Outdoor barn light question

[BeezFun]

Want to hang light on outside of barn to light up yard area. Looking for pros and cons of the 4 types I saw at Menards:
1. Fluorescent
2. Metal Halide
3. Low Pressure Sodium
4. LED (yikes, expensive)

Found this table that shows Low Pressure Sodium to be cheaper per lumen to operate. But I don't know if there's any other problems with Sodium, like long start time, or problems in cold weather. I'm in Chicago climate so winters are cold. Thanks for advice and suggestions.

 

[KennyG]

How much light are you looking for? If you only want enough to keep from stumbling, it's hard to beat the CFL because the initial cost is so low. I think the sodium lights can give you a lot more light but isn't the cost of the fixture and bulb a lot higher? I have cheap Menards CFLs and they've been working great for several years.

 

[yelbike]

Also how on time are you looking at? A standard cfl should start down to about 20 degrees CELSIUS. Sorry for the Canadian conversion also 500 watt halogen can be had for $15, at that price its hard to beat the efficient over cost discussion.

 

[bcp]

Your power company may put one up for you for very little.

I recently had one installed. Cost was $0. Monthly charge is $8 for 5 yrs, then $5. Light is before the meter, so monthly charge includes power. They do any maintenance needed.

Bruce

 

[Scooby074]

Hard to beat Sodium wall packs. I assume your wanting to flood a small area? Maybe less than 1000sqft? Under $100 and not that hard on electricity for the lumens produced.



Think of LEDs as an investment. Yes they are money up front, but you save both maintenance and electricity costs for YEARS after install. We just put one of these RAB 52W Led's up to light up the church parking lot and keep kids out. $350 IIRC. But no ongoing maintenance and low operating costs. It really throws the light.RAB WPLEDFC52N | LED Wall Pack - 52 Watt There's the 2 extremes.

 

[Deere Dude]

I have had a 60 Watt HP Sodium for 13 years. Paid about $50. On every night from dusk to dawn and keeps plugging away and lights up an area a couple hundred feet away, enough light to walk around easily and being able to see what is around. It is bright enough to do minor work outside like changing 3pt attachments on the tractor when within 50 feet. I have it about 18-20 feet off the ground and over the peak of my pole shed on the overhead door end.

It starts quickly in Wisconsin weather and doesn't make a buzzing sound like some other type I have had.

When I bought it I took a chance because 60 Watts seems like a drop in the bucket but worked out very well. We just bought a place in the boonies in TN and there is no yard-light, and I am going to put up the same exact thing. When it is dark outside it doesn't take much wattage to shine a good sized area up.

I don't know what it costs to run monthly, but I am assuming it would be a lot cheaper than a 150-300 watt light the power company would put up. $50 for the fixture over a 13 years period is cheap.

 

[BeezFun]

How much light are you looking for? If you only want enough to keep from stumbling, it's hard to beat the CFL because the initial cost is so low. I think the sodium lights can give you a lot more light but isn't the cost of the fixture and bulb a lot higher? I have cheap Menards CFLs and they've been working great for several years.

Barn is about 100' from house and I'd like to be able to see well enough to walk from house to barn at night without falling over a wheelbarrow. Prices of the fixtures I looked at were all comparable, except LED which was off the charts.

 

[BeezFun]

Also how on time are you looking at? A standard cfl should start down to about 20 degrees CELSIUS. Sorry for the Canadian conversion also 500 watt halogen can be had for $15, at that price its hard to beat the efficient over cost discussion.

You must mean -20C if you're living in canada. That would be about the temp we have around here in the winter. It doesn't need to start fast, it takes me a while to get going. The table I pointed to shows halogen being 10 times more expensive to operate than low pressure sodium, initial cost on all these except LED seems insignificant compared to long term operation.

 

[BeezFun]

Your power company may put one up for you for very little.

I recently had one installed. Cost was $0. Monthly charge is $8 for 5 yrs, then $5. Light is before the meter, so monthly charge includes power. They do any maintenance needed.

This barn is at the end of a long aerial run, about as far away from the meter as you could get, it would be a major construction project to get another power run back there from upstream of the meter.

 

[BeezFun]

Hard to beat Sodium wall packs. I assume your wanting to flood a small area? Maybe less than 1000sqft? Under $100 and not that hard on electricity for the lumens produced.

Yes, they had these at menards, I think that would be sufficient for what I need.

Think of LEDs as an investment. Yes they are money up front, but you save both maintenance and electricity costs for YEARS after install. We just put one of these RAB 52W Led's up to light up the church parking lot and keep kids out. $350 IIRC. But no ongoing maintenance and low operating costs. It really throws the light.

I'm confused about the efficiency of LEDs. That table I found shows LEDs are about 2-1/2 times more expensive per lumen to operate than low pressure sodium, which was counter to everything I've heard about LEDs. Also, after my experience with CFLs, I'm skeptical about life expectancy claims from manufacturers. I've had CFLs that didn't last any longer than an incandescent. I don't think that's the case with LEDs based on my own experience with LED trailer tail lights, but man these fixtures are expensive.