Outside lights help

[Waggsnald]

Hi all

Ive been given a job to do and cant get my head around it. I finished my apprenticeship last year. 

Ive got to connect outside lights at work to a photocell, time clock and a over ride key switch switch which overides the lights on. 

i cannot get my head around how to incorporate the key switch so when switched it will bring lights on permanent and overide the timeclock photocell.

The more i think about the more i cant think as to do it!!

can anyone help

 

[Sharpend]

Start by drawing out the circuit you think you will need, omit earths for now. 

 

[ProDave]

Define the requirements better.

Does the timer act as an override so it's always on when the timer says so? or is the timer a master on / off so it only works at all (on the sensor) when the timer is on.

Will the override switch override the timer if the timer is off.

Sort out the requirements exactly, then design the circuit that will achieve that, then work out how to physically wire it.
 

 

[Waggsnald]

The overide will bring the lights on when the timer is off, overriding the time clock eg if the lights need to be on later than say timeclock set time of 8pm.

 

[Waggsnald]

Having drawn circuits out and starting to panic!! 

Is this right

from db - wire to common of keyswitch to permanent live of time clock and photocell.

outgoing of keyswitch wire to switch live of time clock from there to photocell and light

or am i totally confused

 

[Sharpend]

So looking at that what will happen when you throw the key?

 

[Waggsnald]

It will just turn on timeclock and override lights off , so timeclock is still operating lights. 

Im totally confused how to incorporate key switch to override other switches. Im going to draw out again

 

[binky]

if you are overriding the controls, what do you need to get leccy to the light????

 

[Sharpend]

Do two separate drawings first, one with time clock and photocell and one with switch only?

 

[Waggsnald]

Need to get a live to the light 

 

[Sharpend]

So where are you going to get that from?

 

[binky]

Need to get a live to the light 

getting warmer :^O

 

[Waggsnald]

switch live off photocell?

 

[Waggsnald]

Last attempt before bed

live db - perm live timeclock- perm live photocell - common keyswitch

time clock switch live to photocell  switch live, photocell switch live to outgoing on keyswitch, out going keyswitch to light

i feel thick. Any guidance would be appreciated

 

[Sharpend]

Did you do the two drawings?

where are you wiring the light too? Is it in the vicinity of photocell? Only relevant for wiring purposes. 

What is the most direct route to the light?

dont feel thick, college and apprenticeships don't teach everything, every day's a school day in our trade. 

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

You haven't told us what the timeclock is exactly for. As an example, I often fit a photo cell to turn on outside lights at dusk,  but as the customer does not want the lights on all night I wire a timeclock into the circuit before the photocell to switch off at (lets say 1.0 am).

If I wanted a overide switch to make the lights stay on it would be connected to link out the switchlines of both the timeclock & photocell.

 

[Waggsnald]

thats what is supposed to happen slipshod , set time clock eg 5pm -9pm , if it goes dark at 4 pm the photocell kicks in the lights.  The override switch is for if they want ti overide the timeclock and the lights stay on until 10pm or later one night. 

So do i put switch live of timeclock in common and switch live of photo cell in out going of key switch?. 

Did you do the two drawings?

where are you wiring the light too? Is it in the vicinity of photocell? Only relevant for wiring purposes. 

What is the most direct route to the light?

dont feel thick, college and apprenticeships don't teach everything, every day's a school day in our trade. 

Thanks, i know i still have a lot to learn but just cant get my head around this.

 

[binky]

you would set time clock 4pm to 9pm and if it isn't dark at say 5pm, the photocell keeps light off, so that would be timeclock - photocell - light.

don't get your knickers in a twist about the overide switch either, it's just a switch, no different to any other 1g 1way light switch.

 

[Waggsnald]

you would set time clock 4pm to 9pm and if it isn't dark at say 5pm, the photocell keeps light off, so that would be timeclock - photocell - light.

don't get your knickers in a twist about the overide switch either, it's just a switch, no different to any other 1g 1way light switch.

So am i switching the photocell to override. 

Please excuse me if i appear stupid. 

 

[ProDave]

You haven't told us what the timeclock is exactly for. As an example, I often fit a photo cell to turn on outside lights at dusk,  but as the customer does not want the lights on all night I wire a timeclock into the circuit before the photocell to switch off at (lets say 1.0 am).

If I wanted a overide switch to make the lights stay on it would be connected to link out the switchlines of both the timeclock & photocell.

You can get photocells with a built in timer for that. They turn on at dusk and stay on for a certain time then turn off.