Bypassing photocell on outside light

[junkyardjeff]

I have a high pressure sodium light on the front of my garage that is giving me fits,it will stay on for a short time then go out and constantly does it and before I put any money in it I would like to try to diagnose it. I tried putting something over the photocell put it only came on for a couple minutes so I would like to bypass it and I want to do it when its not dark so I can see what I am doing. I was told it could be the bulb making the transformer get hot or the trans former itself so I just want to be able to keep it on so I can check it with a meter and see whats going on.

 

[walrus]

I'd bet the bulb is bad. See it all the time with Metal Halide, bulb warms up, shuts off, warms up shuts down. Bad bulb

 

[junkyardjeff]

I presume all the big box home stores have the bulbs?.

 

[Aceman]

HPS lamps cycle when they're failing. Replace it and you should be good to go.

To bypass photocells during the day, just cover it with some black tape.

 

[junkyardjeff]

I cant believe it was just a bulb,before it started shutting off it would go off when the compressor kicked on but now it stays right on so I wish I would of replaced the bulb 3 years ago when it first started acting up. I just used it for when I was working in front of the garage but it got to the point it would not stay on very long so I just shut it off about a year and a half ago and now I got light.