Before you rush out to buy a new solar powered dusk to dawn lighting, there are a few factors that you should consider. Here are the top features you will want to look out for in solar dusk to dawn lighting, and why they are important.
Weatherproofing and Durability
Dusk to dawn lights are meant to be used for outdoor spaces, so it is important that they can withstand the elements. All outdoor lights are waterproof to some degree. For the best waterproofing, you should look for a dusk to dawn light that has a high IP rating.
IP, or Ingress Protection, ratings are the measure of how well-sealed an encasing is. An IP over 65 will not just keep out moisture, but dust too, and will stay dry even if submerged in deep water. If you live in an area that sees a lot of storms and wet weather, a high IP rating is a good indication that you will be able to use your dusk to dawn outdoor lights for a long time without needing to replace or repair them.
Energy Efficiency
Solar powered lights get their charge from the sun, so they are generally very cost effective in your home. Leaving your solar powered floodlights on all night will not run up your energy bill. That said, the best dusk to dawn lights will still use energy efficiently so that they can hold their charge to stay up all night.
Brightness
Dusk til dawn lights, in general, are not as bright as other floodlights, because they are designed to stay up all night without losing their charge. The average dusk to dawn light will have around 1,000 lumens – that is bright enough to illuminate a larger outdoor space like a driveway or garden, but not so bright that it will disturb the neighbors or keep you up all night.
Like with all flood lighting, the brightness of dusk to dawn floodlights is measured in lumen. The higher the number of lumen, the brighter the light it will be. For reference, an average kitchen or bathroom bulb will have around 800 lumen or less – and some solar floodlights can go all the way up to 3,000 lumen.
