On Sunday, 6 January 2019 22:14:49 UTC, wrote:
I used to use halogen floodlights with either 300 W or 500 W tubes.

Dead simple to install and maintain.

The cable entry point was always at the bottom so rain ingress was *never* a problem.

Tube replacement was simple, unscrew just one screw, open metal framed door and use cotton gloves to swap out the halogen tube......

Then I decided to replace the whole units with LED floodlights. biggest mistake I ever made!

Now when the LED floodlight fails, I find I *have* to replace the *whole* unit, I cannot replace the PSU part or the LED array only.

I also find that the cable entry point is at the top so I now frequently find that they fill up with rain water and pop the circuit breaker!

A new halogen Tube can be had for around a pound, a whole new LED floodlight is 30 quid upwards and its not an easy job as you have to undo the wiring, undo the wall bracket, remove the old light fitting entirely and work in reverse.

Even when I use self amalgamating tape to solve the "filling with rainwater" issue, the LED floodlight barely lasts more than a year before the whole thing has to be replaced.....

So much for minimising WEEE waste!

Rant over!


For our house, we bought some wall-mounted lanterns with IR sensors. And fitted BC-based LEDs with a rating of around 3W. The LEDs are replacable, of course. Cable through wall with no likelihood of water ingress even with our heavy rain and strong wind. Used car wax over the outside to help shuck rain and keep clean.

Very happy. Perfectly adequate light for the cat, doing the bins, the gate, visitors at front door.