Outdoor Battery Powered Lights with PIR

[Jonm]

My daughter has a passageway down the side of her house, 8-10 metres long. At night it is pitch black. Getting mains electricity to it would be difficult and disruptive to do it neatly.

I have looked at fitting some battery powered pir lights. The ones I have seen use typically three cells, either AA or C type. Usage will be light (excuse the pun), single dwelling, mainly going to the bins and occasional access. Do not need a lot of light, just enough to see where you are going and any trip hazards.

Does anyone have any experience of these? I am interested in how long the batteries last, any recommendations on make, using rechargeable batteries etc. I have read the reviews online but generally they are written soon after purchase so not very helpful on long term usage.

They do have a torch in a charging socket holder near the back door, but wall lights would be better. Any help/advice would be appreciated particularly actual experience of using them.

 

[Lons]

I've had a couple of solar powered LED spotlights similar to those in the link below though I think I got them off ebay, had them a good 18 months, they work very well and give an amazing amount of light though only on for 1 minute unless you remain in the detection area. One is on the shed at the back and the other facing our drive gates. The cable is 5 metres so as long as the panel can be fixed to get daylight it will work.
The only strange thing is that as it starts to get dark the lights flash on and off for maybe 5 minutes until they settle, I thought at first it was a fault but not so.
The dog sets them off, so do cats and the hedgehogs
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Security-L...ocphy=1006484&hvtargid=pla-492471502972&psc=1

 

[Robbo3]

I've installed 3 of these as a cheap solution for elderly neighbours where there is no mains power & doesn't get much sun for solar recharging.

They were £6 when I bought them. Two are mounted above doors to light up callers & one is on a gate at the end of a garden path which passes behind a neighbour's property. The 2 above doors use about one set of batteries a year & the light on the gate, which is exposed to the elements, can be up to 3 sets a year.
Rechargeable batteries run at 1.2 volts rather than the normal 1.5 volts & are often advised not to be used because of this. They are also more expensive especially as you can get 12 AA's or AAA's from the Pound shops.

 

[Jonm]

I've had a couple of solar powered LED spotlights similar to those in the link below though I think I got them off ebay, had them a good 18 months, they work very well and give an amazing amount of light though only on for 1 minute unless you remain in the detection area. One is on the shed at the back and the other facing our drive gates. The cable is 5 metres so as long as the panel can be fixed to get daylight it will work.
The only strange thing is that as it starts to get dark the lights flash on and off for maybe 5 minutes until they settle, I thought at first it was a fault but not so.
The dog sets them off, so do cats and the hedgehogs
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Security-L...ocphy=1006484&hvtargid=pla-492471502972&psc=1

Thank you for the info, very helpful. I had thought about solar but it is a north facing wall but plenty of light during the day but not direct sunlight. It may be possible to fit the panel where it will get some direct sunlight. Do you find it needs direct sunlight.

 

[Garden Shed Projects]

I have also found the solar lights effective. Had mine a couple of years to light up my route to the bins. They are on maybe 2 mins every couple of day and the path has a lot of trees on it so not a lot of direct sunlight

 

[Jameshow]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-LED-Mo...=p2349624.m2548.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0These any good?

 

[Lons]

Thank you for the info, very helpful. I had thought about solar but it is a north facing wall but plenty of light during the day but not direct sunlight. It may be possible to fit the panel where it will get some direct sunlight. Do you find it needs direct sunlight.

Obviously the more sun the better but works just as well on cloudy days as well so enough to keep the batteries charged, should be perfect for your situation where only needs to be lit while she's in the area. the one on my shed faces NE and works fine and the other is additional security for our motorhome so covers the main gates before the 240 v pirs pick up further up the drive. Worth a punt I thought when I bought the first one to try out as not much to lose after which I got the second, I've been considering another and your post has reminded me.

The lights with built in fixed solar are no good in a dark or covered area and if 5 metres of wire wasn't enough on the ones I have it's easy to splice in a length of extra wire though that could affect the charging rate.

 

[Jonm]

Obviously the more sun the better ...................

Thank you for taking the time to reply, very helpful

 

[Sandyn]

Any possibility of drilling through the wall from the inside and fit a mains powered dawn to dusk or a mains PIR floodlight?

 

[Jonm]

Any possibility of drilling through the wall from the inside and fit a mains powered dawn to dusk or a mains PIR floodlight?

Thank you for that suggestion. It is certainly possible and that was my initial thought. The house is in good decorative order and no redecoration is planned so it would be disruptive. Could also drop the cables down the outside of the wall from the attic but that would be unsightly. I perhaps should have said that in my initial question.

Possibly when they redecorate the adjacent rooms they will add mains outside lighting.

 

[Filament]

In case useful I believe these are the ones Robbo3 referenced Lyyt LED Wireless Motion Sensor Light & Detachable Torch
https://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/lyyt-wireless-led-motion-sensor-black/

 

[Jonm]

In case useful I believe these are the ones Robbo3 referenced Lyyt LED Wireless Motion Sensor Light & Detachable Torch
https://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/lyyt-wireles

Thank you, that is helpful, the link did not work for me but the name enabled me to do a search and I found them.

The comments on here are very helpful.

 

[Filament]

You’re welcome. And link now fixed