sc3013
Well-known member
New to the forum and have a question. Has using dust to dawn lights in side a shop been discused? I have a new addition to my garage that is 36'x40'-14' high and am thinking of trying this. Comments please. leroy
dust to dawn lights inside?
- Thread starter sc3013
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coachrick
Well-known member
Probably not answering your question but I thought I would mention my use of LED 'night-lights' that operate dusk-to-dawn...just to provide enough illumination so I don't have to switch on the overhead lights every time I walk to the garage 'fridge or grab something out of the car. Just enough light and they use very little juice to operate.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
The photocell has to be mounted on the building exterior so it can sense when the sun goes down, 
but other than that there's no reason you couldn't run the interior lights that way.
but other than that there's no reason you couldn't run the interior lights that way.Aceman
Well-known member
Not very practical IMO. Between the twist-on photocell you'd have to bypass and the yellow light an HPS puts out(which would be terrible to work under), they're not worth the trouble. I you want HID, use MH low bays.
mmg440
Well-known member
Bypassing the photocell makes it not a dust to dawn light
I have a 175 watt mercury vapor light (security type light without the photo cell) mounted on the lower truss of the center rafter, height about 13' in my 40 x 30 garage. It gives off enough light to do simple work out there for now. I have been moving a lot of stuff to go threw and sort there before setting up the poll barn out back for parts storage. I don't have a shade on it as I had previously converted the unit for a saltwater fish tank. The area only had 4 incandescent fixtures with 100 watt bulb and was not enough to do much in. I guess the color may be off for painting and stuff but not bad for what I am doing. I have a friendd the tried some sodium vapor lights he got a deal on in his shop. He only turns them on to show people how bad the color is! It was a unworkable situation. I might still get a couple from him and use them for what the were intended for outdoor security. Might try one of the sodium vapor units in the poll barn but the mercury vapor is cheep enogh and better light.
Rigmaster
Well-known member
In that case, they'll work fine- it's all up to you if the light is the "right" light for your needs (in terms of what type of bulb it uses).
Nothing special about most dusk to dawn lights, they're just a floodlight with a photocell wired in to come on when it gets dark and go off when it gets light out.
I recently bought several dusk to dawn lights from Lowes that were on clearance. I plan on clipping out the photocells and using them as regular flood lights on the shop and house.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
How much light are you wanting inside? I have a traffic light mounted and use three CFL's in it. I can see into the garage from the house and more than adequate light to walk around. It is lit up 24/7. Almost any light will deter a thief. They are like cockroaches and like the total darkness.
It sounds lik a regular 1 or 2 bulb lighting circuit with a photo cell spliced in.
They make outside rated potocells for this very purpose.
You run the hot from the switch to the photocell, then from it to the fixture.
It just acts like a second switch.
As long as the manual switch is on, it will turn on and off with the sun.
A couple CFL bulbs and you are set.
They make outside rated potocells for this very purpose.
You run the hot from the switch to the photocell, then from it to the fixture.
It just acts like a second switch.
As long as the manual switch is on, it will turn on and off with the sun.
A couple CFL bulbs and you are set.
I'm not worryed about them comming on at all with darkness, they are just a resonably priced compleat light figture. And I will be putting up about 4 to 6 of them with ganged switches. Our rural king runs them on sale often in the $25.00 range, so I can light up for $100. to $150. Don't seem to bad. leroy
mmg440
Well-known member
If you do plan on it or were going to try one and see if it is the light you want. You don't really have to pull the fixture apart to disable the photo cell. A piece of black tape over there sensor will tell the fixture it is dark. If I were to hang more inside this is what I would do. There fixture would still be intact and you could mount it outside for it's original use if you did not like the light.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Why not just run some fluorescents then? There are a lot of fluorescent fixtures, 4' length, 2 bulb, that you can get two of them for the price of one. Menards was just advertising a little while ago on the tube a 4 footer, 2 bulbs. $9.99, and instant on a 0*F. I bought the same thing a while back and run 6 on a switch. Way better light than the other lights I had in there.
Gary S
Well-known member
I would definitely go with florescent lighting here. I use florescent dusk to dawn lights to light all around my house and garage at night. They are all outside and they work at any temperature. Last week we had one night where we were around -25 at sundown when they had to light, and every one of them functioned just fine and stayed bright all night as the temperature went down to -44. These lights consume 26 watts each and put out a much better white light than the HPS red light for a fraction of the cost.
In my garage I mounted my old motion sensor light that I used outdoors back before CFLs. This one senses when I come in the garage and turns on automatically for me. Here I can use the ancient incandescent lamps because it is on for only about 3 minutes at a time so it doesn't burn much energy.
If you want to build your own dusk to dawn light for inside, you would need to relocate the photocell to the outside. This can be easily be done by buying your basic two-lamp spotlight outdoor fixture and a separate photocell. Mount the photocell outside and run the wires inside to the fixture to control it. You still have the option of using incandescent or halogen lamps or getting the new CFL flood lamps to turn into the socket.
But, do you really want the lights on all night in an unused area? The motion sensor might be a better choice if you just need light when you go in there.
In my garage I mounted my old motion sensor light that I used outdoors back before CFLs. This one senses when I come in the garage and turns on automatically for me. Here I can use the ancient incandescent lamps because it is on for only about 3 minutes at a time so it doesn't burn much energy.
If you want to build your own dusk to dawn light for inside, you would need to relocate the photocell to the outside. This can be easily be done by buying your basic two-lamp spotlight outdoor fixture and a separate photocell. Mount the photocell outside and run the wires inside to the fixture to control it. You still have the option of using incandescent or halogen lamps or getting the new CFL flood lamps to turn into the socket.
But, do you really want the lights on all night in an unused area? The motion sensor might be a better choice if you just need light when you go in there.
dcovey
Well-known member
I had a 30x50 shop when I lived in Texas. I used 4 "security" lights with the sensor removed to light the entire shop. Over my work bench and lathe I mounted a 4 ft. two tube flourescent light.
The only thing about them was the color of the light and when the transformer/starter (?) went bad they buzzed, otherwise they were cheap to operate and they worked great. The buzzing didn't bother me to bad as my hearing isn't good anyway.
Dave
The only thing about them was the color of the light and when the transformer/starter (?) went bad they buzzed, otherwise they were cheap to operate and they worked great. The buzzing didn't bother me to bad as my hearing isn't good anyway
.Dave
danfromsyr
Well-known member
you can wire in an ecternal photocell to control an inside circut.
many commercial properties use these, they are available at any large box home center
in the electrical and outdoor lighting section.. make sure to check the overall wattage and voltage capacity. some are 12vs you want a 120v
many commercial properties use these, they are available at any large box home center
in the electrical and outdoor lighting section.. make sure to check the overall wattage and voltage capacity. some are 12vs you want a 120v
n2hcky
Well-known member
I am using these in my 32x50x10. They can be used with the photo eye or without.
Great lighting, works in cold weather and very affordable. Only avail in store though....not online
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...=100405567&N=10000003+90027+501161+4294966001
Great lighting, works in cold weather and very affordable. Only avail in store though....not online
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...=100405567&N=10000003+90027+501161+4294966001
JakeD
Well-known member
Seems like it would be simpler to use the timer style switches rather than dorking around with some photocell for inside application. I got some from HD that you just wire in place of the regular light switch. You put in the date, time and your approximate latitude and it calculates the dawn/dusk times as they change throughout the year. Works good for me.
LINK TO PRODUCT
LINK TO PRODUCT