Outdoor lights that turn on at dusk automatically?

A question about : Outdoor lights that turn on at dusk automatically?

Dear all, hope you're well!

We're having a brick shed built at the end of the garden and would like 2 exterior lights to be at the front of it, that automatically turn on at dusk, and off at dawn. There will be electrics in the shed, including bar lights and a few power sockets inside.

- any recommendations as to how the best way to achieve this would be?
- do I pick a particular pair of lights that I like (outdoor, waterproof etc) and then purchase a separate light sensor?
- can one sensor trigger both lights?

Any advice or links to products would be greatly appreciated!

Best answers:

• I just fitted these to regular lights.
  https://www.screwfix.com/p/osram-inte...Tu2xoCUtnw_wcB
  But if starting from scratch like you, I'd use a separate sensor and regular lights.
  Why not make them motion sensitive too, and cut the electricity use? It seems rather wasteful to have them running all night.
• As above, I fitted one of these:
  https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Ligh...r+Lamp+/p36407
  At just 7 watts it's almost half the power of the low energy one in the previous post. I've fitted it in an existing bulkhead fitting above my front door and I've been very pleased with the amount of light from it. HTH :-)
• Yes, one sensor can trigger both lights, I have had that arrangement for some years. Now that I use LED lights, the power usage is trivial and you don't get bothered by the 'false alarms' that you always get with PIR-operated lights.
• I used one of these sensors:-
  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PHOTOCELL-...item1c4c272685
  And two of these bulbs from screw fix which are only 2watts each so running costs are extremely low:-
  https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-candle...mp-es-2w/8251f
• You might find those bulbs too bright. I fitted 5w LEDs initially (40w equivalents) but it was way too bright at night time and blinded the neighbours opposite. I found the 2w ones give the right amount of light I need to light up the immediate area but not painful to look at at night.
• The bulbs will certainly appear very bright if on all night. 5w or 6w should be the absolute max.
  And those light fittings are really just decorative lanterns; you need something need more like a floodlight, that will direct the light to where you need it to be.