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Sensor light

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  • 27-10-2011 1:14am
    #1
    seosamh
    Registered Users Posts: 183 ✭✭


    Hi,
    My electrician installed a standard sensor light for the backgarden which has a switch inside the patio door. It is a double switch, the other being the switch for the living room, which can be controlled from either end of the room. However the switch in the off position means the light comes on when the sensor is triggered and the switch in the ON position should be on constantly but behaves like before - only coming on when triggered by the sensor.
    Also when I turned off the mains the other day while working on something else and switched it back on - the same light remained on and wouldn't switch off. I had to reset the fuse to get it to switch off.
    Is this wired funny?
    Thanks.


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    #2
    sheroshero101
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭sheroshero101


    with some sensor lights there is a feature where the sensor can be turned off by flicking the switch off and back on again, light stays on constantly. We always have this problem when the trip switch goes and the light stays on constantly when power is returned


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    #3
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    If the original switch beside the patio door was originally a single switch, and was 2 way for the living room, it may not have had a switch feed behind it, and so would not be suitable for changing to a 2 gang switch for an outside light unless a feed was brought to the switch.

    Did the electrician change it to a 2 gang when fitting the light?


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    #4
    creedp
    Registered Users Posts: 5,745 ✭✭✭creedp


    sheroshero101 wrote: »
    with some sensor lights there is a feature where the sensor can be turned off by flicking the switch off and back on again, light stays on constantly. We always have this problem when the trip switch goes and the light stays on constantly when power is returned


    I have this problem with the light on permanently. How does one reset it so that the sensor works again. Probably a very obvious fix but I don't have instruction booklet and am clueless with electicial issues!!

    Thanks


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    #5
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    creedp wrote: »
    I have this problem with the light on permanently. How does one reset it so that the sensor works again. Probably a very obvious fix but I don't have instruction booklet and am clueless with electicial issues!!

    Thanks

    Try switching it off for about 10 seconds, and back on.

    Sometimes people wire them with a bypass switch, and if this was on, the light would stay on.


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    #6
    creedp
    Registered Users Posts: 5,745 ✭✭✭creedp


    robbie7730 wrote: »
    Try switching it off for about 10 seconds, and back on.

    Sometimes people wire them with a bypass switch, and if this was on, the light would stay on.


    Once again excuse my ignorance but where would this bypass switch be located? Is it simply another std wall switch in another location?


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    #7
    seosamh
    Registered Users Posts: 183 ✭✭seosamh


    robbie7730 wrote: »
    If the original switch beside the patio door was originally a single switch, and was 2 way for the living room, it may not have had a switch feed behind it, and so would not be suitable for changing to a 2 gang switch for an outside light unless a feed was brought to the switch.

    Did the electrician change it to a 2 gang when fitting the light?

    This was a new extension but TBH the electrician was very rushed and probably messed things up.


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    #8
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    creedp wrote: »
    Once again excuse my ignorance but where would this bypass switch be located? Is it simply another std wall switch in another location?

    It would be a standard switch, but it would not be often setup with a bypass switch, most sensor lights seem to have the setup where you switch on the switch for the light, then back off and on again within a second or 2 for always on.

    When the light is switched off for more than a few seconds, then back on, they usually come on for a few seconds to show they are working, then they go off and into sensor mode.


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    #9
    creedp
    Registered Users Posts: 5,745 ✭✭✭creedp


    robbie7730 wrote: »
    It would be a standard switch, but it would not be often setup with a bypass switch, most sensor lights seem to have the setup where you switch on the switch for the light, then back off and on again within a second or 2 for always on.

    When the light is switched off for more than a few seconds, then back on, they usually come on for a few seconds to show they are working, then they go off and into sensor mode.


    Thanks Robbie, I'll give it a go. I always have a dislike of these sensor lights as they never seem to work properly or like the way I think they should in any case.


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    #10
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    creedp wrote: »
    Thanks Robbie, I'll give it a go. I always have a dislike of these sensor lights as they never seem to work properly or like the way I think they should in any case.

    Yes they can be a nuisance of a yoke. They are usually better when a good quality seperate sensor is got. Then a standard halogen or other lights can be controlled from it.


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    #11
    creedp
    Registered Users Posts: 5,745 ✭✭✭creedp


    robbie7730 wrote: »
    Yes they can be a nuisance of a yoke. They are usually better when a good quality seperate sensor is got. Then a standard halogen or other lights can be controlled from it.


    Agree with that as I have lights at front of house which operate on a seperate sensor or by using the wall switch and there is never any problem with them .. they don't get confused and stay on sometimes or forget to come on other times .. unlike that well described 'yoke' over the garage door!!


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    #12
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    creedp wrote: »
    unlike that well described 'yoke' over the garage door!!

    :D


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    #13
    Energetic
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Energetic


    Hi, not completely the same issue but I have a Sensor Light (halogen 150w) on the back wall of my house. The electrician brought a standard twin & earth cable from the back of it into the back bedroom via hole in the wall and then connected it to a standard plug and hence plugged it into a spare socket in the bedroom. Is this legal? Should it be wired directly to lighting circuit?


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    #14
    DublinDilbert
    Registered Users Posts: 5,379 ✭✭✭DublinDilbert


    Energetic wrote: »
    Hi, not completely the same issue but I have a Sensor Light (halogen 150w) on the back wall of my house. The electrician brought a standard twin & earth cable from the back of it into the back bedroom via hole in the wall and then connected it to a standard plug and hence plugged it into a spare socket in the bedroom. Is this legal? Should it be wired directly to lighting circuit?

    I think you've pretty much answered your own question. Sounds like a complete bodge! I wouldn't let the electrician near anything else, just get someone else to fix it.


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    #15
    Energetic
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Energetic


    Hi Dublindilbert, the light works perfect and was done by a very responsible and well known electrician. So I am not worried about its function - I just wanted to see if there is any regulation against it.


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    #16
    DublinDilbert
    Registered Users Posts: 5,379 ✭✭✭DublinDilbert


    Yea he just wanted to do a quickie job and get out of there. I bet he wouldn't of done the sane job in his own house!

    Afaik there's no regulation to say you can't plug in a light. But sounds like he just drilled a hole and lashed a cable in. Did he seal around it? Did he use standard gray twin and earth flex? ( should not be used outside)


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    #17
    Energetic
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Energetic


    He used standard white twin & E Cable (similar to cable from a indoor lamp)


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    #18
    wush06
    Registered Users Posts: 688 ✭✭✭wush06


    To have the light stay on constant flick the switch on and off real quick. To put it back to sensor mode leave off for 20sec then knock back on.


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