Home Security: Lights on or off at night

[UB40]

Off works better for us, no attempted break ins since we started this a few years ago.

 

[Zellephant]

Inside lights all off when we go to bed. The darker the better. Outside is a combination of permanently on flood lighting in certain areas, and motion sensor lights in others.

 

[Zellephant]

When it comes to lighting for security, remember you want to be in the darkest area, looking out onto the well lit approach. Anyone approaching your property needs to acccess through the lit up area.

 

[supersunbird]

A combination is necessary, good lighting is important. Very low-wattage lights on a day-night switch all around, and PIR activated floodlights.
Decent cameras like Hikvision ColorVu do not need extra light, they produce excellent colour footage regardless, and they are relatively cheap.

To which distance? My lighting/CCTV comment refers to a light for a spot say 30 or 40m away, so one can see if something is there or not.

 

[acp]

72 x 9W LED lights all smart/wifi controlled.
On at sunset and different sections off at different times of night on different days of the week.

10 strand Electric fence and moerse baie Optex VX40 outdoor beams behind that, with copious amounts of 9mm lead pudding for the select few with the ultimate palate for pleasure... Viva Mzansi.

 

[Thorium]

To which distance? My lighting/CCTV comment refers to a light for a spot say 30 or 40m away, so one can see if something is there or not.

Infinity. If there is some light, no matter how tiny, it can be seen. I can see stars in the sky and aircraft at night in a mixed environment with floodlit garden @25FPS, without enabling WDR and in colour, without using the camera's normal or IR light.
3 reasons for this: Wider aperture - F1.0 ; modern CCD and better image processing.
You should experience it, then only will you believe it.

The metres you refer to are typically given using the camera's built-in lighting, whether normal or IR.

 

[The Darkness]

When it comes to lighting for security, remember you want to be in the darkest area, looking out onto the well lit approach. Anyone approaching your property needs to acccess through the lit up area.

Agreed. I think well lit outside areas are a big deterrent. Nowhere to hide

 

[AstroTurf]

On a plot so day-night sensors and they just turn themselves on and off.

Without them, the garden is darker than a cave.

 

[Snyper564]

Lighting is tops.

I have low wattage lighting up entire property at night turn on and off with sonoff and 30 min before and after sunrise/sunset

 

[acidrain]

Lights on for CCTV camera's.

Cameras then trigger the floods on person detection.