Halogen floodlight vs. security floodlight: running cost
A halogen floodlight is cheaper to run: about $18 a year versus $23 for a security floodlight at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $5 difference.
| Halogen floodlight | Security floodlight | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 90 W | 30 W |
| Watt range | 35–500 W | 10–300 W |
| Typical use | 3 hours a day | 11 hours a day |
| Energy per year | 99 kWh | 125 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 1.6¢ | 0.5¢ |
| Cost per day | 4.9¢ | 6.2¢ |
| Cost per month | $1.48 | $1.88 |
| Cost per year | $18 | $23 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $43 | $55 |
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What drives the difference
- Halogen floodlight: Halogen bulbs are about 25% more efficient than standard incandescents but still use 5-7x the power of LEDs. Outdoor PAR38 floods typically draw 90 W.
- Security floodlight: A dusk-to-dawn LED floodlight of about 30 W running 11 hours a night uses about 120 kWh a year; motion-only operation cuts that to a few kWh.
Ways to cut either cost
Draws about 13-15 W versus 90 W for the same beam.
See options on AmazonPuts out similar light at about a tenth of a 500 W halogen's power and runs cool.
See options on AmazonRuns only when triggered, cutting hours by 90%+.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a halogen floodlight or a security floodlight?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a security floodlight costs about $23 a year versus $18 for a halogen floodlight. That's $5 more, or 1.3× as much.
How many watts do halogen floodlight and security floodlight use?
A halogen floodlight typically draws 90 W (range 35–500 W). A security floodlight draws 30 W (range 10–300 W). Watts alone don't decide cost. Hours of use, cycling and standby matter just as much.
Rates: EIA, 12 months ending 2026-07. Methodology.