Useless Lights.....Any Suggestions.....

[stem]

For years I have had two lights under a canopy that stretches from my front door to my attached garage. The lights are operated by a PIR and they stay on for about 2 minutes.

Due to an accident whilst returning a ladder to the garage recently, I needed to replace them. I purchased some rather expensive nice new fittings in smart stainless steel & protected to IP44. Great.... Now the problem, they are fitted with GX53 lamps which have turned out to be incredibly slow to reach a useful brightness.

I get home, stand at the door and can't see a thing. There is no light emitted from the lamps, looking up directly at the lamps I can see a faint glow and that's it. After standing there for about 15 seconds it's just light enough for me to make out the outline of the lock, so with care I can insert the key. I go in, fumble around for the inside light switch in the dark (it used to be clearly illuminated by the old canopy lights) I shut the door take off my shoes and hang up my coat in a cupboard at the end of the hall and by then, the outside of the house is bathed in light. When I don't need it.

If I go out to get something from the garage it's equally as frustrating as I stand around waiting for them to come on.

I've now reverted to leaving them permanently on all evening just in case I want to go out, or we have visitors. So much for energy saving lamps. The old lights may have used more energy when lit, but it were only on for a few minutes all night.

So is this normal for GX53 lamps? do I have a dodgy pair? Can I fit something else into the fittings?

 

[EFLImpudence]

I have only seen this type of lamp used under cabinets and while they are not exactly 'searchlights' they were not as bad as you describe.

Some PIRs do not work well with fluorescent lamps.

What kind of lamps did you have before?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

My guess is that he did not have fluorescent ones.

 

[EFLImpudence]

LED ?

 

[flameport]

So is this normal for GX53 lamps? do I have a dodgy pair?

All fluorescent lamps have this issue to some extent, and the smaller they are, the worse the problem becomes. Having them outside will also make it worse, due to the lower temperature.

Fluorescent lamps are not normally used in applications where they will be switched often, so the solution to your problem is either to leave them on all the time, or replace the light fittings.

 

[stem]

I have only seen this type of lamp used under cabinets and while they are not exactly 'searchlights' they were not as bad as you describe.

They are definitely designed for the purpose according to their description, of course the spec describes the environment where they can be installed and the light they produce, but strangely it makes no mention of taking a minute to get there. I didn't want to use low energy lamps, for reasons mentioned previously, but it was all I could find that was suitable in appearance and for the outdoor under canopy location.

Some PIRs do not work well with fluorescent lamps.

I hear an audible click from the PIR, so I imagine that it has a relay to do the switching. They seem to come on OK, and once they have warmed up the light they give out is better than then previous lights, which were....

What kind of lamps did you have before?

......Halogen spots