|
11-19-2013, 02:41 PM
|
#1
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North East
Posts: 1,050
M.O.C. #10758
|
Home Motion Sensor
I need some help from the electrical folks.
I have a motion sensor that is connected to a pole that powers a light at the top of the pole.
This sensor keeps turning the light on and off all night long. I have replaced the sensor 3 times, so I assume the sensor is ok.
So, the to draw a mental picture of the circuit, From breaker panel to a junction box in basement, to a wall switch in house,
back to said junction box, outside to sensor, to light fixture.
I currently have covered the sensor with electrical tape and it still comes on/off.
PLEASE HELP, its driving me CRAZY.....
|
|
|
11-19-2013, 03:14 PM
|
#2
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 4,689
M.O.C. #12947
|
From your description, you probably have a mercury vapor or a sodium vapor light fixture that has a ballast and starter circuit in the fixture. There are a couple of things in these lights that can cause this, a bad bulb, look at the slender tube inside the bulb and if it has a lot of black discoloration at the ends, that can cause the on/off. You also could have a bad starter board, a small circuit board inside the head that controls the voltage to the bulb during start-up. If this is a fixture that was intended for home use, it's probably cheaper to replace than spending time and money to fix. You might want to go with a more energy efficient fixture if you do decide to replace, will save a lot of money.
__________________
Bob & Becky
2012 3402RL
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC 4WD
|
|
|
11-19-2013, 04:17 PM
|
#3
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,370
M.O.C. #8728
|
I agree, it's probably the bulb. It will keep going on and off more frequently until it finally goes off for good.
|
|
|
11-19-2013, 05:17 PM
|
#4
|
Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
|
If it's not the bulb, I had a similar issue when I had the sensor too close to trees. When the temperature was right the trees moving in the wind would set it off.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
|
|
|
11-20-2013, 01:04 AM
|
#5
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: silver creek
Posts: 1,507
M.O.C. #7770
|
is there a sensitivity adjustment on the sensor?
|
|
|
11-20-2013, 02:16 AM
|
#6
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Arroyo City
Posts: 3,110
M.O.C. #13395
|
It is most likely a bad bulb, could be abad ballast, or even a loose connection
|
|
|
11-20-2013, 05:21 AM
|
#7
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North East
Posts: 1,050
M.O.C. #10758
|
The light was 4 - 150W halogen lights, but after seeing the sensor was rated at 300W, I replaced the light with a LED 30W light, so it is new also.
But it did the same thing with the halogen lights.
Why would the lights still come on at night with tape all over the sensor?
|
|
|
11-20-2013, 05:50 AM
|
#8
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,370
M.O.C. #8728
|
Sometimes it takes more than one layer of tape to have an effect.
|
|
|
11-20-2013, 07:09 AM
|
#9
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 4,689
M.O.C. #12947
|
How close is another light that may be shining toward the problem light? If there is other light nearby, that would also do what you are seeing. You also may be able to aim the photo sensor away from the other light to solve this. Some fixtures have an adjustable sensor, both for direction and sometimes they have a little slide over the sensor window that you can slide to reduce other light from affecting the problem light. You also might check the voltage at the light, both with the light off and with it on, just to make sure you have good voltage, which could also be a problem. Is this a motion or a light sensor controlled light?
__________________
Bob & Becky
2012 3402RL
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC 4WD
|
|
|
11-20-2013, 11:28 AM
|
#10
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North East
Posts: 1,050
M.O.C. #10758
|
I believe its a motion sensor.
I called Cooper Lighting who makes the unit, she said there is a little clear plastic round thingie(I forget the name of it) that tells the sensor if its day time or night time. She said to put a piece of tape over it and see what happens.
She also said that if car lights hit it, that will confuse this little thingie and make the light go on/off.
So I went out and pulled all the tape off the sensor and put a piece on this little thingie and the light stopped going on/off, at least so far...
|
|
|
11-20-2013, 11:39 AM
|
#11
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 4,689
M.O.C. #12947
|
Perfect!
It is not a motion light, but is a light controlled by a 'photocell', which is the thing that has a light sensitive board in it that you covered with the tape. So, some other light source is hitting that photocell, causing it to turn off the light, because it thinks it's daytime. Does the photocell plug into the top of the light fixture? If it does, there should be a screw in the center of the socket that the photocell plugs into. If there is a screw there, you should be able to loosen it a turn or two, which will allow you to rotate the socket in another direction, away from other lighting, then tighten the screw, and re-install the photocell. I just realized that you may have a separate control that is a motion sensor, tied in with the power going to this light?
__________________
Bob & Becky
2012 3402RL
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC 4WD
|
|
|
11-21-2013, 06:30 AM
|
#12
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North East
Posts: 1,050
M.O.C. #10758
|
After having the tape over the photocell all night, the light stopped its on/off all night. But this AM the light was on and never turned off. Which is normal cause the photocell was covered.
So I called Cooper lighting again, and this time I was told that this model motion sensor was not compatible with LED light, only incandescent lights.
So I took the LED light off and sent it back and going to Lowes to but 2 regular incandescent flood lights to hang up there and see what happens.
|
|
|
11-21-2013, 08:19 AM
|
#13
|
Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
|
Would have been nice if they told you that up front and printed it on the box.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
|
|
|
11-21-2013, 11:51 AM
|
#14
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North East
Posts: 1,050
M.O.C. #10758
|
DQDick, ain't that the truth.
So I went and bought a new flood lamp that holds 2 incandescent flood bulbs, and for the last 2 hours, no problems.
|
|
|
11-22-2013, 07:40 AM
|
#15
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North East
Posts: 1,050
M.O.C. #10758
|
No problems through the night at all.
So whats the difference between incandescent and halogen/led lights being used with a motion sensor ?
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|