Technical > Home Improvement > Outdoor lighting

Outdoor lighting

HPS is the ugly "orange" light. You might want to look into Metal Halide or high output fluorescent. L.E.D. area lighting is staring to become an affordable alternative as well.

reply to ElminsterOld
Also keep shadows in mind. A single light will tend to cast shadows that make it pretty hard to see when playing. If you have light coming from multiple directions then the light and dark areas overlap each other.

reply to ElminsterOld
You can also use halogen bulbs in conventional fixtures. They have very high output and are reasonably priced. Another advantage is when you turn them on they come on without record warm up time.

reply to ElminsterOld
Not HPS! I want to find the person that invented those monsters and smack him! If you are just going for occasional lighting conventional flood fixtures with halogen will be your best bang for buck (plus side is that you will be able to relamp easily with CCFL or LED when price and reliability are better), and you could use a dimmer if desired. If you plan on going more the security route (ie. on all night) multiple CLFs or HIDs are the way to go.

reply to ElminsterOld
I strongly recommend against halogen fixtures. They burn out quickly, they have poorly designed sockets which tend to burn up, and they are inefficient.

reply to ElminsterOld
High pressure sodium lamps have a slightly orange/pink-ish light, it's the low pressure sodium that are a horrible monochromatic yellow, like the amber in a stoplight.
Metal halide will give a better overall color rendition as far as high pressure discharge lamps go.
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reply to nunya
No, yes and no.

Halogen bulbs have increased life over incandescent unless they are run over recommended voltage (or significantly below).

Some halogen fixture designs are poor, such as the bayonet style use in many outdoor fixtures, causing excess heat to build up (poor build quality isn't helping anything). For the record, I was suggesting something like an enclosed halogen par38 with an Edison base. Something that could easily be replaced by a newer, more evolved technology as they mature without changing the fixture.

In general tungsten halogen bulbs are (broadly speaking) an average of 15% more efficient than standard incandescent bulbs for the same foot-candles. If you are comparing their efficiency to other technology, that is a different story.

reply to ElminsterOld
No suggestion as to kind. But is this a backyard with landscaping and seating for fun or just a vacant lot with grass?
For when all the neighborhood kids are over playing a night game put in some nice strong lighting.
If it is also a place where you will sit and just watch the kids play with the dogs or just play put in more softer lighting where it is needed.
A fun stadium lighting effect for game night when everyone is over and a softer lighting effect for when you just want to sit outside and watch your own kids play whatever. Two separate moods. Bright stadium type lighting on nights when you just want to relax and still see the stars while the kids have enough light to chase the dogs may kill any relaxing mood.

reply to Nick_L
I'll disagree with you on the lifespan. I've found halogen to be a real poor performer, especially outdoors. Compared to other area lighting possibilities, they are stone age. 15% savings over incandescent isn't saying much compared what else is available. LED is 10X more efficient than incandescent.

The 13W version of these could easily replace a 100W par38:
»www.rabweb.com/product_detail.ph···BLED13YW
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reply to ElminsterOld
I'd never use halogen inside or outside. They burn excessive power and have too many issues.

I've not seen any LED/HID lights that can effectively light up a 9,000-10,000 sq. ft. area. I've seen some flood light's with LED's but it said 300-350 sq. ft. at a cost of like $80 bucks so no way that's feasible. The only options I see are HPS, fluorescent, incandescent, mercury vapor, or metal halide.

I'm thinking about two of these:
»www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fans-···Id=10053

You'll be hard pressed to find MV, as it's being phased out. Did you look at the photometrics on the LED I linked to? They are spendy though.
I personally find any sodium lamp to have a horribly offensive orange-yellow-amber tint. It drives me nuts. The only thing HPS has going for it is efficiency and lifespan.

I'd use MH (lots'o light). Fluorescent would be more efficient though.
Here's RAB's Fixture Flood line: »www.rabweb.com/product_line_deta···e=FUTFLD

You can compare CFL vs. MH vs. HPS from the same fixture. Their photometric chart lets you put in any elevation, angle, lamp, etc...

I'm only recommending RAB due to cost. I'm sure you don't want to pay for Hubbell or Spartan.
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Looks like Reverend Wright got his wish - God Damn America.
Nancy Pelosi - House Minority Leader 2010
Harry Reid - Senate Minority Leader 2010

reply to ElminsterOld
I wouldn't use fluorescent outside unless the OP wants to attract every flying insect in his entire town to his backyard.

reply to ElminsterOld
Please do not contribute to dark-sky light pollution more than necessary. There are links to some manufacturers at the bottom of the link in the previous sentence that produce dark-sky friendly lighting solutions. Also, some guidelines for outdoor lighting.
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Actually, I prefer to see the stars rather than a big, glaring light fixture. I have three outside fixtures, each with a 13W CFL. Front porch, back porch and one on the shed.

I must admit however, that I do regularly trip over things out there in the dark.
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reply to ElminsterOld
I'm pretty sure someone somewhere invented this thing called a 'switch' which allows one to turn stuff on and off at will. With this cool new invention one can use it to control a light thus allowing us to turn it off when we want to see the stars and on when we want to see the lawn.

You're not one of those people who move out into the country, say "OMG! It's dark out here!", then proceed to light up your property like Times Square, are you?

reply to Bobcat79