Security lights – they’re not just for the winter months. In fact, with the right installation, security lights will deter intruders all year round.
Whether a commercial or industrial building is bathed in darkness from 4pm in January, or a quiet entrance needs motion sensor lighting from dusk till dawn mid-April, security lights are vital for peace of mind and safety whenever and wherever they are needed.
However, each installation is as bespoke as its security requirements – here, Red Arrow looks at the different options available…
Floodlights
As you are aware, floodlights add security and illumination to outdoor areas of outbuildings, homes, and business premises. However, choosing the right product based on the area you’re trying to illuminate is key to its efficiency:
– Cost effective to run, LED floodlights provide instant, high intensity lighting
– On sites, 110V site lighting is ideal for added security and safety
– Ideal for protecting property against intruders, motion activated flood lights turn on when they sense movement.
Whichever product is more suitable for your project, by calculating the position output and spread of the lights, you can effectively increase the security of any residential, industrial or commercial property. Plus, with detection angle, detection range and lighting duration available, every installation can match your customer requirements. In some products, a twilight sensor can also measure ambient brightness, allowing the detector to be activated or deactivated from a certain level of brightness – ideal for lighter evenings in the summer.
Red Arrow’s top tip: Commercially, FLAC floodlights can produce 24,000 lumens from as little as 300W and domestically, you can run a 10W low power version for a more economical solution.
PIR Sensors
Using infra-red sensors to activate the light, PIR security lights are generally fixed to the outside area of a property and are placed to illuminate pathways, patios and any external region of a home, office or warehouse for example. Equipped to detect the movement of body heat, these are more suited to shorter distances, where the sensors pick up on the change of condition and react accordingly. And, ideally, they should be installed where a defined pattern is required, such as a dark walkway or path besides a building.
Saving money on energy, they allow an area to only be illuminated when needed – making it easier to light a populated space automatically.
Red Arrow’s top tip: PIR Sensors on FLAC floods or Photocell FLAC versions can either react to movement – providing 24/7 security coverage – or rely on extra support from cameras.
Microwave sensor lights
A relatively new and more advanced occupancy sensor, microwave detection works by emitting high-frequency electromagnetic waves and then receiving their echo. The sensor detects the change in echo from the slightest movement in the allocated detection zone, which commands a microprocessor to switch on the light. In other words, microwave sensors work on the basis that if the waves are interrupted, the sensor will react.
Suited to high-bay type applications – due to the way they operate differently to PIR sensors –microwave sensors can also work in temperatures as low as -20°C and as high as 45°C, making them perfect for all-year-round security, such as outside a school’s office.
Red Arrow’s top tip: High bays can be used with microwave sensors and set at different levels of output for safety or security. Plus, tuning up or down the sensitivity of a microwave sensor allows it to be used in multiple types of applications, for example, the HLBMS and HLBDS sensors.
The legal part
Badly designed, poorly maintained and incorrectly installed external lights can have detrimental effects on neighbouring parties – allowing local councils to investigate complaints, stopping or restricting a light if it is classed as a ‘statutory nuisance’.
Red Arrow’s top tip: To ensure your installation follows the correct regulations, head to our website for the best security lighting products. Red Arrow now has stock available for order from 7am in the morning until a cut off 6pm for the order/7pm despatch, which will be delivered to UK mainland addresses the following day.
About Red Arrow Electrical Distribution
Red Arrow Electrical Distribution is a streamlined, quality-focussed manufacturer and distributor of competitively priced lighting and electrical products to the wholesale industry. We are committed to providing an excellent sales and customer service experience, whilst providing a wide range of quality products at very competitive prices. We build strong, long-term relationships with suppliers ensuring quality and continuity of product supply and ongoing product development. Our new 55,000 square foot warehouse allows our customers to minimise their stock holding and maximise their profitability.
Download the Red Arrow product guide here.
