you might try the cheaper bulbs installed in weatherproofed salakot-type fixtures with reflectors. they are probably cheaper than floodlights.
you might try the cheaper bulbs installed in weatherproofed salakot-type fixtures with reflectors. they are probably cheaper than floodlights.
Thank you. However, the old fixture houses a ballast and a socket to receive a metal halide E40 bulb. Converting them to hold E27 bulbs would be impractical.... and a waste of a good MH fixture.
We initially decided on an MH fixture because of its inherent reliability and very long service life. We installed this fixture some 3 or so years ago and the total operational time is estimated to be already somewhere in the 12,000 hours. It's never been serviced and still retains maybe 80% of the brightness when it was new. The downside is, it uses electricity like a muscle car gas guzzler.
On CFLs, they are cheap but have a significantly shorter service life which will require more frequent servicing. The cost of the bulb isn't the problem. Access to the fixture is. The fixture is high atop a 30-ft. pole and requires scaffolding to service.
Most E27 "bulb" LEDs are highly directional. Putting it in a "tear drop" type fixture wouldn't be very efficient as it'll be pointing the wrong way. There are E27 lights with their LEDs installed on the side, but these are, I think, older generation LEDs that are either inefficient and/or unreliable.
Anyway, I'm pretty much decided on getting a proper outdoor LED floodlight. I just need to know which one would be as reliable as the MH fixture without spending too much.