Security Light

FrankGrimes

I need to buy two outside security lights for our electrician to fit during the second-fix next week. There’ll be one light in the corner on the front of the house, and one at the back.

I’ve seen security lights in B&Q for relatively little cash with the PIRs to turn them on for a set-time after every movement after dark. These lights also have a manual override to turn them on permanently, but the problem is you have to change a switch on the actual light fitting which would be hassle due to the height they’ll be at.

Are there any lights available that have sensor to ensure they go on for a few seconds after every movement, but can be remotely overridden to turn them on permanently (until its turned off again by the remote)?

Avns1s

My experience with those lights with built in sensors is that they don't tend to last too long.

A halogen light in an electrical wholesalers costs something around €5. I would then suggest buying a good quality sensor (steinel) or similar and get your electrician to fit these with a 2 gang switch so that the lights can be 1. totally off, 2. on auto (i.e. come on with the sensor) or 3. switched on permanently by the switch. He'll know how to do this!

bushy...

If they are wired through a normal light switch , lots of them stay on if you turn it on and off 2 or 3 times in a few seconds.

delly

I have a PIR light which I got from B&Q which works grand. Its 300w but goes into low wattage mode when not activated, say 30w which casts a very dim light over the area it is pointed at but is a great visual deterrrant from a distance. If I need to switch it on permanently I simply knock the switch in the kitchen quickly off and back on which triggers it to stay on. Simply turn off for a full minute to go into normal mode. Despite having the light on all night in low wattage mode I haven't changed the bulb in 2 years since I first got it.

FrankGrimes

hey Delly, I saw those lights in B&Q alright, permanently dim light at night, then full blast upon motion, but I wasn't sure it was a good idea.

Do you think there is a benefit to the dim light - dunno why, but I just didn't like the idea, maybe it might make it easier to scope out the house from a distance?

Do people generally think the security light is a good deterrent - to be honest I was mainly wanting it for handiness when I get out of the car in the driveway, but hadn't thought about it much?

delly

Well I would defo see them as a deterrent from a break in. My back garden is pitch black on a moonless night but with the low light it gives me enough light to see out from the back bedroom. As well as that the low light can be seen from a good distance but I don't think this would aid a burglar in any way. The light brightness level can also be adjusted in standby mode.

I honestly believe that no security is foolproof, but its a case of making your house look as hard as possible to get into without getting caught. The more layers of security the better.

On a side note according to Eircom Phonewatchs annual report:
Half of all burglaries happen while someone is home.
The most likely time of the day to be burgled is between 12am and 4 am (31%).
Two out of three homes burgled had no alarm system.

FrankGrimes

interesting stuff alright. Might go for those ones so, maybe at least in the back garden anyway. I assume I could always turn off the dim light if necessary.

delly

Yeah, iirc there is a knob to turn the level up or down so I presume you can just turn it down completely.

Macy

delly wrote:

Yeah, iirc there is a knob to turn the level up or down so I presume you can just turn it down completely.

Must say that I was put off them as I'm not convinced of the benefits of having the dim light on - more advertising the fact there is a house there when at dark with the house lights off people on the road would be none the wiser. Must get them to open the box in B&Q so I can have a good read of the instructions and see whether they can be turned off completely.

The other thing that put me off compared to the ones they used to have is the ability to run slave lights off them too. To do the job I want on the outside lights I'll have to shift around my existing ones.

Not sure on the security benefits, but certainly convenient when coming and going, and also the missus likes being able to see whats happening around the house before she gets out of the car.

delly

Well I don't how it advertises the house, it not like the light points the house out if it dark, I'm sure people can still see it.

Macy

delly wrote:

Well I don't how it advertises the house, it not like the light points the house out if it dark, I'm sure people can still see it.

Where the light is to go it'd be a shed pointing back towards the house, but I'm not claiming it's a rational thought - a lot of these things are about confidence really

One school of thought is that the lights should face down towards the house from somewhere near the perimeter, this way anyone sneeking around the house is lit up. Also you can use lower lux bulbs, you don't need to illuminate the area like a football pitch.

If the light is on the house facing outwards, the person is obscured to outside onlookers because their nightvision is blinded by the light.

Also the light can upset the neighbours because it may shine in their bedroom windows everytime the cat walks into the garden.
Badly positioned lighting is worse than useless.