# LED floodlamp - I am impressed



## peakbagger (Nov 22, 2015)

I had picked up a LED flood a year ago to replace a halogen flood on an outdoor lamp pole. The pole is out along my driveway and despite being set back a bit, when my plowing contractor is moving snow, the pole must gets shaken on occasion. Over the years I have lost a couple of Halogen bulbs and I think they fail due to vibration and this time the bulb was completely out of the holder. It sat until yesterday as getting to the top of the pole is always a challenge with a extension ladder as the pole is round. By running the bucket on my unimog as high as it could go next to the pole, I had something to steady the ladder against  but its still not one of my favorite jobs. The swap over went quick and last night I turned it on. The claim is its a 50 watt unit with equivalent output of  a 300 watt halogen. Compared to the halogen, this floodlamp is much brighter and the throw is a lot father. It only gets turned on rare occasions when I am snowblowing or need to check out anything suspicious on the driveway. LEDs are supposedly not prone to issues with vibration and low temps and this one will be exposed to both so it will be interesting to see how it survives.

The one caveat I have seen on these floods are that they are Chinese manufacture and that the quality control is nonexistent  so they are sometimes are delivered dead in the box. I buy them through Amazon so except for the return hassle its worth the risk. I just ordered another one to replace one of my other floods that I use more often and given the amount of light for the watts I am considering putting it on a movement sensor. I paid around $70 bucks a year ago and just paid 29 bucks for roughly the same unit today.

I work on construction sites and these LED floods are replacing incandescents and halogens for work lights as they seem to take more abuse. They are incredibly bright.


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## woodgeek (Nov 22, 2015)

link?


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## peakbagger (Nov 23, 2015)

I bought the original last year and cant locate a link but here is a link to the one I just bought (but haven't tried)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X5L0ECA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00


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## jebatty (Nov 23, 2015)

Our motion detector light on the garage is a hooded type designed for two A19 base bulbs. I pulled out the flood lamps and inserted two indoor LED 60W equivalent bulbs last year, so now into the second year with these. Plenty of light, and replaced 150W with 18W.


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## FTG-05 (Nov 23, 2015)

jebatty said:


> Our motion detector light on the garage is a hooded type designed for two A19 base bulbs. I pulled out the flood lamps and inserted two indoor LED 60W equivalent bulbs last year, so now into the second year with these. Plenty of light, and replaced 150W with 18W.



Link to the LED light bulbs?


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## sportbikerider78 (Nov 23, 2015)

Despite the so-so reviews, I installed this one about 2 years ago.  
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...Motion-Sensor-OFLR-9LN-120-MO-WH-M2/204770240

It is out in the elements and not protected by any roof overhang.  Before installing, I took its PCB out, which was wrapped in a plastic bag, and conformal coated it, and removed the bag. Having managed an industrial controls manufacturing assembly plant, I am really over the top when it comes to keeping water out of electronics.

No issues.  And I leave it on all the time when it is snowing, because I love the way it floods the backyard.


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## jebatty (Nov 23, 2015)

FTG-05 said:


> Link to the LED light bulbs?


A19 are standard screw in light bulb base.


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## FTG-05 (Dec 3, 2015)

jebatty said:


> A19 are standard screw in light bulb base.



A request for a link implies wanting information such as: source, price, shipping costs etc.  I already knew the A19 part.

If you don't want to answer, just say so.


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## sportbikerider78 (Dec 3, 2015)

It really doesn't matter.  Go to any Lowes or HD and they have thousands of standard 60W LED bulbs.


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## sloeffle (Dec 3, 2015)

sportbikerider78 said:


> Despite the so-so reviews, I installed this one about 2 years ago.
> It is out in the elements and not protected by any roof overhang.  Before installing, I took its PCB out, which was wrapped in a plastic bag, and conformal coated it, and removed the bag. Having managed an industrial controls manufacturing assembly plant, I am really over the top when it comes to keeping water out of electronics.



That must of been what happened to the POS one I bought from Costco. Seem to a common issue per the reviews.

http://www.costco.com/Outdoor-High-...-Light---.product.100137808.html#product-tab6


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## jebatty (Dec 3, 2015)

FTG-05 said:


> A request for a link implies wanting information such as: source, price, shipping costs etc. I already knew the A19 part.
> 
> If you don't want to answer, just say so.


 I thought your question related to "A19" because otherwise LED light bulbs are available almost everywhere. If you can't find them near you in TN, just type into the search bar on your computer "LED light bulb" and you will find many, many links for LED bulbs.


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## maple1 (Dec 3, 2015)

peakbagger said:


> I bought the original last year and cant locate a link but here is a link to the one I just bought (but haven't tried)
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X5L0ECA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00



I've been checking these things out on Ebay.

Almost ready to buy a few of them - but, would there be an issue to putting them indoors? Well, not exactly indoors - more like inside a big unheated shop building.


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## peakbagger (Dec 3, 2015)

All I can suggest is that these outdoor LEDs are darn bright and the one I put in is even blinding up on top of pole. I think it would be tough to get even light distribution unless it was a barn.

I have a couple of industrial projects going on in Mass right now that have utility subsidized high bay LED fixtures. They use a different type of LEDs that are distributed over a 3'by 3' grid, they are bright but a lot more uniform, they also have occupancy sensors so as you walk along the floor the lights turn on and turn as you walk, takes a bit of getting used to and if you are stationary too long they shut off.


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## maple1 (Dec 3, 2015)

I was thinking of the 30 watt ones - should have mentioned that. It would be a machine shop type building with 10' walls. Or maybe 12', crap forget now. So almost a barn.

But we also have another building that has always had incandescents. They are mounted up high in the open trusses, to the roof strapping. Place has always been dark. That one is also 'unheated' - except for one month or so a year when it is heated kind of extreme at times, and steamy. It's a maple place. I can't seem to find anything LED local that would suitably do either place, or anything that sounds like a 'maybe' has to be special ordered in at rediculous cost with no telling how it will suit before it's tried.


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## iamlucky13 (Dec 3, 2015)

jebatty said:


> Our motion detector light on the garage is a hooded type designed for two A19 base bulbs.



For clarity's sake if others go looking for the same - A19 is the bulb shape, one of several "A-line" sizes, not the base shape - the common globe we all envision over over a cartoon's head when he gets a bright idea.

The base shape is an E26 Edison screw, which gets used by most household bulbs in the US, including A19, bulged reflectors like BR30, and parabolic reflectors like PAR20 or PAR38. I think the typical motion-sensor security lights usually use a PAR38 bulb. If you get a reflector bulb for large area lighting like that, you'll want to make sure it is labeled as a flood bulb, not a spot bulb. This is a typical example:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...ecurity-LED-Flood-Light-Bulb-435008/205213864


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## Where2 (Dec 3, 2015)

maple1 said:


> I've been checking these things out on Ebay.
> 
> Almost ready to buy a few of them - but, would there be an issue to putting them indoors? Well, not exactly indoors - more like inside a big unheated shop building.


I bought one 30W version off Ebay to play with (looks similar to the Amazon link above), then bought another 4 from the same seller. The first issue with some Ebay ones, if you have an AHJ who cares, is that they have nothing resembling a UL certification. Hanging them up, you may never care about a UL sticker. If the structure they are in burns down and the fire was determined to be caused by a fixture without a UL rating, then it's a battle with your insurance company that you may never win. Caveat Emptor.

The 30W units I bought only seem to draw ~22W on my Kill-A-Watt. As for any issue mounting them indoors: *No issue*. I used my test unit under my kitchen sink while I was fixing my reverse osmosis filter. It was perfect for a "work light" application because even after an hour running continuously, I could still grab any part of the metal housing with my bare hands, including the finned heat sink. That "cool to the touch" feature was what convinced me to buy 4 more. I'm replacing those "scald you in an instant" 300W/500W halogen work lights I keep in the garage for working on projects. As a bonus, I can easily run >5 of the 30W LED 2700 lumen lights on the 400W MSW inverter in my portable jump starter. That's a bunch of portable light!


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## maple1 (Dec 3, 2015)

I think the ones I was looking at had a CE sticker. Would that help in that situation?


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## Where2 (Dec 4, 2015)

maple1 said:


> I think the ones I was looking at had a CE sticker. Would that help in that situation?


Not in the USA according to UL. https://ul.com/code-authorities/resources/faqs-for-code-authorities/

The equivalent certification listing in Canada would be ULC or CSA.

In reality, the requirement becomes whatever standard your local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) decides to hold you to. I own a home in the US in an area where the AHJ retains multiple licensed inspectors on city staff who strictly adhere to the current version of (American) national electrical code (NEC) written by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Whenever there is a question, the local inspectors pull out the code book and hold you to whatever it says, or whatever they interpret it to say. If it says use a green wire nut, and you used a red one, good luck getting them to follow your interpretation. I know people with homes where the only thing they need inspections for are modifications to plumbing systems, and their town relegated inspection duties to a local state licensed plumber. There, you either call that plumber to do the work, or you call him to inspect the work that you or someone else did on your plumbing system.


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## woodgeek (Dec 5, 2015)

You guys sold me, I'm a lighting nerd. 

I just ordered a couple of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JB12F02?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00

Seemed to be nice quality in this class.

I have a 2-car garage with attached storage, 600 sq ft and it has been a challenge to light.  Right now I have 2 large CFLs in single central ceiling fixture, 46W and 2500 lum total.  Very glarey and dark shadows.  When I need to work in there I fire up an old 300W halogen torchiere (5000 lum) that helps a lot.

I was going to mount the LEDs on a central lolly column, pointed up at the white ceiling, getting 4000 lumens of warm-white indirect lighting, helping with the glare, shadowing, and overall lux compared to present.  I'll prob keep the torchiere as a 'work light'.


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## peakbagger (Dec 5, 2015)

One minor comment is that to wire these lights for outdoors you need the appropriate box,  cover and bushing. I have a bunch of explosion proof cast steel boxes and covers that I acquired years ago that work quite well but be prepared to shell out a few bucks for the accessories to do it right.


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## Where2 (Dec 5, 2015)

peakbagger said:


> One minor comment is that to wire these lights for outdoors you need the appropriate box,  cover and bushing.


Bushings seem to be the most difficult part to acquire through my big box store. My local big box only had bushings with an oval flexible insert to accept flat shaped non-metallic cable. When I was installing my PV array, I needed bushings to swallow a round 12/4 trunk line. I purchased a dozen UL approved bushings online.

Another detail that would be interesting to review would be whether any of these inexpensive lights employ SOOW wire type tails? (SOOW appears to be the flexible service cord wire type rated for permanent outdoor use in wet locations). If you're wondering whether that really matters? The first few years it may not matter. After several years of exposure to the elements, the wire insulation type begins to matter considerably as the unrated insulation jacket may begin to break down and crack from UV rays and exposure to sun/wind/rain/snow. I bring this up because I have seen improperly rated wire used for outdoor installations.


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## maple1 (Dec 5, 2015)

'Bushing' - are we talking box connector there?

And also on the UL talk - I suspect the flood linked to in post 3, or anything else coming from China (or thereabouts) isn't UL either? I'll go back & look at that one again. Are yours UL stamped peakbagger?


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## peakbagger (Dec 5, 2015)

Good point on the flexible cord, I assumed it was outdoor but didn't check. Its up on the pole now and that circuit has a GFI on it so I guess I will live with it . I didn't look for a UL rating. The new one I just bought has a CE mark. CE can be an acceptable mark, UL used to be the only game in town but these days there are several National Recognized Testing Labs (NRTLS) that can certify equipment.

I had a few strain relief bushing in my collection with conduit thread for my power cords. I find that most home stores don't stock them. I do have a source through a solar supplier if I am desperate.

 I don't see anywhere on the case that I could direct connect a conduit. I made sure that the cable is oriented and looped to reduce the potential for leakage into the case.


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## woodgeek (Jan 10, 2016)

Ok.  I installed two 30W warm white LED guys in my garage a month ago.  Shining them upright onto my white drywall ceiling, and getting nice diffuse lighting throughout my garage.  Nice.

I decided to add some floodlights to my (0.4 acre) back yard.  There were none before, just a single crappy 60W bulb about 5' off the ground..  

So I got two more 30W warm white LED floods, and just hung them under my soffit.  Happy.

Now, where else do I need them?


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