Lights controlled by photocell will not turn on

[GHLT]

I have 2 lights in front of my garage controlled by a photocell and they will not turn on a couple days ago. Last month, I noticed the lights blinked rapidly for a few minutes and then the lights stays on.  I didn't do anything about the blinking because the lights turned on.  a few days ago, the lights will not turn on at all.  Is this a photocell problem?  I thought photocells fail "ON".  The photocell is made by Intermatic.  Please help.

 

[Doc Hudson]

Do the lights work if you manually put power to them? If yes then obviously the photocell has failed, If no then the lamps have failed .

Doc H.

 

[Andy™]

photocells can fail either way

 

[kerching]

I have an Ufer Dufer

Take out photocell

plug in ufer dufer which shorts out L,and Ls

also gives me a neutral for testing if supply is present

i will,post a pic when I can find it

Just inventing 

 

[ProDave]

I have an Ufer Dufer

Take out photocell

plug in ufer dufer which shorts out L,and Ls

also gives me a neutral for testing if supply is present

i will,post a pic when I can find it

Just inventing 

That assumes he has one of those plug in types of photocel.

Easy to make that sort of Ufer Dufer as that type of plug in and twist photocel is based on a Harvey Hubbel US type of mains plug used in some older US equipment as the mains in connector.

 

[Evans Electric]

Need to know what type of  Intermatic photocell it is  .  There is a plug & twist one  that an Uffer Duffer would fit   but theres others too . 

GHLT needs to put a supply onto the lights , by - passing the cell. 

 

[Andy™]

I have an Ufer Dufer

Take out photocell

plug in ufer dufer which shorts out L,and Ls

also gives me a neutral for testing if supply is present

i will,post a pic when I can find it

Just inventing 

i keep a spare thats failed in the on position. great for testing

 

[kerching]

.

Easy to make that sort of Ufer Dufer as that type of plug in and twist photocel is based on a Harvey Hubbel US type of mains plug used in some older US equipment as the mains in connector.

Now I want one of those plugs to make mine look more betterer

 

[ProDave]

This is what you want. Hard to find in the UK though.  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hubbell-Plugs-Two-2-125-VAC-30-Amp-Twist-Lock-plugs-Part-HBL2611VBK/132774009826?hash=item1ee9f29be2:g:dlkAAOSwEK9T0EIp

 

[GHLT]

@Doc Hudson, I have not tested the lights but wonder how can both lights failed at same time.  I will test and see.

@Andy, thanks for your comment.  

@Evans Electric, it is a button photo control type, at least that is how it is described on Home Depot website.  It has 3 wires, red, black and white.

I think I will go ahead and get a new photocell and see if it will fix the problem... 

 

[Andy™]

or you could try some proper fault finding instead of randomly replacing parts you think have failed

 

[Doc Hudson]

I have 2 lights in front of my garage controlled by a photocell and they will not turn on a couple days ago. Last month, I noticed the lights blinked rapidly for a few minutes and then the lights stays on.  I didn't do anything about the blinking because the lights turned on.  a few days ago, the lights will not turn on at all.  Is this a photocell problem?  I thought photocells fail "ON".  The photocell is made by Intermatic.  Please help.

@Doc Hudson, I have not tested the lights but wonder how can both lights failed at same time.  I will test and see.

Until you have tested any proved anything you are guessing. As a general rule it is far easier to confirm if a light works or doesn't work simply by applying some power manually. And if you have also proved that you have a supply to the photocell by default you would have proved that the cell was faulty., and this would have saved you asking your opening question.   The golden rule of fault investigation when anything has stopped working is to assume nothing. Start breaking the problem down and prove individual items are functional or not. Prove and test the easiest and quickest bits first to eliminate as many unknowns as possible.

Doc H. 

 

[GHLT]

@Doc Hudson and @Andy, thanks for your advices.  I took you guys advices and tested the lights by by-passing the photocell and determined the lights work and the photocell was bad. I replaced the photocell and everything is working great.  Thanks.