Security lights problem

eastender

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Jul 11, 2010, 1:15:12 PM7/11/10

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I've replaced bulbs in two of our external security lights - they both
have light sensors - but they now stay on all the time. I've tried
adjusting the sensor on one of them but no joy. What's gone wrong?

Andy Cap

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Jul 11, 2010, 1:20:00 PM7/11/10

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Turn them off, wait a couple of minutes, then turn them on.

When working properly, if you turn them off and then on again immedaitely, they
usally remain on indefinitely.

Andy C

harry

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Jul 11, 2010, 1:48:05 PM7/11/10

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Some of the sensors require a minimum wattage as components are in
series with the lamp. Try the above, if no joy, put your old lamps
back in, this will confirm it if it then works properly.

Bill

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Jul 11, 2010, 1:58:14 PM7/11/10

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In message <26vj36djee7jlaef1...@4ax.com>, Andy Cap
<wmab...@trashmail.net> writes

Funnily enough, I was going to ask exactly this question, but about
son's house which has a drive with 3 or 4 street lamps. They have
incandescent bulbs and a non-integrated pir on each lamp post to control
its own lamp, all controlled from a single switch in the garage..
We tried today and thought we had waited enough time between "ons", but
the lamps all appeared to turn permanently on.

Are there any other sequences we could try?
--
Bill

Owain

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Jul 11, 2010, 2:21:53 PM7/11/10

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On 11 July, 18:15, eastender <nos...@nospam.com> wrote:

Might be a triac failure, they sometimes fail continuously on.

And a blown bulb might have blown the triac.

Owain

Jim K

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Jul 11, 2010, 3:46:45 PM7/11/10

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On 11 July, 18:58, Bill <Billabo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> In message <26vj36djee7jlaef10vhtl7pbqr6pck...@4ax.com>, Andy Cap

how long did you wait ? - ours have a warm up time (with lights on)
whilst things settle down - maybe 90 secs or so?

Jim K

Bill

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Jul 11, 2010, 4:56:57 PM7/11/10

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In message
<c8c70d6a-4d06-4ac0...@i31g2000yqm.googlegroups.com>, Jim
K <jk98...@googlemail.com> writes

I don't know how long or what he had been doing with the lights before.
He was delighted that he had at last found the right switch. Finding how
to turn things off and on has been a great adventure as the previous
owners don't seem to have invested in a labelling machine.
The lights are now off. Tomorrow while he's at work, I'll roll up and
switch them on to see what happens. Overnight ought to do it!
--
Bill

Jim K

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Jul 11, 2010, 5:11:11 PM7/11/10

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On 11 July, 21:56, Bill <Billabo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> In message

> <c8c70d6a-4d06-4ac0-a68e-1fee6e41c...@i31g2000yqm.googlegroups.com>, Jim
> K <jk989...@googlemail.com> writes

I hope so! if elecs working (at least light level sensors) thenthings
whould calm down (i.e. lights out PIRs and light sensors "waiting" for
night/movement) within 5mins tops shurely??

Cheers
Jim K

The Medway Handyman

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Jul 11, 2010, 6:29:33 PM7/11/10

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Very common. PIR lights are the spawn of satan.

Steinel are about the only decent make I've found
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufacturers/Steinel/Security_Lighting_2/index.html

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Graham.

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Jul 11, 2010, 7:48:46 PM7/11/10

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"The Medway Handyman" <davi...@no-spam-blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message news:rBr_n.120778$wi5.32694@hurricane...

Maybe, but consider this. The first one I had the screw that holds the escutcheon
and glass in place seized up making it difficult to change the bulb. However as
the bulb lasted 10 years or more I was very happy to buy a replacement
luminaire from Wicks.
The screw on that replacement has similarly seized up, but as that on has also
lasted 10 years I will be very happy to renew that one too when the time comes.

I wonder how much leccy the cats and other warm-blooded creatures of the night
have used?

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

Bill

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Jul 12, 2010, 11:30:06 AM7/12/10

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In message
<2be3ccbd-5c09-4f1a...@y4g2000yqy.googlegroups.com>, Jim
K <jk98...@googlemail.com> writes

Thanks to all for the reassurance and help. Leaving the power off
overnight and then switching on and waiting several minutes proved it
was all working. The long 'on' time was, I think, what fooled us.

Sorry to have part hijacked the OP's thread. I hope he had similar
success.
--
Bill

eastender

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Jul 12, 2010, 5:05:49 PM7/12/10

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In article <Mxspx$c+TzO...@itsound.demon.co.uk>,
Bill <Billa...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Sorry to have part hijacked the OP's thread. I hope he had similar
> success.

Not yet but not tried anything. But useful tips - thanks all.

One other mystery is that I have an internal on/off switch for two of
the lights but a third is hard-wired in at the front of the house near
the fuse box but I can find no wire, switch or fuse that controls it.

E.