One of the things that was surprising to me when we movedout here was how dark it is when you’re totally away from lights of town, street lights, security lights, etc. In MO, we were in town and there were street lights and our house was three houses off a fairly busy side road and 3 blocks off the main, 5 lane road through town. It was a small town and not a whole lot of traffic but it was a bit noisy, especially compared to how peaceful it is out here.
I love the total darkness at night, and being able to see so many stars. I don’t love the total darkness when I have to walk to and from the shop at night. We have one wimpy little porch light at the house and then I have to walk all the way inside the shop before I can turn a light on. I could take a flashlight but half the time, I’m carrying something to put in the shop fridge and don’t have an extra hand. As I’m walking over there, I’m imagining walking up on a snake, or a possum or a raccoon or worse.
The well house is not quite halfway between the house and shop (closer to the house) and it had a motion light on it which I think hasn’t worked right since we’ve been here. The problem (I think) is that every time we turn on the light switch inside the well house, we turn on the wrong switch and screw up the motion light.
Not too long ago, Vince ordered a Honeywell dusk to dawn LED light to put on the well house – take out the motion light and put up the dusk to dawn light.
Outside Light
This weekend, after much complaining on my part now that it’s getting dark earlier, he installed the new light. Oh, my goodness . . I think this light must light up half the county! It is so bright. It’s bright enough that, even with the blinds closed, you can completely see in the bedroom and bathrooms on that side of the house during the night. Last night when I went to take my shower, I just opened the blinds a bit and didn’t even turn on the light in the bathroom!
Inside the Bathroom
It sheds quite a bit of light, even down the driveway.
Outside Light
As soon as it got dark that first night and I saw how much light it was putting out, I began to worry about how much electricity it was using. You know how much I love saving money . . on everything except yarn! Seriously, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much electricity it was using and decided I would go out after Vince went to sleep and turn it off because he wasn’t worried at all about the electricity usage. I found an online kwh calculator and, based on my calculations, I came up with $1.86 per month. I didn’t trust my calculations so I had Vince calculate it and he came up with $1.89. I think we can afford that! That’s based on using it 10 hours per day and based on our current electric rates. I doubt we use it 10 hours per night and, in a couple of months, if the transfer is approved by the PUC, our electric line carrier will be transferred to another company, our rates will go down and the new charge for the light, based on 10 hours per night, will be $1.42 per month. Yep, I think we can keep it!
I’m torn . . I love the total darkness but I suppose having a light at night is never a bad idea. We’ll see if I get used to it.
Cat was on her usual sleeping spot on top of my car that first night. When that light came on, she jumped up and moved to the end of the car to check it out as best she could without getting down. She didn’t like it at all! Last night . . the second night it’s been on, she didn’t seem bothered by it. I hope it makes her safer by keeping critters away and doesn’t make her more of a target since it’s light where she’s sleeping. Honestly, I don’t know if she stays on top of the car all night or if, at some point, she gets up and roams around.
sharkiecat says
We have a few solar powered LED lights hung up around our house. One that I like has a medium setting, so it is lit up all night as a sort of night light, then if someone/thing trips its sensor it goes to full bright.
Dottie says
We have some of those same lights – I really like them!
Julie says
I would be interested in your light, do you know what they’re called, who makes them? Thanks!
danielle nabozny says
LED lights are way more energy efficient and put out a much brighter light……too bright at times
montanaclarks says
We LOVE the dark but I don’t see well in the dark so always take a flashlight when I take Emmi out one last time. Funny story about the dark–I grew up out in the country, Mom and Dad hated night lights so it was DARK at our house. My city born soon to be husband spent a night with us, he was sleeping on the other twin bed in my brother’s room–when we all retired for the night I heard him say to my brother–“geez, it’s dark out here!”
Linda in NE says
That light is bright!! You shouldn’t be scaring any wild animals by stepping on them in the dark now. I’d be taping tin foil over the bedroom windows so I could sleep. I have a hard time sleeping even when the moon is full…and that’s with room darkening shades under insulated blackout drapes. A little light still shines in along the top.
April R says
I’d gladly pay your entire electric bill to not run into critters at night. I better stay in the city. lol.
ruth says
Recently someone posted that bright lights outsideat night cause problems for hummingbirds as they migrate. Does anyone know if this is true?
cassews says
We have converted our inside lights to LED as well as the porch lights and it has cut our bill by 1/3. Which for us is great .. We have KED solar lights going down the sidewalk and its so nice to drive up at night and see those. I worry about people tripping as there is 2 steps out there on the sidewalk. So I put 2 of them by the steps so no one trips over them.
cassews says
KED = LED .. grrr durned fingers . hahahaha