dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
82154
fartness (banned)
Donald Trump 2016
join:2003-03-25
Look Outside

fartness (banned)

Member

Motion sensor light stays on

I had a new motion sensor light installed last month which replaced my old one which only was good for about 3 feet of range. I bought the new one at Home Depot (270 degree motion sensor). The new one has been working fine ever since it was installed.

This morning, at 6:30AM when it was still dark out, the light was on even though I didn't step outside yet. I left and came back in the afternoon, in bright daylight, and the light was still on. I tried changing the range and 1min, 5min, 10min, test settings and nothing changed. I have a switch inside that can shut it on and off in the mean time so it doesn't stay on 24/7. Any ideas?

Pacrat
Old and Cranky
MVM
join:2001-03-10
Cortland, OH

Pacrat

MVM

Birds? Squirrels? Critters?
fartness (banned)
Donald Trump 2016
join:2003-03-25
Look Outside

fartness (banned)

Member

No, it's away from anything.

nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO

nunya to fartness

MVM

to fartness
Leave the switch off for a few minutes then try again. If it comes back on (and stays on) during broad daylight, then you probably need to take it down and return it.

DarkHelmet
join:2014-02-21

DarkHelmet to fartness

Member

to fartness
You should be able to control it via the range setting. If it's set to the max cars passing by on the road will set it off.
HarryH3
Premium Member
join:2005-02-21

HarryH3

Premium Member

said by DarkHelmet:

You should be able to control it via the range setting. If it's set to the max cars passing by on the road will set it off.

That would not explain why it's on during the day. Unless the power blinked off and on just right to trigger the "always on" mode, then the controller in the light is broken.

DarkHelmet
join:2014-02-21

DarkHelmet

Member

said by HarryH3:

said by DarkHelmet:

You should be able to control it via the range setting. If it's set to the max cars passing by on the road will set it off.

That would not explain why it's on during the day. Unless the power blinked off and on just right to trigger the "always on" mode, then the controller in the light is broken.

There's a sensor switch as well on my lights. It just sounds like the OP didn't read the manual and set-up the lights right. That or they are defective.
Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL

Mr Matt to fartness

Member

to fartness
said by fartness:

Any ideas?

I had a sensor fail a short time after it was installed. The manufacture said it failed because the sensor was pointing directly into the sun for part of the day. I relocated it and had no further problem.
fartness (banned)
Donald Trump 2016
join:2003-03-25
Look Outside

fartness (banned) to DarkHelmet

Member

to DarkHelmet
I addressed that in my OP.

DarkHelmet
join:2014-02-21

1 edit

DarkHelmet

Member

said by fartness:

I addressed that in my OP.

If you think you did it CORRECTLY then pull the light and get a new one. It's not rocket science here.

I'm suggesting you did it WRONG. Maybe you wired it wrong so it doesn't use the sensor. My outside lights come with sensors but I by-passed them when I wired them so they are on/off only. You might have inadvertently wired it wrong. If you did everything right then take it back.

jack b
Gone Fishing
MVM
join:2000-09-08
Cape Cod

jack b to fartness

MVM

to fartness
For it to come on and stay on during the day, as already mentioned, a power dip of the right duration will make it do that. All it takes is a one second blip.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy to fartness

Premium Member

to fartness
The sensors do fail, there are two sensors on those fixtures; one of those is the the motion detector and the other is a photoelectric cell that powers down the fixture during the daylight hours.

I find in my experience the first sensor to fail is the photoelectric cell so the light will be coming on with motion 24/7 unless power is cut to the fixture at the wall switch. Then the motion sensor fails and the luminaire is on 24/7 unless power is cut at the switch.

That happened with the last fixture I had (which was made by Cooper lighting). It was replaced with a Heath-Zenith from Home Depot. I had to install a surface box because there is no box behind the fixtures. It just surface mounts to the wood siding so I brought it up to code.

The original jelly jar light that was there had its strap hanger screwed to the wood and mounded accordingly.
Expand your moderator at work

nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO
·Charter

2 recommendations

nunya to fartness

MVM

to fartness

Re: Motion sensor light stays on

I've seen (and had my own) these fixtures fail into being "always on". All different brands. I think they are all junk. I used to believe certain brands were better (such as RAB), but now I have my doubts.
I've personally installed several units DOA, bad out of the box, in the last few years. I'd be willing to bet the internals are all probably made in the same factory somewhere on the banks of the Yangtze river, regardless of branding.

As a matter of fact, every few months the MD light on my garage gets "stuck". I whack it with a yardstick and it clicks off and works fine for 2-3 more months.
contsole
Premium Member
join:2003-12-30
Newington, CT

contsole to fartness

Premium Member

to fartness
I put 4 motion lights on my house when I moved in 20 years ago. Maybe once every year or two, one will get "stuck" on. (No relays that stick, they are electronically switched). Turning off the seldom used switch for a minute usually clears the problem but on several occasions, I've had to leave the power off for a couple days. That defies logic and troubles me as an engineer, but they continue to work after their 3 or 4 day vacation.

tschmidt
MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
·Consolidated Com..
·Republic Wireless
·Hollis Hosting

tschmidt to nunya

MVM

to nunya
I've had similar experience over the years. Many years ago I had a Heathkit PIR sensor I used to turn on a parking area light. It was a two part unit with external sensor and control box. It worked flawlessly. I wanted to relocate the sensor and purchased "modern" units, including the much touted RAB. Have had problems with them all locking up.

I'm in the process of redoing our outdoor lighting and planning to use 12V PIR sensors tied into an external photocell to control 12V LED lights. That way sensor power gets removed every morning, so if a sensor hangs at night at least it be be automatically rebooted at night.

BTW has anyone used combo PIR & microwave sensor? What kind of experience have you had?

/tom
HarryH3
Premium Member
join:2005-02-21

1 recommendation

HarryH3

Premium Member

said by tschmidt:

I'm in the process of redoing our outdoor lighting and planning to use 12V PIR sensors tied into an external photocell to control 12V LED lights. That way sensor power gets removed every morning, so if a sensor hangs at night at least it be be automatically rebooted at night.

This is exactly how I have our motion sensor lights wired. It works great. It's also nice to know that the lights can't get stuck "on" for several days while we're away. Floodlights on all day is usually a pretty good sign that the house is not occupied.

DarkHelmet
join:2014-02-21

DarkHelmet

Member

said by HarryH3:

Floodlights on all day is usually a pretty good sign that the house is not occupied.

Or your my neighbor. They leave the outside lights on 24/7/365.
fartness (banned)
Donald Trump 2016
join:2003-03-25
Look Outside

fartness (banned)

Member

I reset the breaker and now it works fine. Weird... never had that happen before.