Led floodlight flickering/flashing

[signcrafter]

I bought an led wall mount security light from menards. This one, https://www.menards.com/main/lighti...50-c-7544.htm?tid=3659883491712305513&ipos=11.

I installed it today and went to flip the breaker on and it just flickers or flashes. I let it go for a minute and then turned it off so the neighbors wouldn't get upset since it was pretty bright and anoying. I tied into another circuit that was the attic lights. Pretty sure that is all that is on that circuit but not sure. Figured since this light takes so little electricity I could tie into it without any issues. What am I missing here? Never ran into this before.

Tomorrow I'm going to try a led bulb in one of the attic lights and see if that flickers also. It's a dusk till dawn light if that matters. It was dark when I turned it on. The temp was almost 50 when I turned it on so don't think the cold is an issue. Says it's good to negative 15 or something. I'll double check my connections but pretty sure they good. Seemed pretty much like a steady constant strobe light, not random flickers but more of a consistantly flashing.

Any advice? I can take it down and try it somewhere else I guess but that would be more work if it's not needed since it's probably 18 feet high.

 

[Jsf721]

If you have a dimmer that can do it. I has a similar issue with an indoor floodlight. I changed it to a regular switch and it cleared up the issue.

 

[signcrafter]

If you have a dimmer that can do it. I has a similar issue with an indoor floodlight. I changed it to a regular switch and it cleared up the issue.

No dimmer hooked up. It's on steady power, no switch besides the built in dusk to dawn sensor on the light.

 

[scooby074]

bypass the d2d sensor and disable the motion detection. Then test. Add each one back on its own and see if the problem returns. That will at least give you some idea what to adjust

Could be reflected light hitting the d2d sensor. Could be the motion detector picking up some motion or other interference. .

 

[signcrafter]

bypass the d2d sensor and disable the motion detection. Then test. Add each one back on its own and see if the problem returns. That will at least give you some idea what to adjust

Could be reflected light hitting the d2d sensor. Could be the motion detector picking up some motion or other interference. .

There is no motion detector on this light, just the d2d sensor. I didn't even think about the sensor being the issue. I don't know if I can bypass it without taking the light all apart which I really don't want to do. The sensor is built into the actual light head so wouldn't be easy. But I can put a piece of tape over the sensor to at least make sure that it's "dark" to make sure nothing is affecting the sensor like you said. I can do this during the day so it's not freaking out the neighbors flashing. Thanks

 

[scooby074]

Black vinyl electrical tape should work fine. Just be sure to give the sensor enough time to react.
Hope this helps.

 

[signcrafter]

Just flipped the breaker on and went out there. Light was off as it should be during the day. Climbed up the ladder and covered the sensor with my finger and after a couple seconds the light came on and stayed on as it should when it senses darkness. Let off the sensor and light goes out.

So no clue what the deal is unless like what scooby said about reflection. I did have my fiberglass extension ladder right under the light and it does have aluminum ladder rungs. So maybe when the light came on it was reflecting off the ladder rungs back up to the sensor and that is what caused the on/off flashing. Guess I will wait till tonight to see if that is what the deal is or not. Hopefully all is working as it should and good to go because I don't know what else could be causing the flickering.

Thanks for the help.

 

[scooby074]

Your getting it sorted. Sounds like reflection issues for sure. You can just install a remote D2D sensor to resolve it if it is still giving you problems after tonights test. Its not a particularly hard job

 

[signcrafter]

Your getting it sorted. Sounds like reflection issues for sure. You can just install a remote D2D sensor to resolve it if it is still giving you problems after tonights test. Its not a particularly hard job

Well I was putting another light above the front door today waiting for it to get dark. Once it got dark enough the light started flickering. Got my ladder out and adjusted the light away from the house a little and it still flickered. But when I put my hand in front of the eye it stopped. Got some electrical tape out and built a "shield" in front of the eye and it stayed on. Great. Crazy bright.

Thought all was well and went to finish up the other light. Wife came home from work and said she could see the light from the stop sign almost a mile away. She said it looked like a bright star far away. So I went back out to try and adjust it down some and it started flickering right away again. I just cut the power to it again for tonight.

I think a remote d2d sensor is going to be what's needed like you said.

First, I don't think I can bypass the d2d sensor on this light. This light has a base you fasten to the box and hook the wires too. Then the light itself snaps onto the electrical pins and one screw holds it onto the base. And the d2d sensor is built into the actual light housing. So I don't think the fixture comes apart to get to the sensor. I may be wrong because I didn't look at it much before I put it up. But what I'm thinking is to just cover the d2d sensor with something so it is always "ON". Then install a d2d sensor in a remote location that sends power to this light. Is this the best way to do this?

Second, what is the best d2d sensor to get? I have attic access so can mount it on the wall or in the soffit or wherever. I've never bought a stand alone d2d sensor before so not sure what is out there.

Thanks

 

[scooby074]

If youre going to go with a remote d2d you really need to eliminate the built in one. Tape wont last. You could paint it, I suppose, but then, if you start having troubles with the light in a couple years, the built in PC will cause troubleshooting issues. Best to get it out of the system IMHO.

Unless the new fixture is plastic welded together, you should be able to gain access to the wires coming from the D2D photocell. If you cant get into it, Id strongly consider taking it back and replacing it with another model that you can access and bypass or one that doesnt come with a PC at all.

As to the remote d2d, I like the Hubbell "lipstick" style photocells. Part Number 5638-5 They seem to hold up the best and allow for considerable adjustment so you can point them away from the light.

You can mount them remotely, like around the corner of the building, using a run of conduit, or out through the attic into the facia as you suggest, but the best way IMHO is to use a surface mount box, weatherproof cast aluminum round junction box and mount the PC at 12 O'clock then attach the fixture to the face of the box. Some fixtures require different mounting methods, but the above method usually works and is the easiest.

Another thing you might try is extending the shield around the built in PC. It looks like it is on the bottom of the light??? Maybe mount a piece of metal or plastic to shield it a little more. Sometimes that works, but its ugly.

 

[BillK]

Any chance you live in Southern Maryland ? On my way to the shop this morning I noticed a new led security light like you are describing. It was flashing almost like a police strobe Thought of you right away

 

[signcrafter]

Any chance you live in Southern Maryland ? On my way to the shop this morning I noticed a new led security light like you are describing. It was flashing almost like a police strobe Thought of you right away

Sorry Bill wasn't me. I'm over in Iowa. But glad to here I'm not the only one with these issues.

 

[BillK]

Sorry Bill wasn't me. I'm over in Iowa. But glad to here I'm not the only one with these issues.

This one is mounted on the side of the house up towards the top of second story. Plain vinyl siding that is pretty light colored. This is the first time I have noticed it so he must have put it up over the weekend. I drive that way every day.

 

[signcrafter]

This one is mounted on the side of the house up towards the top of second story. Plain vinyl siding that is pretty light colored. This is the first time I have noticed it so he must have put it up over the weekend. I drive that way every day.

Sounds almost like mine. Mounted on side of house on j block in light colored vinyl siding. Towards top of second story. Went up this weekend. Mine was a bright flash also but I unhooked it last night so it wasn't a distraction to drivers or neighbors. Going to get a remote photo eye for it before I turn it back on.

 

[cybrdyke]

Why dont you guys just take those back and get your money back and buy one that works?
And if you're going to get a remote photocell, be sure that you get one that's rated for use with LED fixtures.
CD

 

[bczygan]

I have one on the fascia over my garage door.

It comes on when I approach up the front sidewalk.

It also comes on and goes off randomly all night long.

I lights up the front yard, driveway and part of the street. It shines toward the side of the house across the street.

I don't mind it at all. It keeps the "Night People" on their toes!

Bill

 

[signcrafter]

Why dont you guys just take those back and get your money back and buy one that works?
And if you're going to get a remote photocell, be sure that you get one that's rated for use with LED fixtures.
CD

How would I know that a different one won't do the exact same thing? There really isn't anything wrong with this light. For whatever reason the sensor is picking up the light when it comes on. Guessing reflecting off something like scooby mentioned above. So I'm going to assume that a different light is going to have the same issue. I already ran the power through the attic so it will be pretty easy to put in a remote d2d eye anywhere along that run. So instead of a new light in the same spot that may very well have the same reflection issue a remote eye will offer more flexibility in location and they are also pretty adjustable to aim how you want.

 

[cybrdyke]

It's your time and effort, but that makes no sense to me. Maybe you have time on your hands to play around with this thing.
It's extremely unlikely that reflection is your issue. It's most likely just that the photocell is seeing the light from it's own fixture, because it was placed poorly in the fixture.
You bought a product that's poorly designed and doesn't work well, and you're going to tear it apart, run wires across an attic to another photocell that you have to go out and purchase along with the box to put it in, all just to make the thing work.
There are dozens of other D2D lights out there that work great. I'd just go get one of those.
Good luck,
CD

 

[signcrafter]

It's your time and effort, but that makes no sense to me. Maybe you have time on your hands to play around with this thing.
It's extremely unlikely that reflection is your issue. It's most likely just that the photocell is seeing the light from it's own fixture, because it was placed poorly in the fixture.
You bought a product that's poorly designed and doesn't work well, and you're going to tear it apart, run wires across an attic to another photocell that you have to go out and purchase along with the box to put it in, all just to make the thing work.
There are dozens of other D2D lights out there that work great. I'd just go get one of those.
Good luck,
CD

Maybe you're right. But, The light is already installed. It takes one screw to take it down and see if the photo eye can be bypassed. If it can be the rest is easy. One screw to put the light back up after bypassing the eye. I can order the new remote eye recommended above for 12.** bucks off amazon prime and have it delivered to me. I already have an extra J box for the siding and all the electrical parts and box needed to install the new eye. The wire is already ran across the attic, so tying an eye in to that won't be hard or run new wire. Also to return this light requires a 35 minute each way drive to menards. So in reality it will be quicker and easier to install the remote eye. Plus if I decide to add more lights in the future I can tie into this eye too.