Residential security lighting

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shamrock12

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Upstate NY
I have a potential project in a residential setting with an U-shaped driveway (two entrances). Some lighting is needed to lit the premise for security. I'd like to have just enough lighting to provide some security but not so much that it would look like a commercial parking lot. I am going to install two lamp poles, with both of them at 10 feet above ground. One will be abour 25 feet from one corner of the house and another about 40 feet from opposite corner of the attached garage/house. Both would be about 12 feet from edge of the driveway. I would like to install metal halide lantern style fixtures but have a choice of 50 or 70 watts. Which one should I order? Just remember they will be mounted 10' above ground and are to provide some lighting but not so much as not to disturb the resident living inside. My concern is if the 50 watts would be too dim, but at the same time I worry if the 70 watts would be too much. Can anyone help me decide/figure this out? Thanks! :cool:
 
stickboy1375

stickboy1375

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Location
Litchfield, CT
shamrock12 said:
I have a potential project in a residential setting with an U-shaped driveway (two entrances). Some lighting is needed to lit the premise for security. I'd like to have just enough lighting to provide some security but not so much that it would look like a commercial parking lot. I am going to install two lamp poles, with both of them at 10 feet above ground. One will be abour 25 feet from one corner of the house and another about 40 feet from opposite corner of the attached garage/house. Both would be about 12 feet from edge of the driveway. I would like to install metal halide lantern style fixtures but have a choice of 50 or 70 watts. Which one should I order? Just remember they will be mounted 10' above ground and are to provide some lighting but not so much as not to disturb the resident living inside. My concern is if the 50 watts would be too dim, but at the same time I worry if the 70 watts would be too much. Can anyone help me decide/figure this out? Thanks! :cool:
Click to expand...

So, the security lighting is to stray potential burglars, but you don't want to alert the occupants inside? Isn't that an interesting one. :)
 
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shamrock12

Member
Location
Upstate NY
No, they would be on from dusk to dawn using a photocell sensor. The purpose of this security lighting is to stray away potential trouble by making the premise look occupied with the lights on.
 
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Hv&Lv

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shamrock12 said:
No, they would be on from dusk to dawn using a photocell sensor. The purpose of this security lighting is to stray away potential trouble by making the premise look occupied with the lights on.
Click to expand...

Dusk to dawn lighting does little more than light up the area for a potential trouble maker. Thieves know how this lighting works. Concentrate on convenience for when you are home. You want to trick theives? Get a switch that turns the house lights off and on in different parts of the house like someone is really home.
 
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Gac66610

Senior Member
Location
Kansas
Hv&Lv said:
Dusk to dawn lighting does little more than light up the area for a potential trouble maker. Thieves know how this lighting works. Concentrate on convenience for when you are home. You want to trick theives? Get a switch that turns the house lights off and on in different parts of the house like someone is really home.
Click to expand...

like timers?

I have suggested to homeowners, a motion sensor to turn on a back hallway light or something inside the home.
4 sensors one on each corner to turn on four different lights in the home (something to that affect)

most say it would just light the way in the house so ....
 
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Hv&Lv

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shamrock12

Member
Location
Upstate NY
Thanks for those suggestions; however, I'd like to try focusing on the main topic of selecting wattage of a metal halide fixture. I did a bit of digging and found a typical white coated 50w bulb having initial lumen of about 3200 with a similar 70w bulb having initial lumen of about 4700. In comparison, a soft white 200w incandescent appears to have similar lumen as an 50w MH while a soft white 300w incandescent seems to be similar to an 70w MH in term of lumen. Does those sounds right to you? Thanks
 
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hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
I install 50 mh floods about 30' up in trees, it gives off about the same amount of light as a full moon, hence the term "Moon lighting". I have quite a few customers that I have done it for. Not so bright to draw every bug in the neighbor hood, but bright enough to walk by. (I do use the frosted lamps to lessen the glare)
 
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