It annoys me when people fit exterior lights and just aim them
horizontally - thus ensuring that half of the light is wasted or is an
annoyance to other people. Typical PIR Controlled 500 watt lamp - "walk near
me and I will light up the houses across the road!"

The worse type of light often fitted commercially is the bulkhead light with
a 2D fluorescent tube - these get fitted to the walls of buildings and only
serve to shine into your eyes to make your iris close down so that dark
areas look even darker.

Good planning should ensure that the ground is well lit without the light
source shining directly into anyone's eyes.


--


--
John

In article , John
writes
It annoys me when people fit exterior lights and just aim them
horizontally - thus ensuring that half of the light is wasted or is an
annoyance to other people. Typical PIR Controlled 500 watt lamp - "walk near
me and I will light up the houses across the road!"

Yes we've got someone across the way with these bloody thing arranged
like that.

Oddly enough the other day I noticed one of ours aimed almost at the
ground flickering slightly. Further investigation revealed that it had
water in it!, not enough to get to the bulb but a fair old bit!..



The worse type of light often fitted commercially is the bulkhead light with
a 2D fluorescent tube - these get fitted to the walls of buildings and only
serve to shine into your eyes to make your iris close down so that dark
areas look even darker.

Good planning should ensure that the ground is well lit without the light
source shining directly into anyone's eyes.

Well yes!..



--
Tony Sayer

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:40:52 GMT someone who may be "John"
wrote this:-

Good planning should ensure that the ground is well lit

Assuming the designer/installer wants to light up the ground.
Otherwise it would be bad planning.

without the light source shining directly into anyone's eyes.

The situation may not always make it possible to achive this ideal.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

John wrote:
It annoys me when people fit exterior lights and just aim them
horizontally - thus ensuring that half of the light is wasted or is an
annoyance to other people. Typical PIR Controlled 500 watt lamp - "walk near
me and I will light up the houses across the road!"

The worse type of light often fitted commercially is the bulkhead light with
a 2D fluorescent tube - these get fitted to the walls of buildings and only
serve to shine into your eyes to make your iris close down so that dark
areas look even darker.

Good planning should ensure that the ground is well lit without the light
source shining directly into anyone's eyes.


--


--
John

John wrote:
It annoys me when people fit exterior lights and just aim them
horizontally - thus ensuring that half of the light is wasted or is an
annoyance to other people. Typical PIR Controlled 500 watt lamp - "walk near
me and I will light up the houses across the road!"

The worse type of light often fitted commercially is the bulkhead light with
a 2D fluorescent tube - these get fitted to the walls of buildings and only
serve to shine into your eyes to make your iris close down so that dark
areas look even darker.

Good planning should ensure that the ground is well lit without the light
source shining directly into anyone's eyes.


use a cheap telescope to send a beam of light directly at the
floodlight's daylight sensor. turn on light in telescope: floodlight
goes off.

R

"Robert Laws" wrote

use a cheap telescope to send a beam of light directly at the
floodlight's daylight sensor. turn on light in telescope: floodlight
goes off.

Do all these floodlights have a daylight sensor?
I thought most were solely controlled on a motion sensor.

Phil

"TheScullster" wrote in message
...

"Robert Laws" wrote

use a cheap telescope to send a beam of light directly at the
floodlight's daylight sensor. turn on light in telescope: floodlight
goes off.

Do all these floodlights have a daylight sensor?
I thought most were solely controlled on a motion sensor.

Phil


They have a light sensor to prevent them being triggered by movement during
the daytime.


--


--
John

without the light source shining directly into anyone's eyes.

The situation may not always make it possible to achive this ideal.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh


Improvements are often is often possible - like having the light as high as
possible and pointing it downwards; shielding / cowl / hood; location
(consider how buildings are floodlit - the lights point at the subject - not
at the viewer).

Consider downlighters / wall washers instead of bulkhead fittings. Consider
lights positioned away from the building - but pointing at it.

Even street lights are starting to be designed better - more effective
reflectors and hoods to prevent the spill of light into the eyes of the
driver (unless you are under one and choose to look up).

You would not enjoy going to the theatre and having the stage lighting
pointing at the audience.

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 13:54:13 GMT someone who may be "John"
wrote this:-

without the light source shining directly into anyone's eyes.

The situation may not always make it possible to achive this ideal.

Improvements are often is often possible -

While improvements may be possible in many cases in some cases they
may not.

like having the light as high as possible and pointing it downwards;

That assumes there is enough wall to place it higher. If there is
not then for many reasons the occupiers may be unable/unwilling to
erect a suitable pole.

Theatre lighting relies on being inside. Place some such lights
outside for a while and see how well the delicate bits last.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

John wrote:
"TheScullster" wrote in message
...

"Robert Laws" wrote

use a cheap telescope to send a beam of light directly at the
floodlight's daylight sensor. turn on light in telescope: floodlight
goes off.

Do all these floodlights have a daylight sensor?
I thought most were solely controlled on a motion sensor.

Phil


They have a light sensor to prevent them being triggered by movement during
the daytime.


the 'remote control' method also works for street lights and is more
effective becuase they usually have a fairly long 'dead time' before
they will attamept to come on again.

To use the telescope method you first look through the telescope and
get it aimed exactly at the sensor. Then, having clamped the telescope
in place, you remove the eyepiece and put alight bulb in its place.
For street lights a flash gun will also do the trick.

people also use laser pointers.

Robert

"John" wrote in message
...
It annoys me when people fit exterior lights and just aim them
horizontally - thus ensuring that half of the light is wasted or is an
annoyance to other people. Typical PIR Controlled 500 watt lamp - "walk
near me and I will light up the houses across the road!"

The worse type of light often fitted commercially is the bulkhead light
with a 2D fluorescent tube - these get fitted to the walls of buildings
and only serve to shine into your eyes to make your iris close down so
that dark areas look even darker.

Good planning should ensure that the ground is well lit without the light
source shining directly into anyone's eyes.

Indeed.

There's an office block opposite our house, there's a security light
directed at the car park. but it shines at several of the houses on this
side of the street and it's so bright that we can read by it in our front
rooms. It doesn't go on and off, I don't know if that's a boon or not :-)

Mary

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"John" wrote in message
...
It annoys me when people fit exterior lights and just aim them
horizontally - thus ensuring that half of the light is wasted or is an
annoyance to other people. Typical PIR Controlled 500 watt lamp - "walk
near me and I will light up the houses across the road!"

The worse type of light often fitted commercially is the bulkhead light
with a 2D fluorescent tube - these get fitted to the walls of buildings
and only serve to shine into your eyes to make your iris close down so
that dark areas look even darker.

Good planning should ensure that the ground is well lit without the light
source shining directly into anyone's eyes.

Indeed.

There's an office block opposite our house, there's a security light
directed at the car park. but it shines at several of the houses on this
side of the street and it's so bright that we can read by it in our front
rooms. It doesn't go on and off, I don't know if that's a boon or not :-)

Mary



You are experiencing "Light Trespass". If it was a street light shining into
your bedroom you would demand a shield to be fitted. You are entitled to
some darkness at night I believe.

Take a read of this:

http://www.publications.parliament.u.../74706.htm#a16

"John" wrote in message
...

There's an office block opposite our house, there's a security light
directed at the car park. but it shines at several of the houses on this
side of the street and it's so bright that we can read by it in our front
rooms. It doesn't go on and off, I don't know if that's a boon or not :-)

Mary



You are experiencing "Light Trespass". If it was a street light shining
into your bedroom you would demand a shield to be fitted. You are entitled
to some darkness at night I believe.

Take a read of this:

http://www.publications.parliament.u.../74706.htm#a16
I've tried asking the management (it's the local Healthcare office!) but
they say it's nothing to do with them.

I might well save the link and quote it, thank you.

For years youths would go in and kick footballs against the wooden garage
doors, we managed to get that stopped but I've a feeling that 'security'
might be a different matter. and getting neighbours to complain formally
(i.e. not to me, saying that "somebody should do something about it") is
very difficult!

Mary

The diagram at the start of the article is useful in explaining the
situation. It is hard to believe that nothing can be done - if you can see
the light source than I believe it is incorrectly set up. If you are
experiencing light reflected off an illuminated building then perhaps you
will have to put up with it.

"John" wrote in message
...
The diagram at the start of the article is useful in explaining the
situation. It is hard to believe that nothing can be done - if you can see
the light source than I believe it is incorrectly set up. If you are
experiencing light reflected off an illuminated building then perhaps you
will have to put up with it.

No, it's a direct light from the lamp.

It would be marvellous to be able to have it adjusted.

Mary

John wrote:

Even street lights are starting to be designed better - more effective
reflectors and hoods to prevent the spill of light into the eyes of the
driver (unless you are under one and choose to look up).
..
Interesting point because there is one area, in Quebec Canada IIRC,
where 'light pollution' was affecting night time celestial telescope
observations.
Partial solution was to have local towns install street lights that
minimized upward radiation and take other measures to minimize it.

John wrote:
It annoys me when people fit exterior lights and just aim them
horizontally - thus ensuring that half of the light is wasted or is an
annoyance to other people. Typical PIR Controlled 500 watt lamp - "walk near
me and I will light up the houses across the road!"
..
Possibly aimed wide to discourage stalkers and/or other nightime
lurkers or travellers.
However; many outside lights are shut off by by photocells during the
day?
During daylight they override the motion or IR sensors with which AFIK
many are equipped.
The photo cells could be a fun 'target' for a laser pencil????????
Just a thought!.

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 19:51:52 -0000, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:

Take a read of this:

http://www.publications.parliament.u.../74706.htm#a16
I've tried asking the management (it's the local Healthcare office!) but
they say it's nothing to do with them.

Ask for the contact details of their facilities management.

cheers,
Pete.