Dusk/Dawn Light Issues....

[same_me]

On each side of my garage door I have a light with a dusk/dawn sensor on them. I find it handy so that if I come home after dark I'm not coming homw to a dark house. My problem is the original lights that were on the house were the same as these and when the bulb blew so would the sensor. Of course you can't buy the sensor seperate so I bought new light fixtures and out them up. Well one month after putting them up one of the bulbs blew and the sensor went bad. Now when the sensor goes bad on these the light stays on all the time. This second time I decided to just get the sensors that screw in where the bulb goes and then the bulb screws into the sensor. So my problem is that yesterday I went home and guess what bulb blown. I change the bulb and low and behold the sensor is shot too and the light stays on 24/7. What could be causing this? Also what are my options for fixing this cause I really like the dusk/dawn feature? Thanks for any help guys.

 

[pattenp]

How much did you pay for the motion lights? A good quality motion light will cost $75 and up.

 

[Teken]

On each side of my garage door I have a light with a dusk/dawn sensor on them. I find it handy so that if I come home after dark I'm not coming homw to a dark house. My problem is the original lights that were on the house were the same as these and when the bulb blew so would the sensor. Of course you can't buy the sensor seperate so I bought new light fixtures and out them up. Well one month after putting them up one of the bulbs blew and the sensor went bad. Now when the sensor goes bad on these the light stays on all the time. This second time I decided to just get the sensors that screw in where the bulb goes and then the bulb screws into the sensor. So my problem is that yesterday I went home and guess what bulb blown. I change the bulb and low and behold the sensor is shot too and the light stays on 24/7. What could be causing this? Also what are my options for fixing this cause I really like the dusk/dawn feature? Thanks for any help guys.

It goes with out saying check all of your wiring and measure the voltage from the fixture and report back.

Is the ground that leads to this fixture sound and tight? Is there any water penetration allowed to enter the wiring?

What is the load of these lights and the wiring supply?

Teken . . .

 

[Charles (in GA)]

It would help to tell us the make, model, etc of these fixtures. Also a pic of one would help. Someone else on here probably has these fixtures and may be able to help, if they knew what you had.

Charles

 

[Exceller8]

Wire in a separate photo eye (better quality) and your problem should be solved. I buy plain fixtures and add a photo eye to them and that works great.

 

[Falcon67]

If you are using CFL lights, make sure your sensors are rated for use with that kind of bulb.

 

[Gary S]

Make sure the lamps don't exceed the rating of the photocells.

I have dusk to dawn lights on my garage that I installed in 2004. They have CFLs in them, and about 1/2 of them have had the lamps replaced once while the other 1/2 still have the original lamps. The photocells are still all original, and don't fail when the CFL dies.
All my photocells are at about 35,000 hours ON, and 70,000 hours total powered time. The lamps range from around 15,000-35,000 hours on them.
These are fixtures I bought complete from Menards for around $25 each with bulbs in them. You don't need to spend big dollars for a reliable light.

 

[same_me]

These are the lights I have. Came as a pair.

Portfolio 14-1/4-in Tan Outdoor Wall Light

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...gId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

 

[pattenp]

These are the lights I have. Came as a pair.

Portfolio 14-1/4-in Tan Outdoor Wall Light

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...gId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

Did you read the reviews on the Lowes site? Not good. I think they are cheap Chinese junk.

 

[rburke65]

I tried to read the reviews, but I couldn't bring them up!?

 

[same_me]

I didn't read the reviews. These were the lights that were on my house when we bought it. I undersatand that the lights themselves may be junk but what I'm not understanding is why even after I changed to the add on sensors the same problem happened. I guess what I'm wondering is what are some possible causes I can begin to research to make sure that even if I install new lights I don't have to worry about this happening again.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Better light bulbs have a fuse inside that blows when the light burns out. When the light bulb burns out it causes a short which is what is destroying the sensors. I have had the same problem with dimmers. Burned out bulb, burned out dimmer. Name brand GE etc, light bulbs have a fuse that eliminates this problem, not many electronics can take a direct short of the output which is what happens when a bulb dies without a fuse. Cheep China bulbs no fuse.

 

[Gary S]

I've broken a lot of bulbs in my lifetime, and none of them had a fuse in them. Of course, these were incandescent and halogen bulbs. There might be some other kind of bulb that is fused, but I've not broken one of them yet.

When an incandescent or halogen bulb dies, it is because the filament breaks. That causes an open circuit, not a short.

 

[Ironhorse]

My guess is you have a back feed issue...small yes but still and issue that over time will smoke cheap China ( I do not even know why I put a cap on that country..) circut boards. Grab your fluke meter and check your net to ground...if you get a reading you have a grounding issue. Also when back a lowes to tackle this problem...look at the plain jane outdoor lights with out sensors or anything else, yes there cheap but they work. Now do a 180 in the isle and look for a dusk to dawn single gang sensor..it will be installed on a ss blank ( the sensor is only about 1/4" round and is a good commerical unit ) you can take the sensor out of that and intall it on the top of your round weather proof box ( it you have one that is not built in your wall ) where you have a waterproof seal plug. If it is built in you will have to drill a hole above the lights and intall there...make sure your flood bulbs have the silver paint on the sides or a hood on them so you do not reflect back to the photo eye...if it does just put a piece of #33 electrial tape on the bottom half of it....that should do the trick for the next 10 years of so. For everyone out there doing electrial or lighting....please buy good products...square D ( made in OH ) or Hubble for plugs, lighting and weather proof products...something to be said for not doing a job 4 times. Good luck with the project.

 

[Zeke]

I've broken a lot of bulbs in my lifetime, and none of them had a fuse in them. Of course, these were incandescent and halogen bulbs. There might be some other kind of bulb that is fused, but I've not broken one of them yet.

When an incandescent or halogen bulb dies, it is because the filament breaks. That causes an open circuit, not a short.

What about that bright flash you see when you first switch a light on before it goes dark? Could be a brief short.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Better light bulbs have a fuse inside that blows when the light burns out. When the light bulb burns out it causes a short which is what is destroying the sensors. I have had the same problem with dimmers. Burned out bulb, burned out dimmer. Name brand GE etc, light bulbs have a fuse that eliminates this problem, not many electronics can take a direct short of the output which is what happens when a bulb dies without a fuse. Cheap China bulbs no fuse.

A fuse in a light bulb? When a bulb burns out, the filament breaks, causing an open circuit NOT a line to line short! I call BS!

I have had cheap bulbs burn out on both dimmers and photo cells and neither one burned out! Again, I call BS! Have u actually "seen" this fuse? What is the mili-amp rating?

BTW, photo cells only have 2 leads- they are inline devices, so there isn't 2 output leads to short across! They are just like a light switch!

 

[Harleyguy]

Are any other lights burning out at this rate in your home? I am think of a power surge. That would explain all the components going bad at once.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I think what would be more probable is that the photocells are under rated for the load and thus when a bulb pops, there is a micro seconds long surge which overloads the photocell!

 

[csp]

Wire in a separate photo eye (better quality) and your problem should be solved. I buy plain fixtures and add a photo eye to them and that works great.

x2. Never had a problem in 16+ years with this method.

 

[same_me]

These are the only bulbs at my house that I've had any problem with.

 

[Garyss.smith]

I think the OP has halogen bulbs and the sensors can't handle when they blow. I have had some do the same thing replacing with incandescents fixed the problem

Gary

 

[nehog]

Reviews of the fixture:

Summary of Customer Ratings & Reviews

2.3




13 reviews 4 out of 13(31%)reviewers would recommend this product to a friend.

Well, 4 out of 13 recommend--that's not good, is it?

A fuse in a light bulb? When a bulb burns out, the filament breaks, causing an open circuit NOT a line to line short! I call BS!
...

Agreed, please post a reference--in over 50 years, I've never seen one either!