Sensor Lights For Outside

[hellywelly4]

Please could anyone recommend sensor lights for me - one for the porch (under cover), and one for the back of the house (not under cover).
I seem to think I've seen them which are not attached to the wiring system of the house. Am I right as this would be a lot easier and cheaper I think.
Many thanks.

[woofgang]

I have got these and they are excellent....they do need direct light so maybe on good under cover but have worked throughout the summer with little or no direct sunlight.
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[gingejbee]

^^^as above. If not mains operated, then they'll be solar-powered. For best results, they will need plenty of light during the day, especially in winter. The rear of my house points North and is quite dark in Winter....so solar- lights wouldn't be much good (as a friend has found out!)

[bainbrig]

Solar lights are notoriously dim, and need far more sunlight than most of us get in the UK.

If you choose LED lights rather than conventional ones for your outside use, then although they DO need mains power, they will use very little electricity. Is there some reason why you don't want them to be wired into your house circuit?

Bill B

[woofgang]

Bainbrigg, the newer kind aren’t notoriously dim and mine get very little direct sunlight as they are near but not under a thick tree canopy. You do have to pay a bit more for them though and I wouldn’t rely on them anywhere where light is essential

[gingejbee]

^^^the solar-lights that woofgang links to ARE LED....

[bainbrig]

So they are. But reading the negative comments on Amazon might put you off them...

[gingejbee]

....and reading the 83% of reviews that were 4- and 5-star might make me think they were worth buying.....

[douglas9401]

I bought one of mine from Lidl and the other from LED Hut.

Both still working well after a couple of years installed. I did have to extend the cable connecting the solar connector to the light but that was easy enough.

[hellywelly4]

Thank you all so much for your help. Now I don't know what to do!! I read all the comments on woofgang's post, and don't really want something that's only going to last a short period of time. I face east, so do get a fair amount of sun during the day. but as has been emphasised, we don't get that much sun in the winter.
The reason I was trying to avoid having them wired in was simply the cost, and would I have to have a qualified electrician to do it.

[Tilly2]

We had some 'wired in' movement sensor lights on our house but they drove us mad, coming on at strange times in the night, especially if it was windy. We had then replaced with standard, switch on when needed lights. They are much better.

[queen 1954]

i bought one from lydil,it has 6 led lights and its run by 8aaa batteries,ive just replaced the batteries after 2 years so very cheap to run and provides a good light.