Exterior security or flood lights

[sneasle]

Hi All.

I'm looking to install some security lights on the exterior of the garage on my new house. Now that I'm actually living in it, I've come to realize how woefully inadequate the exterior lighting is currently, so these floods are the first step in trying to rectify that.

I felt the need to post this for a few reasons. The first being that the lights available from HD and Lowes have relatively bad ratings, and I'd rather not by ****. The second reason is that I'm not really sure what angle of lights I should get, and if I should go with purely motion sensitive, or switch activated, or a mix of both (I'm pretty sure those exist).

I'm currently thinking I need two units, one for the outside corner of the garage near the property line, and the other in the inside corner where the garage and front door/porch meet.

The outside corner light would need to illuminate my side gate, the yard in front of the side gate, and some of the driveway, all without shinning into the window of my neighbor.

The inside corner light needs to be able to cover the steps leading up to the porch, along with some of the driveway/walkway area.

Hopefully this makes sense and you all have some good recommendations on fixtures for me. I plan on adding more floods and other security lights around the house in the future, these are just the first step and the most immediate.

If pictures would be helpful, let me know and I'll try and get some up.

 

[Mustang51js]

RAB makes the best motion lights and have a 10 year warranty. You can also buy replacement fixtures that look like normal lights with motion built into them. As far as angle you adjust the flood lights to where you want them

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

I second the motion about RAB lights. I have several; one went bad ( the motion sensor filled up with water ) and when I called them they sent me a new one, no questions asked.




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[sneasle]

Interesting, I haven't heard of this brand before.

Apparently (If I read this correctly) you can wire these lights in parallel in a way that if one triggers, the others trigger. I'm going to have to read up on that, that's a nice feature.

Anyone had any luck with any of the LED par38 bulbs?

 

[shooting4life]

I have a mixed of motion and switched lights. The motion lights are all really cheap but have lasted and work without issue. I live in a very temperate climate so maybe that helps. One location for motion lights that I really like is one that shines right on the approach to the front door. In the winter when my wife and I come home from work it would always be dark out. Instead of leaving a light on all day so we can see at night or installing a light sensitive light that is on all night the motion light lights up the walkway and the front door completely so that it is easy to see your keys or anything else out of ordinary.

I also have a few switched lights but I plan on adding a bunch more, mostly in the back yard.