Best Bulbs to Use in Outdoor Motion Detector Flood Lights
A main purpose of using a motion detector light for your outdoor flood light needs is enjoying the energy cost savings they bring. By using a motion light with a normal incandescent bulb, however, you are not capturing the full energy savings available to you. Maximize your cost and energy savings by using fluorescent lighting in your outdoor flood lights! Whether you replace existing bulbs, or are buying bulbs for a new outdoor flood motion light, you will enjoy the savings and benefits of using an energy saving bulb.
Most people understand the wattage value of a normal incandescent bulb, but when shopping for Fluorescent Equivalents, you will need to understand the difference in wattage ratings. Included below is a table to give you a general idea of how these bulbs compare in wattage and in lumen power:
Save by Using Energy Saving Bulbs in your Motion Detector Light
One of the key benefits of motion detector lights is the energy savings these lights bring. The light stays on less and only when needed, and less energy is used as a result.
Instead of traditional incandescent light bulbs in your motion lights, consider instead using a CFL - compact fluorescent light - or LED energy savings light in your fixture. These lights provide energy savings over normal light bulbs. Keep in mind that these lights provide different lighting effect, so make sure to choose the right bulb for your lighting application.
Also, when using CFLs, make sure to choose CFLs that are rated to work with dimmer switches. This is because CFLs that are not made for dimmers will typically require the full amount of voltage in order to fire the gasses inside the fluorescent bulb. If the power gets below the required number of volts, which may happen with certain motion detector lights (for example, using the Dual Brite system), the CFL may not receive enough volts to cause the fluorescent light to fire completely, leading to a flicker effect. Solve this by choosing CFLs that work with dimmer lights.
Otherwise, you should have no trouble using an energy savings bulb in your motion sensor light, and enjoy the extra savings.