Suitable Replacement for Existing ,PIR-controlled external security lights.

ircoha

Any suggestions please on the above?

Currently have 5 [ 1 by 500, 2 by 300 and 2 by 150 ]lights via 4 PIR's.

I gather CFL's wont work due to slow response time.

Am not too concerned by capital cost of the lights.

Thanks.

10-10-20

CFL's are better in environments where they are not switched frequently, left on for hours and not on a PIR.
My understanding is that this relates to the limited lifetime of the startup components and not to the fact that they are supposed to pull serious current during startup... (that's a misnomer!).
In saying that, you can get a Landlite fitting in Woodies which contains 2x 26w CFL's for external use, but again, it's not know whether this would withstand short duty-cycle times without costing you a bomb in replacement elements.

Your other option is to go down the LED route, you can get floodlights with 18x 1W LED's, and I'm sure that the new 10W LED's will be available shortly also.
http://www.theledlight.com/floodlight.html

Oh, and the price of these units is quite astonishing... $550 - but the exchange rate is great!

Hoagy

It's horses for courses, really.
Halogen floods are still the best option for PIR control.
CFLs are great for dusk to dawn control by photocell.
Maybe you could install some CFL bulkheads as amenity lights and keep the halogens for security but shorten the time period to a couple of minutes.

CJhaughey

How about these units?
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Lighting_External_Index/Lighting_Floodlight_Index/Floodlights_Smartflood/index.html

10-10-20

These aren't for use with PIR's!
Photocells yes, PIR's no!

Taildragon

ircoha wrote: »

Any suggestions please on the above?

Currently have 5 [ 1 by 500, 2 by 300 and 2 by 150 ]lights via 4 PIR's.

I gather CFL's wont work due to slow response time.

Am not too concerned by capital cost of the lights.

Thanks.

irchoha

What are your objectives? I doubt that you will make significant savings in energy use, unless your PIR detectors are constantly being set off by prowlers, children (or other animals).

Isn't this yet another everyday application where CFLs are just inappropriate, and incandescent lamps are the clear winners?

The LED floodlamps indicated above are very anaemic. Current production "high intensity" LEDs generally have a 10 deg beamwidth, which might be adequate for task lighting, but totally inappropriate for this application.

If you are looking for a "green" alternative to your floodlights, you might consider something like this:

http://www.c-p-p.co.uk/product/asp/ProdID/2311/af/page.htm

or this:

http://www.lake-renewable-energy.com/inc/sdetail/961

Incidentally, for those who have more than a passing interest in DIY solutions, take a look here:

http://www.reuk.co.uk/index.htm

ircoha

Thanks TailDragon: good questions, I agree re LEDS, not there yet.
Any thoughts on Metal Halides?

Hoagy

No use with PIR's either.
Run up time of 8-10 minutes, same as SON and SOX

ircoha

Hoagy wrote: »

No use with PIR's either.
Run up time of 8-10 minutes, same as SON and SOX

thanks Carmichael:)

Had to look up sox [ low pressure sodium] and son [ high pressure sodium]

http://www.alertelectrical.com/Lamps-And-Tubes/Discharge-Lamps/

for any others interested