Dusk to dawn fluorescent lighting
 

Hello,

Are dusk to dawn fluorescent lights good?

I've attempted to use fluorescent lights in my front porch light that,
I think was originally meant for incandescent lights. When I used a
CFL type bulb in it the sensor didn't last. Had to replace it and go
back to using incandescent lighting.

This Hampton Bay advertises itself as a dusk to down outdoor
fluorescent -

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

Hampton Bay Seville Collection 7 In. 1-Light Fluorescent Wall Lantern
with Dusk-to-Dawn Photocell

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks

Dusk to dawn fluorescent lighting
 

On Jun 6, 9:39*pm, Brent Bolin wrote:
Hello,

Are dusk to dawn fluorescent lights good?

I've attempted to use fluorescent lights in my front porch light that,
I think was originally meant for incandescent lights. *When I used a
CFL type bulb in it the sensor didn't last. *Had to replace it and go
back to using incandescent lighting.

This Hampton Bay advertises itself as a dusk to down outdoor
fluorescent -

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...h_d2/ProductDi...

Hampton Bay Seville Collection 7 In. 1-Light Fluorescent Wall Lantern
with Dusk-to-Dawn Photocell

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks

If there is a relay in the light, the fluorescent light should be
fine. If it is very quiet, you can hear the relay clicking on and off
with changes in illumination. If the sensor operates the light bulb
directly, the fluorescent lamp will not work as the light will not
come on fully, but gradually as it gets darker. Fluorescent bulbs are
an all or nothing proposition unless you buy one that is meant to be
dimmable, and even then I don't think it is a good idea.

Dusk to dawn fluorescent lighting
 

On Jun 7, 3:39�am, Brent Bolin wrote:
Hello,

Are dusk to dawn fluorescent lights good?

I've attempted to use fluorescent lights in my front porch light that,
I think was originally meant for incandescent lights. �When I used a
CFL type bulb in it the sensor didn't last. �Had to replace it and go
back to using incandescent lighting.

This Hampton Bay advertises itself as a dusk to down outdoor
fluorescent -

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...h_d2/ProductDi...

Hampton Bay Seville Collection 7 In. 1-Light Fluorescent Wall Lantern
with Dusk-to-Dawn Photocell

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks

Some CFL's can't be used with photocells or dimmers. They don't draw
enough current to work the electronics in the photocell properly and
the photocell reduces the voltage available to them in some designs
because components are in series with the lamp.
Special ones are available, also ones with a built in photocell.

Dusk to dawn fluorescent lighting
 

On Jun 6, 9:39*pm, Brent Bolin wrote:
Hello,

Are dusk to dawn fluorescent lights good?

I've attempted to use fluorescent lights in my front porch light that,
I think was originally meant for incandescent lights. *When I used a
CFL type bulb in it the sensor didn't last. *Had to replace it and go
back to using incandescent lighting.

This Hampton Bay advertises itself as a dusk to down outdoor
fluorescent -

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...h_d2/ProductDi...

Hampton Bay Seville Collection 7 In. 1-Light Fluorescent Wall Lantern
with Dusk-to-Dawn Photocell

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks

I use at several location about 30 HD cfls with a regular photocell
and have no issues for 5 years, at one location I use 20 cfls on one
photocell. New replacement photocells and cfls work together. If its a
replacement fixture you want I have been getting maybe 6 years off the
long thin style bulb, the one that has a plug in style socket, mine
are inside and out in apartment buildings and it gets to -20f here. My
cfls are in since 07 with 60% still fine and HD has a 7 yr warranty on
them so I just return them, maybe the photocell you had go bad was
just going bad. New stand alone replacement photocells are designed
for flourescents, but they can die from line surges from the utility
co.

Dusk to dawn fluorescent lighting
 

On Jun 6, 10:39*pm, Brent Bolin wrote:
Hello,

Are dusk to dawn fluorescent lights good?

I've attempted to use fluorescent lights in my front porch light that,
I think was originally meant for incandescent lights. *When I used a
CFL type bulb in it the sensor didn't last. *Had to replace it and go
back to using incandescent lighting.

This Hampton Bay advertises itself as a dusk to down outdoor
fluorescent -

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...h_d2/ProductDi...

Hampton Bay Seville Collection 7 In. 1-Light Fluorescent Wall Lantern
with Dusk-to-Dawn Photocell

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks

Not all cf's and photo control / dimmers get along. Cf's have a small
high voltage supply in them that needs a fairly decent sine wave.
Dimmers and photo cell controls generally wotk using scrs and triacs.
There are cf's that work better with these and they will say
dimmable. There are also cfs with built in photo controls. My guess
is you used a regualr cf and it didn't like your photo control.

Dusk to dawn fluorescent lighting
 

Brent Bolin wrote:
Hello,

Are dusk to dawn fluorescent lights good?

I've attempted to use fluorescent lights in my front porch light that,
I think was originally meant for incandescent lights. When I used a
CFL type bulb in it the sensor didn't last. Had to replace it and go
back to using incandescent lighting.

This Hampton Bay advertises itself as a dusk to down outdoor
fluorescent -

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

Hampton Bay Seville Collection 7 In. 1-Light Fluorescent Wall Lantern
with Dusk-to-Dawn Photocell

I just got one of the low wattage units and keep it going 24/7.

Jon

Dusk to dawn fluorescent lighting
 

On Jun 7, 8:34*am, "Jon Danniken"
wrote:
Brent Bolin wrote:
Hello,

Are dusk to dawn fluorescent lights good?

I've attempted to use fluorescent lights in my front porch light that,
I think was originally meant for incandescent lights. *When I used a
CFL type bulb in it the sensor didn't last. *Had to replace it and go
back to using incandescent lighting.

This Hampton Bay advertises itself as a dusk to down outdoor
fluorescent -

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...h_d2/ProductDi...

Hampton Bay Seville Collection 7 In. 1-Light Fluorescent Wall Lantern
with Dusk-to-Dawn Photocell

I just got one of the low wattage units and keep it going 24/7.

Jon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You'er not really saving much energy that way. THey use about a 1/3rd
of the electricity. In most regions it's dark about a 1/3rd of the
day.

Dusk to dawn fluorescent lighting
 

In ,
jamesgangnc wrote:

On Jun 7, 8:34*am, "Jon Danniken"
wrote:
Brent Bolin wrote:
Hello,

Are dusk to dawn fluorescent lights good?

I've attempted to use fluorescent lights in my front porch light that,
I think was originally meant for incandescent lights. *When I used a
CFL type bulb in it the sensor didn't last. *Had to replace it and go
back to using incandescent lighting.

This Hampton Bay advertises itself as a dusk to down outdoor
fluorescent -

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...h_d2/ProductDi...

Hampton Bay Seville Collection 7 In. 1-Light Fluorescent Wall Lantern
with Dusk-to-Dawn Photocell

I just got one of the low wattage units and keep it going 24/7.

You'er not really saving much energy that way. THey use about a 1/3rd
of the electricity. In most regions it's dark about a 1/3rd of the day.

My experience is that photo controls tend to turn lights on 30-45
minutes after sunset and turn them off 30-45 minutes before sunrise. That
means 43-46% of the time the light would be on anyway.

Now, here's a trick to improve savings in outdoor applications for CFLs,
should you find the common spiral ones to work to your satisfaction in
your outdoor fixture in your location: Get ones of high color
temperature, such as 5500K (Home Depot) or 6500K (Target or Lowes). The
spectrum of those is richer in wavelengths that night vision is more
sensitive to. Scotopic vision ("night vision") does play a significant
role even when things are bright enough to see color and some detail, as
bright as several lux to 10's of lux.

Because of this, in outdoor applications an incandescent can be replaced
by a high color temperature CFL of around 20% of the incandescent's
wattage if the CFL warms up properly and does not overheat. Make that
maybe 15% if the incandescent is a 3500 hour industrial duty one or the
like.

For that matter, I have seen a 5000K outdoor-rated CFL by Philips at
Home Depot. I saw those there in only one wattage, however - 15 watts.
And they are non-dimmable, so they are incompatible with photocell
controls that are not rated to control CFLs.

--
- Don Klipstein )