Flood light recommendations. For garage driveway.

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TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
60
91
Need to hookup a nice light for when I'm working in the driveway.

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I don't want motion detected. Want it to be switched.

Don't have the ability to run a dedicated line for it, but in the garage in the overhead trusses, there's power ran to the garage door opener. I'm thinking we could setup a junction box, splice the power lead for the light into the existing line (using junction box to contain the spliced area), and run it 10ft or so to the light. I'd have to drill into the front wall above the garage door, but that's ok.

From there, I'm thinking of running the switched lead to a switch I can hack into the wall.

Seem reasonable?

Any recommendations on flood lamps? I want something bright and with wide coverage.
 
stormkroe

stormkroe

Golden Member
May 28, 2011
1,550
97
91
Cooper lumark 30 watt, not sure if they're available in usa but they're a great light and probably lots of light for what you want there.
 
paperfist

paperfist

Diamond Member
Nov 30, 2000
6,539
287
126
www.the-teh.com
edro

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
24,326
68
91
Make sure you get ~2700-4000K.
5000K+ just looks way too harsh for the home.
Also, your neighbors will thank you.
 
DrPizza

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
167
111
www.slatebrookfarm.com
Unless there's a foot of slack in the wire that's run, you'll need TWO junction boxes. Otherwise, when you cut the wire to splice in the 3rd wire, you're not going to have enough extra wire to meet code for the minimum number of inches inside the junction box. It's not a big deal, costs you a whole extra dollar, and actually makes the job a heck of a lot easier. If you can, cut where you won't have to pull out wiring staples - midway between two staples (unless the electrician put them a lot closer than code requires) and slide a box over each end until you have enough wire coming out, then attach the box. It's even easier to strip the sheathing from the wires prior to putting it into the junction box, especially if due to the location, it's difficult to work. Splice in a couple foot section into the first box to reach the second box, inside which you'll be putting together 3 sets of wires with wire nuts. If using metal boxes, don't forget a pigtail to ground the box (which will give you 4 wires in one wire nut.) Some areas tolerate the ground wires just twisted together, but code dictates that they are to be mechanically fastened (crimp or wire nut.) They also make those little quick connect things that you can just push the wire into (I'm still not sold on them lasting long term.)
 
P

Paperdoc

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
2,512
380
126
Early this year I bought a nice matched pair of outdoor LED floodlamps. These are shaped like the old incandescent floodlamps called PAR38 (for Parabolic Reflector of 3.8" diameter), with common "medium" screw bases that go into any regular lamp socket. My search was for LED floods that can work in any temperature (CFL bulbs won't light at 30 Below) and give lots of light with low power consumption. I found these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011G9WRIG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011G9WCVS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Each uses 15W to output about 1200 Lumens, and they both provide light with a color temperature of 3500 to 4000K. In actual use they produce lots of light at a good matched natural-looking color, with no warm-up period at any summer or winter temperature.

I am using the two to light my back yard from the back porch of the house. So the first one has a 40 degree angle light cone and is aimed close to the house; the second has a narrower 25 degree cone aimed farther out. They are in a common two-socket molded aluminum exterior light fixture for exposed bulbs (these lamps ARE designed for exposure to weather) controlled by an indoor switch. I expect they'll last for a long time being LED devices.
 
monkeydelmagico

monkeydelmagico

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2011
3,961
145
106
I recently installed a couple security lights and ran the wiring. Was cheaper and easier to assemble from parts. Alot of the fancy kits are not serviceable and/or do not have replaceable bulbs. Home Depot has an exterior lighting section with all the parts to custom build. Go take a look.
 
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