Driveway Dusk to Dawn Light

[tward392]

Was considering putting up some kind of Driveway Dusk to Dawn Light to not use the night vision of the cameras. I did a search on Amazon for LED Dusk to Dawn Solar lights, but crap there are a lot of them to choose from. A lot of them look like they are some kind of Chinese knock offs, unknown names.

Anyone have any experience with Solar powered dusk to Dawn LED Lights?

There is a telephone pole in my driveway that I was going use my tallest ladder to put it up as far as I could.

 

[JNDATHP]

I like these...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077BFM2W5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[CCTVCam]

Consider getting an ordinary LED light and a separate dusk to dawn sensor. The sensors are about $9 and the sensor part is replaceable for around 1/2 that when the dome mists over / electronics fail:

UK Vendor although I'm sure they'll be a vendor in the US: Electronic Photocell Kit

Only complication is they're 4 wire so you'll need a small reel of 4 core cable and have to deal with a slightly confusing connection to the mains / light.

 

[looney2ns]

Buy LED bulbs that have the sensor built in. Many options available.
Example here

 

[CCTVCam]

Buy LED bulbs that have the sensor built in. Many options available.
Example here

That is another option but there's more choice if you keep the two separate.

 

[djernie]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MR4OO9U/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&psc=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=joentell-20&linkId=ca26d4a3a716ca7d89b69be78005449e

I think he is looking to place the light in a location with no power. I was considering this model, i want to place on the back and side of my house where i do not have power and i do not want to add power. But i want more lighting around my place.

 

[CCTVCam]

I think you'll be lucky to find a self contained solar light that will store enough energy to be on all (night dusk to dawn) at high power. Usually they're PIR activated ie off until motion detected, on low but with a PIR switching to high mode (can still be limited run time) or fully on but for 3-4 hours only. It looks as if the one you linked to is off and motion activated to on. Quite a few negative reviews as well. Just be sure it meets your needs and is reliable.

Obviously in Texas for solar you have plenty of sun. The issue is going to be the amount stored in the internal battery vs the consumption of all the LED's. With that light you're going to be unlit except with motion. Be aware also, false alarms, animals etc can quickly discharge the batteries and leave you without light until the batteries recharge the next day.

 

[Rebelx]

Suggest mains powered dawn to dusk light. Set and forget.

Install a dawn to dusk sensor and put that on the lights you want to light up. In Australia we need an electrician to do this but your rules may differ.

 

[fergenheimer]

I've got several of those lights. I have mixed reviews on them. Several have been very good and some just plain bad. The earlier model had 5(?) cells and these have 3 1.2v cells. Both share the same 6 volt solar panels. I have changed to a larger capacity cell to extend run time but without much luck. A Westinghouse branded one is at Westinghouse 2000 Lumen Triple Head Solar Security Light, Wireless Motion Activated Kit (White Finish) - Walmart.com for $20.

 

[CCTVCam]

People don't realise the power draw and thus limitations. Also multi-leds tend to be less efficient than single COB from what I've seen.

eg. Lets assume the above light is using 0.1W leds. Times that by 180 and you have a 18W light.

However, if the wattage was 18W, and you're trying to run it off 3x2500 maH then that's at best a 7.5A x 1.25 volts = 9.3 Watts Hour battery. It doesn't take a genius to work out the continuous run time of the light at that power draw as a 9.3wh battery will deliver 9.3W's for 1 hr. That's potentially 18W for 1/2 th of that time (2x9=18) = 60 mins/2 = 30 min approximate continuous run time. That also doesn't take into account PIR power draw.

(Edited as I made some errors in example the sums (Early & Late hours when editing). Hopefully correct now, although I bow to an electrician or someone with greater knowledge).

 

[crw030]

I installed LED paddle bulb (it’s like A 180 degree corncob bulb) ends up being 100W like 150w equiv on 20 watts per the bulb base little over 10 watts. I replaced the light switch with one that you program in your Longitude/Latitude once and date and it figures out dusk & dawn and just turns them on & off automatically. But I already had the wall sconces on the garage. Next is 3x2mp pano camera because 2mp overview is no good at the street distance.. But 0 baddies so far.

 

[windguy]

I installed LED paddle bulb (it’s like A 180 degree corncob bulb) ends up being like 150w equiv on little over 10 watts. I replaced the light switch with one that you program in your Longitude/Latitude once and date and it figures out dusk & dawn and just turns them on & off automatically.

Please provide a link to the dusk to dawn timer you got. Would like to check it out. Thanks!

 

[crw030]

LED Bulbs - FYI, corrected my earlier statement 100W equiv, 20W is what it says on the bulb base. 20HIDWP-840-277V-E26 100W equiv 20W LED bulb They make brighter ones but trying to be neighborly, plus light works on inverse-square law so you need a lot more light for it to be brighter further out, and that would run up the electric bill.

Probably overkill, but I went with an earlier version of this one: Leviton VPT24-1PZ Vizia 24-Hour Programmable Indoor Timer with Astronomical Clock Also this would only work if you look in the switch box you are planning to replace and ALL 3 WIRES (HOT, NEUTRAL & GROUND) are all present (in some construction they don't run all 3 to every box).

For the first week I kind of monitored it, but if you Google dawn or dusk time for your timezone, you will find them automatically ON/OFF within about 5 minutes of that time without ever touching them. I found programming it initially to be a little challenging, the instructions are the size of a small table.

 

[Rich.L]

I don't currently have cameras set up yet (expecting to complete my order today though) so my input may not be relevant.

I currently have 4 Meross wifi enabled smart bulbs configured to turn on at sunset and turn off at sunset. One on each side of my garage roll up door and one on each side of my front door. So far they are working really well.

 

[windguy]

@crw030 - Thanks for the link and input. I currently have a similar style Leviton controller for the front lights but it has no smarts. You have to set start and stop times and I have to continually adjust the times as the sun shifts. Now that I've changed to a dusk to dawn scenario for leaving the lights on, I'd like to upgrade. I did try a more sophisticated one for the back lights many years ago and it was too complicated so I took it out. Perhaps this one would be a better solution for the front to get the dusk to dawn setup automatically. A set it and forget timer would be perfect. Good tip on the wiring. I ran into that issue with a bath fan countdown timer, that I had wired initially before knowing better. I found a creative work around to get the required neutral lead. For the front lights, I wired that on a remodel many years later and learned to run all three wires to the switch box first and then send switched power to the lights. Thanks!

 

[crw030]

You have to set start and stop times

Yeah this might be a higher-tier model. It has the standard start/stop like you describe, but it also has dusk/dawn that appears to work accurately with the longitude and latitude loaded.

 

[K175un3]

crw030, I really like the looks and execution of those Leviton timers.

But not really that useful for the UK market, as we use 240V AC and they're rated for 120V AC. It's a bit disappointing.

 

[windguy]

Yeah this might be a higher-tier model. It has the standard start/stop like you describe, but it also has dusk/dawn that appears to work accurately with the longitude and latitude loaded.

Thanks. I'm going to find the more sophisticated Leviton one I removed to revisit how it works. It's probably 15 years old. Didn't work on LAT/LON. All I remember is it would shift the start/stop times automatically. Probably works on time zones. Quickly checked reviews on Amazon for the one you linked and it has mixed reviews. Did you have any issues with the battery? I'll check into it further as I really like the concept.

 

[crw030]

Did you have any issues with the battery?

So far no issue with battery, but most of those posts refer to a year or slightly more. So I'll have to wait at least another 6 months!

But not really that useful for the UK market, as we use 240V AC and they're rated for 120V AC. It's a bit disappointing.

I always forget about you guys on the other side of the pond! Definitely doesn't look like they have a 240vac option, sorry about that.

 

[K175un3]

No worries crw030, it's a good idea though. Just means that I'll have to practice my Google Fu and see if I can trawl something up from the depths of the net.

At least it'll keep me busy.