Porch and Yard Light Issues

[jonshonda]

Late 80's construction, porch and yard light turn themselves off after roughly 30 minutes. There is no photo cell to control when they turn on or off, only switches in the house. Both the yard and porch light get power from the same source, but are on separate switches (other lights that get power from the same source function properly).

I have replaced the switch for the yard light, but it still happens. Another curious thing that happens is if you turn the lights on, off, then back on again the light flashed 3 times. This is for both the porch and yard light.

 

[Falcon67]

Sounds like there is a motion or other control somewhere in the system? That flashing sounds similar to some motion sensor operations.

If they use regular Edison based bulbs and you have house wifi, maybe look into Hue.

 

[Hawk]

Have you checked the circuit to see if perhaps the switch triggers a timer. Some switches have a built in timer, but I see that you have changed yours so that may not be the problem.

 

[jonshonda]

Have you checked the circuit to see if perhaps the switch triggers a timer. Some switches have a built in timer, but I see that you have changed yours so that may not be the problem.

The new switch is not a timer, and the old one doesn't appear to be either. I will have to look at the fixtures next to see if there is anything that might resemble a timer or other device attached. I am just wondering if the fixtures are both due to be replaced seeing as how they are both outdoors. It just seems odd...google fu is typically my strong suit but has turned up zero answers. Everything I have found is related to motion and dusk to dawn lighting.

 

[Shiftless]

Since you changed the switch to what I assume is a standard SPST click on click off light switch, how about pulling one of those outdoor fixtures and temporarily wiring in something very simple like this. If it behaves the same, you have a very weird problem!

 

[cybrdyke]

Another curious thing that happens is if you turn the lights on, off, then back on again the light flashed 3 times. /QUOTE]

This is something that you can do over and over, consistently? or does it only happen occasionally?
CD

 

[jonshonda]

Since you changed the switch to what I assume is a standard SPST click on click off light switch, how about pulling one of those outdoor fixtures and temporarily wiring in something very simple like this. If it behaves the same, you have a very weird problem!

That is my next plan. Thought for sure it was a bad switches, but now I am leaning towards the fixtures being the source of my sleepless nights!

This is something that you can do over and over, consistently? or does it only happen occasionally?
CD

I did some more testing last night and both lights exhibit the same behavior regardless if the are both on or if one or the other is on. At any time I can turn the either light on-off-on and it will flash twice then stay on. Although I didn't use a timer, both lights stayed on for roughly 1/2hr before shutting themselves off.

 

[CJ7VFR]

...Although I didn't use a timer, both lights stayed on for roughly 1/2hr before shutting themselves off.

Did you replace the bulbs in these fixtures lately, and that is when the problem started?

Also, can you take a picture of the fixtures and post them so we can see them?

Jim

 

[jives]

Motion-activated lights can often be turned on manually by a rapid double flick of the switch. Perhaps your lights have a similar feature, that is, they are designed only to stay on for 30 minutes unless the switch is flicked twice rapidly.

 

[jonshonda]

Did you replace the bulbs in these fixtures lately, and that is when the problem started?

Also, can you take a picture of the fixtures and post them so we can see them?

Jim

I have no knowledge of how old the bulbs are. Both fixtures are typical late 80's design w/ no indication of motion sensing on either fixture.

Motion-activated lights can often be turned on manually by a rapid double flick of the switch. Perhaps your lights have a similar feature, that is, they are designed only to stay on for 30 minutes unless the switch is flicked twice rapidly.

They appear to both be standard fixtures with no photo cells or motion detection.

 

[cybrdyke]

I did some more testing last night and both lights exhibit the same behavior regardless if the are both on or if one or the other is on. At any time I can turn the either light on-off-on and it will flash twice then stay on. Although I didn't use a timer, both lights stayed on for roughly 1/2hr before shutting themselves off.

Plenty of timers have this on-off-on feature. It's so that you can have your lights on while you get into your car and drive off, then they go off automatically.

If you are able to repeat this consistently, then there is some kind of controller in the wiring or in the fixture that you dont know about. This is not normal behavior for any light source and the fact that you can make it happen over and over means that something else is causing it. It could be a micro timer in the fixture or a motion sensor of some kind, or a photocell/timer combo...but no light source will behave this way all on it's own.
Is the lamp some kind of special lamp, maybe?
Good luck,
CD

 

[Hawk]

Plenty of timers have this on-off-on feature. It's so that you can have your lights on while you get into your car and drive off, then they go off automatically.

If you are able to repeat this consistently, then there is some kind of controller in the wiring or in the fixture that you dont know about. This is not normal behavior for any light source and the fact that you can make it happen over and over means that something else is causing it. It could be a micro timer in the fixture or a motion sensor of some kind, or a photocell/timer combo...but no light source will behave this way all on it's own.
Is the lamp some kind of special lamp, maybe?
Good luck,
CD

There may be a timer set in the mounting box under the fixture. That was done in some cases.

 

[foolio]

I have outdoor lights that come on with motion with the switch in the on position. If I flip it off, then on, it stays on 5/15/30 minutes. There is a 3 position switch on the light that controls this (this also controls how long they stay on with motion). If I switch them off, on, off, on again, they stay on until I turn them off or until the daylight sensor kicks in. The only annoying thing about them is I cannot get them to come on in daylight for longer than the maximum 30 minutes. This is only annoying on Halloween �� for the trick or treaters.

 

[p_mori7]

Start with new bulbs in both.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Picture of light fixtures?

 

[AP514]

+1 for Pic's of the fixtures

 

[Hawk]

I have outdoor lights that come on with motion with the switch in the on position. If I flip it off, then on, it stays on 5/15/30 minutes. There is a 3 position switch on the light that controls this (this also controls how long they stay on with motion). If I switch them off, on, off, on again, they stay on until I turn them off or until the daylight sensor kicks in. The only annoying thing about them is I cannot get them to come on in daylight for longer than the maximum 30 minutes. This is only annoying on Halloween �� for the trick or treaters.

Redundant question: Have you tried the On/Off/On with the switch? That should turn your lights on until you switch them off on most motion detectors.

 

[jonshonda]

Sorry for the late reply, but it turns out there were Phillips IQ bulbs in the fixtures that have an auto off feature build into them. Never heard of that before, and I could just barely read the writing on the bulb.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Sorry for the late reply, but it turns out there were Phillips IQ bulbs in the fixtures that have an auto off feature build into them. Never heard of that before, and I could just barely read the writing on the bulb.

There are other bulbs that have built in flashers for 911 situations. Just swap out bulbs.

 

[Falcon67]

I had an issue with my motion lights on the shop for years - if you turned the power off at night (or lost power), when power was re-applied they would cycle on and off every 2~3 minutes. Like permanent test mode. They could be off for any amount of minutes or hours, didn't matter - only would happen during dark hours. Cycle power during the daytime, no problems. Bulbs were common 90w halogen units.

So early this year I dumped all the halogens and replaced all 6 bulbs with newer LED units. Better. brighter light, etc. Problem has gone away. Figger that one out.