Outdoor lightning system; Suggest!

[JohnSmith01]

I installed my hub and some switches a few weeks ago, and (minus one small glitch) everything is working fine
We're also doing some landscaping and patio work and I want to add some more outdoor lighting while we're at it.
We're doing overhead canned lights on the back patio, wall mounted coach lights in front, along with some post/pier mounted lights.
I'd like some suggestions for fixtures or bulbs that are dimmable and would match up well with my intraHouse setup.
Thanks

 

[LarrylLix]

Cree LED bulbs found in Home Depot are good, very little flicker and dimmable to about 8-10%.
 
Costco sells Luminus bulbs with similar results. Costco in the US labels them Feit  brand.
 
Avoid daylight (5000K-6500K) bulbs for outside and TV watching or bedroom usage.
 
 
I only buy bulbs that state "Dimmable" on them.
 
Avoid CFL bulbs mounted upside down (thread up) in potlights (US=cans). The heat kills the ballast circuitry. I have had a few dozen that didn't last more than a few months. One lasted a week and it's replacement an hour.

 

[sda]

Avoid CFL bulbs mounted upside down (thread up) in potlights (US=cans). The heat kills the ballast circuitry. I have had a few dozen that didn't last more than a few months. One lasted a week and it's replacement an hour.

 
I guess our fearful leaders didn't think of that when they force fed us those CFL's.

 

[BaduFamily]

didn't your 'fearful leaders' simply define energy standards?
then the manufacturers chose to respond with CFLs.
no problem for the manufacturers if people had to buy more CFLs if the manufacturer couldn't design to manage heat load.
is there.

 

[pete_c]

True experience relating to CCFL lighting......funny in a way...
 
A few years ago helping a friend with the LV wiring to his new home; sort of close on the farm to his old home.  It did take 3+ years for the "move".  That said one day we had been pulling cable to the comm area of the house.  Not a big deal other than our age; we had his son climbing rafters for some of the cable runs.
 
Well I in one part of the endeavor I was on a ladder pulling a few cables.  I had installed more lighting by the multimedia LV cans so it was daylight.  Friend insisted on using CCFL bulbs.  Friend's son was in his middle 20's.  I accidently bumped a CCFL bulb with my head and busted it getting mostly glass on the cement floor around the ladder.  The "funny" part of this was that the kid ran out of the house within seconds of breaking the bulb.  I asked my buddy; what;s up with your son and he mentioned something about mercury poisoning....
 
Here while I still have HV lighting outside have introduced LV lighting outside and all of it is 12VDC using LEDs.  It's been a couple of years now and it works fine.  The DIN mounted 120VAC to 12VDC power supplies are controlled by UPB relay switches.
 
Today though I do not dim the LV 12VDC lighting as it looks OK the way it is.  I am looking for a bit more granular automation though on the 12VDC side rather than the 120VAC side of the lighting.  I am playing with wireless 3 color LED lighting stuff and it works fine.  Only thing is not sure if I want to theme my outdoor lighting with colors as I am used to that warm white of the LEDs.
 
Concurrently have been playing with 120VAC to LED lighting (no power supply) leaving it on 24/7 now for some 5 years and its holding up fine (garage under cabinet work lights).
 
I do recall and its been some 10 years ago "playing" with piecing to the eye blue LED Cree lighting.  1 watt but needed a heat sink.  No lens over the LED.  Its been about 10 years now.  Like it because it was bright; didn't like it because it was literally a piercing cold light.

 

[LarrylLix]

Well I in one part of the endeavor I was on a ladder pulling a few cables. I had installed more lighting by the multimedia LV cans so it was daylight. Friend insisted on using CCFL bulbs. Friend's son was in his middle 20's. I accidently bumped a CCFL bulb with my head and busted it getting mostly glass on the cement floor around the ladder. The "funny" part of this was that the kid ran out of the house within seconds of breaking the bulb. I asked my buddy; what;s up with your son and he mentioned something about mercury poisoning....

We have always been told that was the procedure. "If a CFL bulb is broken, open the windows and leave the room for at least fifteen minutes"

 

[tmbrown97]

Just FYI, the OP is a spammer so this thread is a bit dead.
 
Pete - I remember as kids we'd break those fluorescent tubes just for fun - but later in life I did hear about the mercury effects and how you really should clear out if a CFL bulb gets broken.  Makes me wonder about those Home Depot recycling cans full of broken bulbs as you enter the store.

 

[Neurorad]

Reminds me of David Letterman throwing 3 foot fluorescents off a 5 story building, yelling "I am Zeus!".