Energy efficient yet useful outdoor lighting

Aaron1085 · March 8, 2015

We have moved into the new home and as with a bigger home, comes bigger bills ?. I'm looking to possibly replace my outdoor recessed porch lighting with some energy efficient bulbs, however I think I like the halogen "look", as opposed to bright WHITE LED lights; I want to keep it residential you know?!

Also, my flood lights in front and back are on a switch, not motion detector. Is there a screw in motion sensor that can adapt to these lights so I can use them on switch as well as motion sensing? For the back, I may just get a whole new assembly as I found some LED flood lights with 2000 lumen or so, which would be nice out back.

waumo1 · March 8, 2015

The outdoor motion floods I have are X10 brand. I can flip the switch once which will override the motion detector and turn them on until I turn them off with either the switch or the X10 command. If left on, they reset at dawn and go back to motion detect mode at dusk. Lots of different brands with different features.

If your outdoor porch lighting uses standard type lamps, there are LED replacements available in warm, soft and other white temperatures at Lowe's and other places.

Aaron1085 · March 9, 2015

Good to know. Who makes that X10?

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TJay74 · March 20, 2015

You can also buy a switch that you can set the time and day into that goes in the house. It knows when dawn, dusk and DST is and automatically turns on at dusk and off at dawn.

Aaron1085 · April 20, 2015

Went with some LED type porch lights as well as motion detector and LED bulbs (soft white color) to be more natural.

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&CDFiXER% · April 28, 2015

Replaced a few can light incandescents with some LED refits from Loews that were on sale, just to try. 1 Kitchen, 1 dining room, 1 outdoor, and one somewhere else I can't remember. VERY pleased in all locations. Bought some more and all my can lights are now LED's. Rated for damp locations and come with foam sealing ring to boot so they are even tighter than the direct contact style. Seem to be instant on, or instant on enough to not matter. Dimmer rated but probably take the LED/fluorescent rated dimmers from what I read. Bought the less yellow, closer to bright white color for all locations.

Aaron1085 · May 2, 2015

I'd like to change my basic single bulbs in my garage (1 for each of the 3 bays) to overhead improved lighting. Is this a simple thing to do?

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Colossus · May 6, 2015

If you have a Costco membership, they have some decent LED bulbs from Feit electric for very good prices, I've been retrofitting all the incandescent and CFLs in the house slowly over to LEDs. I am quite pleased with the results thus far. The LEDs will be noticably more brighter, but they are 100% dimmable, unlike many CFLs.

For those of you with fluorescent tubes, Lowes and HD are now selling LED replacements HOWEVER, I strongly suggest you give it another few years to let the prices on those come down a bit. I recently installed a 4-bulb high output T-8 fluorescent fixture in my garage to replace the stupid useless single incandescent bulb fixture in there. HUGE difference.

My big issue with LEDs used to be how crispy white the color was, but that is no longer the case, they are now offering them in softer or warmer color tones that come pretty dang near to matching incandescent/regular bulbs if you will. I can't stand the crisp white color that they are replaceing the old Metal Halide & High Pressure Sodium street lights with though, gives me a headache.

Aaron1085 · May 26, 2015

Looking to swap the basic 1 light bulb over each garage bay for a longer, tube like lighting set up. Suggestions?

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Babyhauler · May 27, 2015

My neighbor just put about 8-10 LED "fluorescent" fixtures in his barn and it was much brighter than his other lights that did not work. I kept telling him that he could see better with lights that came on instead of just cussing at the old ones while holding a flashlight.

These should work great in your garage. I want them in my carport but I like my motion lights. He bought these at Home Depot for about $45.00 each. He tried one from Costco and did not like it as well.

I put the Costco LED can replacement light in the 3 cans in my kitchen and it is much brighter and not as hot. You could feel the heat from the lights in my 8 foot ceilings in this old house.

Good luck

Aaron1085 · June 9, 2015

So replacement bulbs or fluorescent tubes?

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Chris · June 9, 2015

In my garage i have 2 fixtures that utilize 2 ea T8 fluorescent tubes. So 4 in total. I put in Philips Instantfit LED tubes that are $25 each. They come in a variety of color temps. Those are made to retain the ballast. I like them and have not had one issue. I think mine are 4100k or 4500k.

Babyhauler · June 12, 2015

It was an entire replacement fixture. 48" I think. It looks like a flr. but it is a sealed led light under the lense. His just plugged in. I can't remember if you could hard wire them in or plug in only. His came from Home Depot, so stop by and take a look. Not sure about Costco light. I need to replace 2 regular lights so I need to investigate them.