Need help wiring 2 separate photocells for a billboard

[Patos]

Hi all, first time posting. I have an outdoor billboard that is currently wired with one photocell that turns the 2 North bound and South bound lights on and off at the same time.


I want to add a 2nd photocell so that the North bound lights come on @ dusk and go off at 10pm each night and the South bound lights will come on @ dusk and go off at 12 midnight each night.

I understand the way it is wired for the most part but I am unsure which wires to use/separate in order to have one photocell control the North bound side and the other photocell to control the South bound side. ( I believe it is the light blue & darker blue wires that are spliced together in the pic I will show).
I made a crude drawing for myself by tracing the wires in the photos,it may or may not assist you in helping me. Thanks for the help.
Ahh,I can't post links to pics until 5+ posts. I'll post the link soon.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/f4WKdTjYBdjJszNZ7

 

[BillK]

When do the lights turn back off now ? Is there a timer that turns them off ? I dont think you need a separate photocell if you want them both to turn on at dusk but you will need separate timers for them to turn off at different times.

Post a diagram of what you have now.

 

[BillK]

I dont think you can post pictures until after you have a certain number of posts. If you want to send me the drawing in a PM I will post it.

 

[cvairwerks]

Sounds like you really need timers and not photocells.

 

[Patos]

I dont think you can post pictures until after you have a certain number of posts. If you want to send me the drawing in a PM I will post it.

Thanks Bill, I just went thru the forums posting a few responses so I think I can post the pic now but if not I'll send them to you.

You are correct, if I leave the one photocell hooked up they come on at dusk and would go off at 10pm,but I need the South bound side to go off at 10pm and the North bound to go off at midnight.

What's on there now works great,has been for 5 or more years but now I have a client wanting to have lights until midnight and the opposite side contracted for lights until 10pm each night, it's only 2 hours but it adds up every month.

 

[Patos]

Thanks for the help. Timers are one option but this GPS photocell has worked great for over 5 years. I should have had the electrical contractor separate the N/S side lights when they wired it initially but it was my first one and I didn't know @ the time that I could not control separate off times the way it was wired. The N/S bound lights are on separate breakers and I can turn them off and on separately but right now the photocell controls both sides if both breakers are on. I can turn the N side breaker off now and leave the S side breaker on and the photocell kicks the S side lights on @ dusk and off at 10pm and the N side never comes on this way. I could turn the N side breaker on and it will follow the same schedule as the S side(on @ dusk off at 10pm)

BillK is going to help by posting my pics.

 

[cvairwerks]

There's got be some kind of timing circuit in there, if they are turning off after being triggered and it's still dark.

 

[Patos]

It's a GPS photocell. It tells time via a military satellite and I can program on/off times through my PC then take the photocell out to the billboard and plug her in.

https://www.ripleylightingcontrols.com/products/photocontrols/photoclock

 

[cvairwerks]

Not a normal photocell then....

 

[wyliesdiesels]

It's a GPS photocell. It tells time via a military satellite and I can program on/off times through my PC then take the photocell out to the billboard and plug her in.

https://www.ripleylightingcontrols.com/products/photocontrols/photoclock

That info wouldve been helpful in the OP

 

[cybrdyke]

Since both sides are on separate circuits, just get a 2 circuit time clock and be done with it. Set it for astro on/timer off. You can even do the same for early morning, timer on/astro off.
Simple to do.
CD

 

[Patos]

I already have two of the gps photocells,so I don't want to buy additional equipment when I know what I have will work. Maybe I can post my pics by now,it will help.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Since both sides are on separate circuits, just get a 2 circuit time clock and be done with it. Set it for astro on/timer off. You can even do the same for early morning, timer on/astro off.
Simple to do.
CD

he doesnt need a time clock. the GPS photocells have a time clock function already...

 

[BillK]

Which of the breakers in your picture is for the lights ? The 20 amp one with the orange wire ? Also do you have a wiring diagram for the photocells ?

 

[jlv03]

Sidebar before I get too far - what's with every different manufacturer's circuit breaker in the panel?

What do each of the 3 breakers feed?

Here is what I suspect - one feeds North, one feeds South, and one breaker feeds the photocell that in turn feeds a contactor that takes the North/South breaker feeds.

 

[dogdog]

It looks like the module have 3 prong, most of those are like the dust to dawn motion sensor heads... Hot ( input) , Neutral , and hot (controlled output), If you have pre-existing module, maybe just make note of it ? and just duplicate the setup on the second panel... programming says using their USB dongle... most likely a a USB dongle with TTL and RS232 chip connector wise looks like a USB to mini-usb male definitely with the serial chip in between...... but you never know till you open it... some newer electronics just have the USB to TTL... anyways they have software on their site.

Just give those ppl a call they should be able to answer you the pinout... not sure if that is a standard industrial thing. If it is they might just laugh at you a bit... doesn't hurt as long as you get your info.

 

[Patos]

Sidebar before I get too far - what's with every different manufacturer's circuit breaker in the panel?

What do each of the 3 breakers feed?

Here is what I suspect - one feeds North, one feeds South, and one breaker feeds the photocell that in turn feeds a contactor that takes the North/South breaker feeds.

I noticed the same thing with the breakers.haha. I'm not sure why they have different brands. The electrician's wired it when it was built, then went back another time and did something for me (I believe when I switched from a radio frequency photocell to the GPS. The radio PC worked great for some time but then would loose signal from time to time and of course screwed up the on/off times. Once I switched to the GPS PC i've had 0 issues over 3-4 years.
As far as the breakers go,you are correct, 1st single pole is GPS PC, #2 is the breaker for the North bound side, #3 is for the South bound side. I believe I know how it's wired now and how to fix it but I need to pull the cover at the junction box where the fixtures are spliced to the breaker panel; however, I have since found an electrician who is going to be much cheaper than my 1st quote. He is going down today and let me know, most likely I will have him fix it and I'll post the solution once done.

 

[Patos]

Which of the breakers in your picture is for the lights ? The 20 amp one with the orange wire ? Also do you have a wiring diagram for the photocells ?

https://www.ripleylightingcontrols.com/products/photoclock2

That is the exact model. There is a wiring diagram somewhere on the page but I clicked thru a few links and could not locate.

The 20 amp breakers are, top to bottom.
1. GPS PC
2. South bound breaker lights (blue-green)
3. North bound breaker lights (orange)

 

[wyliesdiesels]

The breakers should be all the same brand and model as the panel and be listed for use in the panel. What brand of panel is that?

 

[dogdog]

google is your friend. or just call their support number for the quick question.

https://www.ripleylightingcontrols.com/wiring-diagrams

it's exactly what I expected... so... and confirm on your OP of pics.