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Dusk Dawn Outdoor Lighting

 

 

When you need illumination in your outdoor area, dusk dawn outdoor lighting will help you have light when you need it without having to do anything. All it takes is a sensor to interrupt the power to your light fixture during the daylight hours.  If you are just looking for light or style these examples will give you the feel and security that you are looking for.

Lets look at some different examples and then explain how it works.

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Brinks High Pressure Sodium dusk dawn outdoor lighting Brinks High Pressure Sodium Dusk to Dawn Security Light, 70W

 

This is the traditional security light for parking lots.  If you have a large area that will need light all night long this is the fixture for you as it can cover 10,000 square feet per fixture.

The 70 watt High Pressure Sodium bulb will give about 6,00 lumens of light.   The bulb life is about 18,000 hours, this is good because of the high price of a replacement bulb.  The Dusk to Dawn sensor is located on the top, make sure that it will get enough sunlight to turn off during the day.  Photo cell can be replaced.

The fixture is 14 inches tall and 10 inches around.  It will protrude 13 inches away from the wall when mounted.  It will weight about 5 pounds, this will require it to be solidly mounted to the wall.  Does not mount to an electrical box.

Brinks dusk dawn outdoor lighting Jelly Jar Light FixtureBrinks Jelly Jar Matte Black

 

This is the same as most people have on their back or basement exit.   The fixture is matte black with a jelly jar type globe hanging down.  The big difference is the dusk to dawn sensor.  It is located on the top for the light to be activated when it is dark.

The fixture has a max rating of 60 watts for a regular incandescent bulb.  Other styles of bulbs will fit, you will have to make sure it will fit inside the jelly jar glass enclosure.

The fixture is 7.25 inches tall and 6 inches around.  It will stand 7 inches away from the wall when mounted.  At 1.5 pounds it is a very lightweight fixture and will have no special mounting needs.  It will mount directly to any wall electrical box.

Hampton dusk dawn outdoor lighting Hampton Augustine Lantern Dusk To Dawn

 

If you are looking for something a little more decorative this coach light fixture may work for you.  The fixture is painted matte black with decorative glass on four sides.  The light sensor is on the top of the mounting plate.  The photo cell is made into the fixture and cannot be replaced.

The single bulb with a maximum of 60 watts will be needed.  No disassembly of the fixture is need to change the bulb.

The fixture is 12.5 inches tall and 6.5 inches square.  It will be 7 inches away from the wall when mounted to an electrical box.  It has wiring that is easy to install for anyone.

Brinks LED dusk dawn outdoor lighting Brinks LED Dusk to Dawn Light, Bronze

 

A little different in that it uses LED for lighting this Brinks fixture will use less electric than any of the other fixtures in this post.  The integrated photocell cannot be replaced.  The rust resistant frame has a bronze finish.  The clear plastic lens can be removed for cleaning.

The light comes from 8 super bright LED’s with a 2,000 lumens total output.  You can expect around 50,000 hours of life from this fixture.   This bright light will only use around 34 watts of energy with the output of a 125 watt bulb, saving money over a regular incandescent bulb.

The fixture is 5.5 inches tall and about 7.5 inches wide. It will stand about 10 out from the wall when mounted.

Some customer complaints about radio frequency interference that is caused by the power supply for the LED bulbs.  It can interfere with radio clocks, cable modems and other electronic devices in your home.

Brinks dusk dawn outdoor lighting Brinks Dusk To Dawn Wall Lantern

 

 

This is a coach light design of lantern.  The durable metal frame is finished in an Antique Bronze and has flat glass on the four sides.  The photo cell is built in the top of the unit and cannot be replaced or serviced.

The 60 watt bulb is the maximum rating for this dusk dawn outdoor lighting fixture.  Bulb is not included in this fixture.

The fixture is 9 inches high and 6 inches square.  It will extend 7.5 inches from the wall it is mounted on.  This fixture will be easy to mount on a wall electric box

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Installation of a dusk dawn outdoor lighting fixture and how it works

 

Installation can be a little tricky when installing one these dusk dawn outdoor lighting fixtures.  Make sure the sensor will get proper sunlight or your light will shine all of the time.  Some of these fixtures have extra wires for the photo cell to work off of.  Some will have the power to the photo cell then to the fixture.  Make sure you read all of the wiring directions before installing.  If you have any questions, ask a qualified electrician before installation.  You can install on an off/on switch for further control.

The photo cell will read the amount light that is available and when the light is at the minimum it will allow the fixture to slowly turn on, the light does not progress to an instant on like a light switch.  When the light level is increased the fixture will cut off the power to the light.  None of these fixtures have an adjustable sensor.  Check the wiring diagram before installing these fixtures as some requirements are different that a regular fixture without any sensors.

Make sure you check with the manufacture when looking at different bulbs for you fixture.  When you involve a photo sensor in line with some bulbs it will cause it to flicker and burn out faster.  I recommend only using a normal incandescent light bulb in these outdoor light fixtures, except for the High Pressure Sodium bulb.  If you use LED bulbs, use the dimmable variety, it will last longer.

Conclusion

 

Hope you have found some of this information on Dusk Dawn Outdoor Lighting helpful.  There is  a wide variety of fixtures and illumination to choose from, not every fixture is going to work for everyone.  Be careful when choosing the light bulbs for your fixtures as the dusk to dawn sensor can make your bulbs have a very short life.

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