Best color temperature for outdoor flood lights?

I've been using some 5w LED bug lights on the porch, which put out about the same lumens as a 40w incandescent, so they say. The lighting is adequate for walking to the front door, but I want to really light up the area with LED flood lights.

I don't see a color temperature listed for the LED bug lights and don't want to ATTRACT bugs with the floodlight bulbs. So what color temp is best for the floods, which would light up the yard nicely, yet not attract bugs? Something like 2700k?

Only pure red doesn't attract bugs; for aesthetics' sake, I'd match the color temp with whatever lighting you already have.

StarHalo said:

Only pure red doesn't attract bugs; for aesthetics' sake, I'd match the color temp with whatever lighting you already have.

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We're getting ready to replace everything anyway, and change from incandescent to LED, so that's not relevant now.

One relevant thing is that I heard that yellow provides better vision at night, because it bends around surfaces. Another relevant thing is that 2700K is yellowish white ( they call it "soft white" ) so it might be more visible than, say 4000K, which is pure white. AND 2700K is very common in flood light LED's. So I'm inclined that way.

But I'm wondering why those 5w bug LED's are so visible at night, on the walkway here. They don't provide the color temp though.

Melissa2007 said:

We're getting ready to replace everything anyway, and change from incandescent to LED, so that's not relevant now.

One relevant thing is that I heard that yellow provides better vision at night, because it bends around surfaces. Another relevant thing is that 2700K is yellowish white ( they call it "soft white" ) so it might be more visible than, say 4000K, which is pure white. AND 2700K is very common in flood light LED's. So I'm inclined that way.

But I'm wondering why those 5w bug LED's are so visible at night, on the walkway here. They don't provide the color temp though.

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The 4000K white will work better as a flood at night. At low light levels at the periphery of what you are lighting, your eye has better sensitivity with 4000K. Up close it where light levels are higher, it will not make much difference though. 4000K will appear harsher/more glare. The 4000K will attract more bugs. The only good study I am aware of, though, places LED lights well down from incandescent & halogen w.r.t. bugs. https://www.aaas.org/abstract/light...t-attraction-various-types-residential-lights

I generally stick with 2700-3000K for exterior lighting around my home for aesthetics. I didn't realize they were also a good choice for minimizing attraction to bugs, but the link ssanasisredna posted indicates as much.

The 3000K bulb by my front door still seems to attract plenty of moths. I don't see mosquitos hanging around it, but we don't have many of those in our area in general.

ssanasisredna said:

The 4000K white will work better as a flood at night. At low light levels at the periphery of what you are lighting, your eye has better sensitivity with 4000K. Up close it where light levels are higher, it will not make much difference though. 4000K will appear harsher/more glare. The 4000K will attract more bugs. The only good study I am aware of, though, places LED lights well down from incandescent & halogen w.r.t. bugs. https://www.aaas.org/abstract/light...t-attraction-various-types-residential-lights

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I just tried replying to this and got told that my token expired, whatever THAT is! WTF! SO now I have to type this all over, because it deleted everything I'd just typed! I had to try again 3 times since and reloading the page didn't work - I had to close it completely, then find the forum and my post again!

Anyway, I'm not sure that absolute visibility is the goal. We just want to deter people who might trespass and possibly want to break in, and I imagine any good light would do that?

Melissa2007 said:

I just tried replying to this and got told that my token expired, whatever THAT is! WTF! SO now I have to type this all over, because it deleted everything I'd just typed! I had to try again 3 times since and reloading the page didn't work - I had to close it completely, then find the forum and my post again!

Anyway, I'm not sure that absolute visibility is the goal. We just want to deter people who might trespass and possibly want to break in, and I imagine any good light would do that?

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Nope. In that case go for a cool color temperature. The light will be perceptibly brighter in the periphery and have higher glare causing again, perceived higher brightness. Increases odds perps will think they are being monitored .... of course, complete darkness makes it harder to navigate for burglary.

Since you're upgrading your whole lighting scheme, that leaves some very opportunistic doors open.
In my personal and recent exp, i've found that in my main "working" areas of my property (i.e. driveway, garage, entrances, etc) I prefer a "Hi-Lo" light. These lights run all night (auto) at about 20-30% and kick in full power when motion is detected. They come in a verity of styles from decorative to commercial, and everything in between . i prefer warm white LEDs in these lights.
Then there are your "High Intensity or Anti Crime" LED lighting types. These are typically VERY Bright and more in the cooler color ranges. They shine farther and are offensive to the eye (as in they cause glare and often are distracting to passers by as well as criminals), but there are some draw backs as well;
They are usually always on after dusk, in any hazy, foggy or humid environment they are almost useless to see details due to the glare at that color temperature and you can forget about any color rendition.

I, personally, employ a mix of "Hi-Lo lights, 2 motion sense semi-flood Cool whites, 3 switched "Full Fill" 3000k LED light sets and one switched 100w CMH uberflood over my garage door.

In the end, your personal tastes matter more, unless $ is not a factor, then sky's the limit!

FRITZHID said:

...In the end, your personal tastes matter more...

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Yep. The 'best' color temp is what looks best to your eye.

IME, any practical outdoor light source will attract bugs. The so-called 'bug lights' included.

Oh wait - just read the purpose of the lights is to deter people from coming near. In that case, I take back everything above and insist on the opposite. Find the color you find most objectionable and use that.

Personally, I'd vote for cheap low CRI 6000K led lamps - I find them obnoxious.

Melissa2007 said:

Anyway, I'm not sure that absolute visibility is the goal. We just want to deter people who might trespass and possibly want to break in, and I imagine any good light would do that?

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Halloween strobe, might work. Even better with good haunted house sound track cranked, while guarded by those ir activated Skeltons. Works for my house anyway. Tried strewing dead corpses about the lawn, but didn't help much with the burgerlies until i got just the right kelvin to light them properly at night--which was tough getting a greenish tinged light for the skin, while having the proper red blood hi cri rendering. Replacing the cadavers after they fully decayed became just too damnably bothersome. And, that's when it hit me that strobe lights and the right sound track would be sooo much easier!

I used a 555 timer, but unnecessary since Fenix makes such a good hidden, scary strobe settings in their lights.