Create-a-light Fixtures...

mdshunk

Hey, installing any of those piece-of-crap "Create a Lights"?

Well, if you are, my condolances. And, save the shorting plug! You'll need it in later years to make troubleshooting these fixtures easier.

hilltop

What do they look like? Are they the kind of fixture where the manufacturer should supply a box of band-aids for cuts you get putting them together?

mdshunk

No, it's a stupid light fixture that they're selling at Lowe's. It has a 3 prong receptacle on the front to install variuous types of motion sensors. Sorta like an a'la carte outdoor fixture. It has a shorting cap to put in the little receptacle for if you're not using a sensor.

The light in general is crap. All plastic. It has a molex connector that sticks WAY out of the back. It can only be mounted on a 4" round box. It won't work on a wall box or a pancake. The round box has to have the screw ears oriented at 2 and 7 o'clock, or 10 and 4 o'clock, or the big connector on the back of the light won't let the light sit back.

The first one you mount, you're in for a treat. I don't buy them, but sometimes they're customer supplied. They're garbage, in my opinion. For motion lights, give me a nice RAB Stealth fixture anyday.

Nightwiz

Yea I bought (1) a couple of months ago and I have already had to replace the motion sensor unit part and a lamp. Total garbage..
I'd rather use a candle..

mdshunk

Oh, the other thing. The canopy of the fixture is totally sealed, meaning that you can't get to any of the internal wiring. You can't change the par holders if they get busted, and you can't rearrange the motion sensor connections to also control an additional fixture. I thought that the 'Regency' fixtures were crap, but those Create-a-Light things are at the pinnacle of the crap pile.

Speedy Petey

I used to think it was just Chinese fixtures that were junk. Now I realize it's mainly Chinese fixtures that the big stores carry.
Very little anymore is not made overseas and some of what lighting stores carry is decent quality. The stuff in the home centers is plain and simple CRAP!

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mdshunk

What does gripe me is that some brands that were previously unavailable except in lighting showrooms are now sold in home centers. I'll go to open up a Thomas or a Progress fixture, thinking I know what to expect, and immediately realize that the fixture musta come from a home center. Every once in a while, I am surprised by the occasional very high quality fixture supplied by a home center.

I'm just about to the point to where I'm not gonna install any more motion sensors, unless they're RAB brand. Too many motion sensor related callbacks, even though they are customer supplied, and I can't do a thing about it.