Motion Detector Light Problems

[crybdr]

Okay....there were some burglaries close to me....the perp broke in while people were home sleeping, rooted through the house, stole electronics, found car keys and drove away with their car. So, I decided to install a motion detector floodlight system in the back yard.

It worked great the night I installed it - it was cold that night. I could walk the perimeter, the lights would come on, and after the 5 minute setting, they would turn off. Perfect...

Two days later we got snow - when I returned home after the snow, I found the lights 'blinking'....blink, blink...1 second pause....blink, blink, etc. I turned off the light via the indoor lightswitch and vowed to fix it the next day.

Because it worked fine without snow on the ground - I figured that the daylight photocell was picking up the reflected light off of the snow and shutting the light off prematurely. Based upon the manufacturers recommended troubleshooting method - I covered up the photocell with black tape - and adjusted the motion 'sensitivity' to the minimum. I still get the same ..blink, blink.. problem.

After the failed black tape test, I removed both bulbs (which are within the watt rating of the fixture and not CFL) and turned the switch on. The fixture 'blinks' in the same fashion without bulbs - I can hear the internal switch flipping on and off.

Is this fixture just a bad apple or am I missing something? Any help or experience would be appreciated.

coryb

[parnelli]

Okay....there were some burglaries close to me....the perp broke in while people were home sleeping, rooted through the house, stole electronics, found car keys and drove away with their car. So, I decided to install a motion detector floodlight system in the back yard.

It worked great the night I installed it - it was cold that night. I could walk the perimeter, the lights would come on, and after the 5 minute setting, they would turn off. Perfect...

Two days later we got snow - when I returned home after the snow, I found the lights 'blinking'....blink, blink...1 second pause....blink, blink, etc. I turned off the light via the indoor lightswitch and vowed to fix it the next day.

Because it worked fine without snow on the ground - I figured that the daylight photocell was picking up the reflected light off of the snow and shutting the light off prematurely. Based upon the manufacturers recommended troubleshooting method - I covered up the photocell with black tape - and adjusted the motion 'sensitivity' to the minimum. I still get the same ..blink, blink.. problem.

After the failed black tape test, I removed both bulbs (which are within the watt rating of the fixture and not CFL) and turned the switch on. The fixture 'blinks' in the same fashion without bulbs - I can hear the internal switch flipping on and off.

Is this fixture just a bad apple or am I missing something? Any help or experience would be appreciated.

coryb

I doubt it's helpful- but that sounds like what mine does when the switch is in the 'test' postition

[eccentrictinkerer]

If the fixture is from Menard's take it back and get a different brand. I'm a handyman and this summer I had 75% failure rate with their motion lights.

I now have my customers go to HD for theit lights.

YMMV.

[crybdr]

It is from Menards....and...

I'll be returning it. Thanks for the insight and advice.

coryb

[kramer katt]

If the fixture is from Menard's take it back and get a different brand. I'm a handyman and this summer I had 75% failure rate with their motion lights.

I now have my customers go to HD for theit lights.

YMMV.

and what brand at HD do you recommend?
are you talking hard wire 110v or the low volt solar ones?

[eccentrictinkerer]

and what brand at HD do you recommend?
are you talking hard wire 110v or the low volt solar ones?

Any brand not carried by Menards.

I've only installed hard-wired lights.

[JoeyGee]

I really like Menards for some stuff, but I have often been disappointed with the quality on a lot of their items.

That being said, is the blinking pattern some sort of troubleshooting code? Probably not worth even checking into given other advice, but just a thought.