outdoor-Security-Light-DFI-5983-WH/205937583
or even this one
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant-...h-Motion-Security-Light-DFI-5985-WH/205937594

have the features, and the wide angle light is especially good for the location. But I suspect the LED light is the same bright color temperature as the first one.

This one looks good because of the 270 light coverage, which would be good for an outside corner.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant-...-Outdoor-Security-Light-DFI-5988-WH/205937582

 

[throrope]

I had a few residential motion sensing lights in the past that failed. The sensor failed which consequently takes out the light. I suggest using independent sensors to switch the lights. This enables you to use a greater selection of fixtures and only repair the part that fails moving forward.

 

[jim1824]

I just installed a solar powered motion sensor light (Sunforce 82080 80-LED Solar Motion Light) to the front of my home.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FDQPCR2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

It was a cinch to install and it's very sensitive. It lights my entire 40 foot double wide driveway and my neighbors house across the street. Hope this helps.

 

[Oso954]

I think you need to refine your friends choices a bit.

Big thing is how much light is he looking for ? Jim seems happy with 900 lumens, someone else might want 2500 or more.

I can't tell what is more important to them. Is it the dusk to dawn operation, or the motion sensor? Dusk to dawn is better with lower light levels, motion sensors are better or at least more economical with higher light levels.

You also have dual bright sensors that leave the light on at a dimmed setting and then crank it up to full power with motion. I haven't used the LED versions of a dual bright, but with incandescents it most provided an extremely low glow in the fixture and did not provide much usable lighting until motion activated.

The integrated fixture has the best chance of working straight out of the box. If someone is going to a big box and buying sensors, they better know what they are looking for and double check whatever the apron may be telling them. Most of the exterior photo eyes and many of the motion sensors on the shelf can give you problems when used in conjunction with CFL's or LED replacement bulbs.

In some cases, dual lighting systems work better at filling the owners wants. A low level dusk to dawn (or dusk +X hours), coupled with high powered floods that are motion activated.

The warm light color shouldn't be a problem. Avoid fixtures above 4000k which is a cool white. The closer to 2700K, the warmer the light.

 

[jeffnc]

Something like this might be good. The motion sensing isn't as important to them as being able to keep the light on, especially when they go out of town. It says LED bulb compatible, so I can just buy 3000K bulbs to put in there. And it has Dual Brite. I've been told that with LED lights, the dusk to dawn brightness is a little higher than with incandescants.

http://www.heath-zenith.com/products/pir-270deg-par-bk-w-flash-alrt?taxon_id=32

 

[Oso954]

What do you mean by leave it on when out of town ? Just leaving the switch on and allowing it to operate normally ?

On the other hand, some people believe that the manual setting will allow them to have the lights on bright continuously during dark hours, while they are gone. It does not. The light will revert to automatic mode when shut down by the photo sensor (first sunrise) or in the event of a power outage.

Did you find the HZ list of compatible LEDs ? It's fairly short.
http://www.heath-zenith.com/led-bulbs

 

[jeffnc]

Yeah, they just want some light on when they're not there.

Interesting list for the bulbs. The top list specifically mentions "self ballasted". Not really sure what that means for LEDs, but I guess I'll find out. I didn't really want that fixture necessarily, but just one like it feature-wise. I'll have to pay attention to whatever bulbs are supported for the unit I get. Interestingly, the owner's manual for the HZ unit I linked mentions nothing at all about LED bulbs.

 

[rjniles]

Install standard 2 position lamp holders and use the lamp of your choice.

Use separate sensors. Those integrated fixture, the sensor is the first thing to go.

Install separate sensors, motion and photo. Wire 3 separate switches: Motion, Photo, constant on

 

[jeffnc]

Interesting idea, but how exactly do you propose I wire 3 separate switches? I'm not taking their walls apart.

 

[rjniles]

Interesting idea, but how exactly do you propose I wire 3 separate switches? I'm not taking their walls apart.

How were you planning on installing the new wiring?

 

[jeffnc]

There wasn't any new wiring - I'm just replacing some old lights. Never mentioned it because I didn't think it was relevant at the time

 

[jimn]

Good signal to burglars. When I am home the motion detectors are on. When I am away and the house is empty, the lights stay on all the time . Time to come in an take the Jewelry etc. .

 

[jeffnc]

Well, that wasn't exactly what I said jim They just want some light on when they're not home. Dual Brite accomplishes that - there will be some light on when they're not home. Just like when they're home.

 

[daniela208]

Arduino may b the answer

Have you looked at any of the DIY Arduino sensor projects? You can program all kinds of behaviors whether you are home or not. You can even customize the behaviors via your phone.

 

[Oso954]

Have you looked at any of the DIY Arduino sensor projects?

Because they are not UL listed, they cannot be incorporated into the house electrical system.
There are UL listed Wifi switches and outlet controllers that are far better and safer choices.

 

[daniela208]

Noob retort

There are UL listed Wifi switches and outlet controllers that are far better and safer choices.

Safety in what sense? As in reliability and/or won't burn the house down?

 

[Oso954]

Either one or both.
What to you want? Something that was hacked together by some enthusiast of unknown qualifications ?
Or something designed by engineers to meet specific requirements for shock, fire safety, and other standards, which are tested by Nationally Recognized Testing Lab as meeting those standards ?

 

[rjniles]

Safety in what sense? As in reliability and/or won't burn the house down?

Yes UL rating does offer a level of assurance that the product is not a fire hazard and reliability.

 

[daniela208]

Either one or both.
What to you want? Something that was hacked together by some enthusiast of unknown qualifications ?
Or something designed by engineers to meet specific requirements for shock, fire safety, and other standards, which are tested by Nationally Recognized Testing Lab as meeting those standards ?

Well obviously I would lean towards shock and fire safety. That, however, does not mean that an Arduino project won't meet all those requirements.

 

[Oso954]

That, however, does not mean that an Arduino project won't meet all those requirements.

No it doesn't.
But unless your skill/knowledge level meets or exceeds the designers, you wouldn't know whether it did or didn't .

The other problem is when a project was designed to control very small electric loads, it might work OK. But when you subject it to greater electric loads, it becomes dangerous.