How to turn a regular light into a "spotlight"?

L

LittleBrother

Pulling my weight
Sep 16, 2014
480
119
I have a bunch of typical outside lights attached to my house. I leave these on all the time by the garage. I have no motion detector light, nor desire to install one. The problem with these lights--like most lights--is that most of their light is completely wasted shooting at the ground, the sides, the back, etc. I want to direct their light more aggressively to the driveway.

I've looked up reflective materials so that I can put a reflective backer into the square glass boxes (like a light house uses or a flash light, or even any halogen flood light), but can't find anything good and cheap with mirror-like qualities.

This would be awesome: http://electrictreehouse.com/ecobulb-directional-led-light/ if it were readily available. I can't seem to find a darn thing online about this, even with people rigging something up themselves.

This would work great except it's kind of a stand alone unit and I can't think of a way to properly fit it into the housing, particularly since the light has an existing socket. http://www.amazon.com/Woods-0151-8-...qid=1414966609&sr=8-1&keywords=bulb+reflector

Another option is a reflector light bulb like you may have in a bathroom, for example, but on an extender neck from amazon. However, I don't think I could get it to fit properly. The stand alone reflector in the back of the housing would be ideal.
 
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I must have been high when I said (now edited) lamp post, because I don't have lamp post lights; I just have regular decorative type fixtures attached to siding that you see all over the place with a typical bulb put in them. I haven't seen any that still look decorative but also allow aiming of light.

I did stumble upon what a bunch of people who grow plants inside do, and it appears that making things out of aluminum duct or sheet metal is pretty common. None seem terribly reflective to me, but I guess it's better than nothing.
 
Try searching amazon for flexible mirror or square mirror and you will find a lot of different sizes and kinds of mirror material that is likely more effective than simple aluminum foil.
 
mylar is the most affordable material with the highest reflection #'s... much more so than a glass mirror or foil.

if there decorative fixtures replace them with security fixtures... decorative fixtures dont tend to provide even minimal security lighting.. my security lamps have very excellent reflectors/deflectors and aim all the light where its needed.
 
They do provide some lighting to the driveway where it contacts the garage--which really is what I need to light up any cars parked there. I put a motion detector in the back this past weekend, but I don't really want one on the front because I don't like how they look.

I can't tell if reflectix foil tape at lowes is similar to mylar. It may not be, but it is very easy to use, would be completely immune to heat, and cheap. i found some sheets for $.99 of hobbyist reflective material at walmart and putting some in the back of the box did make a difference. Aiming it isn't easy, though. Found for $6 some large sheets of fairly shiny sheet metal as well, but it's certainly not as reflective as a mirror. I did look at the amazon flexible mirror but reviews are iffy and I want to keep the cost on this probably-silly project pretty low :)
 
I believe most Foil tape is made of Mylar.. it should work fine, dont know how the adhesive will take to winter temps.. its the cold that will debond it rather than the heat.
 
I have some kicking around, i'll give it a shot and compare to the other stuff I have. If I come up with anything that doesn't look too ridiculous, and actually works, I'll post here for everyone's entertainment. Partly doing this so I can put super low watt bulbs in my fixtures to save electricity, but still generate enough light on the driveway.
 
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