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Outside dusk to dawn light

Cornflk1
Anyone have an idea what would cause one to just suddenly start to strobe on and off ? This one has been in place for a couple of years, but just recently gone bonkers. Bought a pricy one at the time because it's a real pain to replace thinking I wouldn't have to do it for a few years, Wrong !!!
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • Sam06
    Power surge or a loss of power/power back on a few times in a short period of time.

    I have 2 in the back that have motion sensors and dusk to dawn and both have gone wonky like that several times. I ended up replacing them regular on/off lights.
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  • bustedknee
    Dirty light sensor? (Bird poop/dust)

    Sensor unit fail? (Chinee reliability)
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  • montanajoe
    • Community moderator
    Sensor
    or
    ballast
    I'd start with replacing the sensor. If not that, replace the entire fixture.
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  • Cornflk1
    Went with a whole new unit, the sensor was clean so it must have been ballast. It was still a real pain in the buttox to change out. Had loader extended all the way up, had to get in the bucket with a ladder. At least the weather was somewhat nice :roll:
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  • Jim Rehm
    If the fixture is either a mercury or sodium vapor type the most common reason for cycling is a bulb at end of life and would require a bulb replacement. If fixture is a LED it is probably the electronics,
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  • mrmike08075
    I installed an overlapping system of 4 of these to makailas back yard - on the back of the house facing the fenced in yard...

    Two on each outside corner angle biased to aim into the yard a bit - two mounted in the middle almost side by side...

    One of the center units has a low output setting that let's you see but is not a supernova...

    The units have a manual high frequency strobe or flash setting to dazzle or stun or scare intruders...

    They can be operated manually separately or set together on automatic...

    You can set them to react to outside light levels or to turn on or off at specific times or be motion activated or just do manual control...

    Pretty much you have to be on or inside the fence to trigger the system.

    The girls want a newer system that can be controlled through their phones and have cameras (think ring security system) that can also be viewed from their phones - and the system in question has a dimmer function and you can change colors from the phone app.

    There is one system that claims to have an ID fob or enclosed chip that you can attach to the dogs collar that recognizes the dogs signal and slows him to move around without setting the lights off or only activating the one normal low light unit...

    They also have a dog door - pet door that reads the chip and will let your dog in and out bit not other pets or critters...

    Seems a bit over the top to me.

    Mike
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  • Hessian
    Is it an integrated sensor and light? If so the more probable cause is bulb failure, especially florescent type bulbs. If the sensor is separate some sensors will work with a fluorescent type bulb some won't.

    I recently installed LED type outside lights with an integrated sensor, they are the Cats ass.:)

    In my opinion, the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid) applies in most instances. As does the old litany "if it ain't broke don't fix it".
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  • Cornflk1
    Hessian wrote:
    Is it an integrated sensor and light? If so the more probable cause is bulb failure, especially florescent type bulbs. If the sensor is separate some sensors will work with a fluorescent type bulb some won't.

    I recently installed LED type outside lights with an integrated sensor, they are the Cats ass.:)

    In my opinion, the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid) applies in most instances. As does the old litany "if it ain't broke don't fix it".


    LED unit. Really liked the light output, but having it strobe was a bit much. It was installed on a remote shop building, no lives there although farm neighbors are within a half mile. Everyone thought my shop had a break-in.

    Had to be electronics, even though it was expensive initially. Guess it's time was up :roll:
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  • bambihunter
    You've already fixed it, but for future reference. A lot of these types of things, and oddly those remote controlled ceiling fans will do this sometimes. It seems it is usually after a power outage that lasts only a second or two. Blips doesn't affect them, and longer outages doesn't affect them. It is in between where I have had issues. On a couple of my lights as well as my ceiling fans, the fix is to kill the breaker to it for a while; maybe 5 minutes. It almost always fixes it though I have had a ceiling fan remote receiver go out that I had to replace recently.
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  • Brookwood
    I have an automatic set up in my downstairs bathroom that runs a series of lights over the sink mirror. The switch has a slide selection that lets you run it manually on\off, or on motion activation that will shut itself off when there is no movement after about 5 minutes

    When I replaced the regular fancy incandescent bulbs over to LED's, the automatic motion detector went into strobe mode! Reminded me of a mid 70's Disco! . I kept the LED"S in but now only use the manual on\off slide switch in that bathroom.

    I may look around for one of those glass mirrored disco sphere's and hang it up in there for when I hold any parties! 8-) :D :shock:
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  • hoosier
    Replaced the old flood light Bulbs (one had died) with LED. First time they got tripped it went to flashing.

    Seems the Light set up has the light sensor come on like dimmer so it off the LED to flashing. Found out the LED were not for use with a dimmer.

    Replaced with regular Floodlight bulbs and Have the LED's now in the Shop 16" up. Way brighter than any thing else we've used. ( don't look up).
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