Looking For Floodlight Suggestions

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n3wb
Dec 10, 2024
4
0
Michigan
I've lurked for a few weeks - quite the community of knowledge you guys have here - glad to be part of it now.

So - because of your forums - I've ditched Reolink - funny enough that was where I was heading before I found this forum. That being said - the piece that I'm really trying to complete is a good floodlight solution. Essentially I'd like to install decent floodlights (for our own eyeballs, or to light up to bring attention to the house in the event of suspicious activity) in the front and the back of the home. I'm going IR for my cameras (likely Dahua 5442 S3s, fixed lens).

Anyways - I just purchased a Dell Optiplex tower for the security server, to host BI as well as a host of other automation programs. That being said - I could do some sort of relay control for the light, to break the 120? If that's something any of you have done - what hardware did you use? Obviously the relays would need to be beefy so that they can handle hot-swapping 120VAC. If I do something like this - how do I feed the relay signal back to the security computer, to interface with BI?

That's just one method I was thinking about - open to other recommendations / war stories of what you've done for Floodlights.

Thanks!
 
What do you use for controlling them? Or do you not control them via software?
I added a contactor in my edit.

I use Hubitat and they are on Zwave switches. They are not tied into or triggered by BI or my cameras though.
 
Sadly enough, The Reolink Duo Floodlight POE seems to be the only option. Its UNVIF compliant - and seems to be a decent light. I really don't want to buy any Reolink, but I can't find ethernet floods anywhere. Dahua has a super nice option, but its WIFI only. I refuse to further obfuscate my network topology with WIFI on the security subnet.
 
I would prefer 120vac floodlights. My desire is to control them via BI though - so that I can set up flags and triggers for them, or turn them on off at will.
 
I have not messed with it, but I am sure it can be done depending on your automation solution. I would wire them to a Zwave switch and have them controlled that way, you just need to figure out the link between BI and your solution. I know others here have used APIs and web calls to have BI trigger their automations.

However, it is typically best to have lights on all the time, or no lights at all. Turning on a light can render the capture useless as the camera updates exposure and settings due to the instant increase in light.
 
I really don't want to buy any Reolink, but I can't find ethernet floods anywhere
I bought one of these a year or two ago.
Sadly they seem to no longer sell them, which is a shame because I want more of them.


There are other Poe lighting options out there but they tend to be expensive.
 
Blue Iris can send a HTTP command, initiated by a motion event, to actuate a Shelly Wi-Fi relay to turn on lights, as below. The Shelly 1's have a "dry contact" and the latest Shelly Plus 1 UL-certified can operate from AND switch 120VAC @ up to 16A.

Shelly Plus 1.jpg

 
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