Cooperative Living March/April 2014 - 30

The incandescent
bulb in this existing
outdoor light
fixture has been
replaced with an
efficient compact
fluorescent bulb.
If you install floodlighting,
mount a
directional light
shield over it. I can
barely see the stars
on a clear night due
to the excessive
lighting in my
subdivision.
It is a misconception
that brighter lights provide more
security. Lower lighting levels are more
effective because it's difficult for the human
eye to quickly adjust from a very bright area
to darker area. If lighting is less bright, it's
easier to see movement in darker areas
where someone might be hiding.
Motion-sensor lights are some of the
most efficient and effective for security.
When the light comes on, a would-be thief
assumes he has been seen. They also catch
neighbors' attention. Select one with twolevel
lighting. You can switch it on for
low-level background lighting; it only
switches to full brightness when motion is
detected.
Wherever there is access to the full sun,
consider solar-powered motion-sensing
floodlights. Spend extra for an ample battery
pack (measured in watt-hours). These
lights continue to operate even after a few
consecutive cloudy days with little recharging
sunlight.
If you plan to install low-cost standard
120-volt outdoor lighting fixtures, try using
CFLs. These only use one-quarter as much
electricity as standard incandescent bulbs
and last at least 10 times longer. The
overall savings will pay back their higher
cost many times over. CFLs do not always
work well in cold outdoor temperatures,
and take a little while to reach full brightness.
Try one or two first, and read the
packaging to see if the bulb is intended for
outdoor use.
LEDs, another super-efficient lighting
option, are not affected by the cold. With a
bright-white light output, LEDs last up to
50,000 hours. Their light output is directional,
so they are best for lighting specific
targeted areas.
To light a larger area for an entire night,
LPS (low-pressure sodium) fixtures are
efficient. The fixtures are fairly expensive
and they start up very slowly to reach full
brightness. The light quality is monochromatic
(yellowish) so they would only be
applicable for security and not for entertainment
lighting.
The following companies offer
efficient outdoor lighting:
Energy Focus, 800-327-7877
www.energyfocusinc.com;
Hadco, 800-331-4185
www.hadcolighting.com;
Idaho Wood, 800-635-1100
www.idahowood.com;
Kim Lighting, 626-968-5666
www.kimlighting.com; and
Wave Lighting, 877-870-9283
www.wavelightingusa.com. 
Send questions to James Dulley, Cooperative
Living inquiry, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati,
OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.
28
Cooperative Living/March-April 2014
SOURCE: JAMES DULLEY

http://www.energyfocusinc.com http://www.hadcolighting.com http://www.idahowood.com http://www.kimlighting.com http://www.wavelightingusa.com http://www.dulley.com

Cooperative Living March/April 2014

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