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Sunny10
LIF Adult
Member since 10/10 1287 total posts
Name:
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Dusk to dawn porch light
Does anyone have one? I just bought a new porch light from Home Depot and didn't realize it was a dusk to dawn. Not sure if I should just turn the switch off when not in use or just return it and get a regular light. I could see this coming in handy on nights we are not home but leave during the day, but don't want the light on every night all night long.
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Posted 4/17/14 5:35 PM  |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: Dusk to dawn porch light
I have them on my two sconces outside of the front door. I like having the door lit all the time. Makes the front door more secure (burglars don't like light), and makes it safer to come up the steps to the door, no matter what day it is, or what time it is. I have a combination of CFL and LED bulbs, so it costs very little to run the lights.
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| Posted 4/17/14 6:29 PM |
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Sunny10
LIF Adult
Member since 10/10 1287 total posts
Name:
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Re: Dusk to dawn porch light
Posted by GoldenRod
I have them on my two sconces outside of the front door. I like having the door lit all the time. Makes the front door more secure (burglars don't like light), and makes it safer to come up the steps to the door, no matter what day it is, or what time it is. I have a combination of CFL and LED bulbs, so it costs very little to run the lights.
Thanks for responding.
If I wanted to at certain times deactivate the light on certain nights, can I just turn my light switch off and then turn it on when I want as if it is a regular light? I may want to leave it on some nights and others turn it off. Or is this something that must strictly be used at dusk to dawn?
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| Posted 4/17/14 7:44 PM |
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M514
Hi
Member since 8/10 6011 total posts
Name:
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Dusk to dawn porch light
My DH just installed 2 of these in the front of our house this past weekend. We have to turn the switch on to activate the lights. But by the time I come down in the morning, the lights are already off so I just flip the switch to off too.
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| Posted 4/17/14 7:55 PM |
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sunnyplus3
:)
Member since 11/05 8749 total posts
Name:
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Re: Dusk to dawn porch light
Same here. We have one at the front and one at the back door.
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| Posted 4/17/14 8:14 PM |
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Sunny10
LIF Adult
Member since 10/10 1287 total posts
Name:
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Re: Dusk to dawn porch light
So if one night we want the light completely off or would like the light on for maybe a couple of hours but want it off, say at 11pm on a given night, I can just turn the inside switch off?
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| Posted 4/17/14 8:38 PM |
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M514
Hi
Member since 8/10 6011 total posts
Name:
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Re: Dusk to dawn porch light
Posted by Sunny10
So if one night we want the light completely off or would like the light on for maybe a couple of hours but want it off, say at 11pm on a given night, I can just turn the inside switch off?
I literally just tried it for you... yes, if you turn the switch off, the lights go off.
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| Posted 4/17/14 8:46 PM |
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Sunny10
LIF Adult
Member since 10/10 1287 total posts
Name:
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Re: Dusk to dawn porch light
Posted by M514
Posted by Sunny10
So if one night we want the light completely off or would like the light on for maybe a couple of hours but want it off, say at 11pm on a given night, I can just turn the inside switch off?
I literally just tried it for you... yes, if you turn the switch off, the lights go off.
Aww..thanks so much for testing it out for me. That was nice of you.
I didn't plan on getting one of these, just mistakenly picked it up thinking it was a basic light, but maybe now I will keep it.
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| Posted 4/17/14 8:52 PM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: Dusk to dawn porch light
Posted by Sunny10
So if one night we want the light completely off or would like the light on for maybe a couple of hours but want it off, say at 11pm on a given night, I can just turn the inside switch off?
It's typically an additional circuit added to an existing light switch/light setup. The light switch controls the primary power going to the light. The dusk-to-dawn circuit (either a light sensor outside, or a timer on the switch. I've used both types.), can turn the power on or off.
If the light switch is off, there is no power at all going to the light, so the d-d circuit can't add power. If the light switch is on, the d-d circuit can interrupt that power.
It's similar to a lamp in the house. If you shut off the circuit breaker in breaker panel, the lamp goes off, and can't be turned on at the lamp. If the circuit is live, then the switch at the lamp can turn the lamp on or off.
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| Posted 4/18/14 7:40 AM |
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Sunny10
LIF Adult
Member since 10/10 1287 total posts
Name:
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Re: Dusk to dawn porch light
Posted by GoldenRod
Posted by Sunny10
So if one night we want the light completely off or would like the light on for maybe a couple of hours but want it off, say at 11pm on a given night, I can just turn the inside switch off?
It's typically an additional circuit added to an existing light switch/light setup. The light switch controls the primary power going to the light. The dusk-to-dawn circuit (either a light sensor outside, or a timer on the switch. I've used both types.), can turn the power on or off.
If the light switch is off, there is no power at all going to the light, so the d-d circuit can't add power. If the light switch is on, the d-d circuit can interrupt that power.
It's similar to a lamp in the house. If you shut off the circuit breaker in breaker panel, the lamp goes off, and can't be turned on at the lamp. If the circuit is live, then the switch at the lamp can turn the lamp on or off.
Thank you. This is what I thought. I think I will keep it, even though I didn't mean to buy dusk to dawn light. I can simply turn it off at night when I want and take advantage of it coming on at night when I am not home.
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| Posted 4/18/14 7:55 AM |
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JDubs
different, not less
Member since 7/09 13160 total posts
Name:
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Re: Dusk to dawn porch light
we have one. they sell a special bulb holder that you can program to go on at dusk and off at dawn. You are also able to program it for a certain amount of hours but for some reason I find it doesn't work (only the dusk till dawn feature works). We have an LED bulb so it doesn't use as much energy.
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| Posted 4/18/14 12:09 PM |
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