Of late everyone in The Netherlands got a letter from government about a potential emergency situation, the need for having an emergency kit with food & candles and so on.

Right now big question I'm stuck with and would like your view on...

I got a real bright solar light at the back, one above the front-door and a new bright one that I have yet to put up.
It was meant for the driveway area in front of my garage as that area is quite dark.
All are set to go on when there's motion and off after 30 seconds.

But now I'm thinking...
Does having outdoor lights on attract hooligans and/or burglars and/or looters?
After all it does make it easier for them to see?
It's something I've been wondering about for some years.
Police says a well lit up house keeps burglars away, but would this really be true?

My girlie has the same thoughts and switches outdoor lights off at night for the same reason.
Like at my back door, because of the bright solar light, potential burglars can easily work to get inside with full light.
And no one will see them there, perfectly hidden from sight with good light to 'work'.

What is the smart thing to do? Certainly if there was to be a blackout as then it'll be pitch-black outside and a house with outdoor solar lights will stand out like a sore thumb.

I do not live in the sticks, but not in a town/city either. A village that's normally relatively safe, some 1500 people.

And if it would be a good thing, then maybe I should set them to burn non-stop, not just when there's motion? Although solar will burn out faster that way, certainly now during the gloomy winter days.

What do you guys think?

It think you should take the advice from your local police as they are the ones that answer the trespassing calls.

And I think it makes sense to use the light when it is dark out to deter the bad guys ;-)

I would keep them as motion lights.. So if anything is moving around in the dark they will come on and most likely scare them away..

I have always heard it is good to leave a light on in the house at times changing which light is on.. Just to make one think someone is home..

Well plus if you get up in the dark you can see. I actually keep a dim light on in my bathroom so I can see when I have to get up in the middle of the night... As well as a lamp in my living room..

Normally well lite areas are where most burglary's don't want to go.... Plus you could put up camera's so you can keep and eye on your property...

Thank you, ladies!
I will get the Makita out one of these days and put the new light up on the garage so there's light there too :)

And yes, I'll keep it set to motion only, otherwise there isn't going to be much juice in them now it's winter.
And since it's a really bright light that shines for at least 15 meters it'll be quite the shock if it switches on out of the blue.

That area in front of the garage can be really dark. There are no houses next to me on that side either.
Once the street light across the street from me was broken. During that time the driveway was pitch black. There could've been 20 people standing there, I would not be able to see them.
Would be the same during a power outage.

I'll better get that light up soon!

Motion detector lights are nice to know if there is movement outside. It might be just a stray dog but it will at least tell you something is moving outside while you are in the house.

If someone is going to rob a house during a blackout, I would think they would go to the house with all the lights out so they figure there is no power going there which means no cameras. If your house has a light on then they might wonder if you have power to any cameras also.

Good point! Thanks!
I never realised cameras were so important and creating the illusion you might have them is helpful.
I will just go for the light :)
And yes, it'll go on when there's an animal, including (my) cats. Maybe I'll put it up a little bit higher so it doesn't switch on for nothing that often.

Cats and squirrels are usually too small to set of the motion lights, depending on what sensitivity level they are set on. The one I have on my front porch is set very sensitive and most of the time my basset hound dog can not set it off but my goat can since he is a little bigger.

The one at the back is the same as the new one I have yet to put up. It does go on when my cats walk to the backdoor even though I put the light at its recommended height. Just over 2 meters.
I may put the other one a little bit higher as I get quite a lot of neighbour cats on the driveway area. I don't want it to go on all the time because of that. Then test if it still works properly to pick up motion when I walk around.

I thought of doing it yesterday, but I'm waiting for a day with a bit of sunshine.

Two meters is kind of low for a light. I would go with around 3 meters at least.

I finally put up the light, yeehaa!!
The weather was good, sunny, so time to get on with it.

Took me quite some time too.
Not because it's difficult, it isn't.
Unfortunately the driveway isn't level in front of the garage. It goes up by some 10-15cm, forming a bit of a ramp so you can drive into the garage.
At the same time it goes down towards the sides so rainwater flows away.
Real nice place to put your stepladder up, pffff...

Finding positions where the stepladder was stable enough and I could still reach the garage was a pain.
But I did it :)

I should be able to test it in about an hour since it's already getting dark.

So how did you test it, toss out some cat treats to see if the cats set it off?...lol

I first tested it by walking around myself.
Later on I noticed the light was on, looked closer and saw my youngest cat on the driveway, hihi.
So yes, it detects cats.

But I can't put the light higher up as I want & need it on the left hand side of the garage. It isn't much higher than 2m there.
It could easily go higher in the middle but then I won't get the amount of light closer to the house that I want to have.
It is what it is.

1. Place the angel you made in the dark near the door, so it will suddenly appear when a motion activated light switches on.
2. Switch off doorbell when you go out.
3. Attach a note that says "Back in 5 mins" to your door.

I'm really happy with my light!
I hadn't thought of it beforehand, but I have a section of fencing with a gate in it that's flush with the garage on which the light is mounted.
When I have to go through the gate I now have some light so I can actually find the keyhole :D

Once through the gate in the garden it's quite the shocker though as it's pitchblack there.
I do want a solar light there too eventually.

When someone walks by the 7m long driveway the light goes on as well.
Makes me wonder if people will finally start using the pavement on the other side of the street for a change, hihi.

Really quite happy with it!