Hi All, I have placed two PIR lights on the same spur but I get an odd effect when the dusk sensor is activated. Basically both lights seem to run on a low voltage until activated then whichever light was activated will run on full power for the set amount of time. It looks like a feature of the light but I cannot find any ref in the manual to this. Could running both on the same spur cause this "on all the time on low power effect"?
many thanks for your time
Rob
It is a feature of some lights, usually the ones that use ordinary lightbulbs rather than the halogen floodlight type.
Owain
I somehow think you must have wired something wrong. It should make no difference at all to the lights whether they are "on the same spur" or not if they are wired correctly. How could it make any difference as, electrically, there is just about zero difference from the lamps' point of view if they are wired close together or if one is at the other end of the house on a different circuit.
It sounds as if you have some part of the wiring to the two lamps wired such that they are in series somehow.
Try disconnecting one completely and see if the other works by itself, if it doesn't then sort the one lamp out before reconnecting the other.
It sounds as though this is connected in a series configuration rather than in parallel, the way they should be.
Properly connected, the lights should be supplied from the spur unit to the first light fitting. From the first light to the second light fitting. All reds (browns) should be connected together. All blacks (blues) should be connected together. All green/yellow earth bonding should be connected together. If both fittings are connected directly to the spur unit, then make sure that the connections are the same as above, and that you haven't swapped any. This is a parallel wiring configuration.
Of course, you could also have a faulty fitting that is causing this.
Many thanks people, here is how I connected them,
-------------------------------------L1
------------JB -------------------------------------L2
As you can see it is not a loop but 2 more spurs from a juction box that is connected to the spur. What is odd it that they only go into this low power mode at night and not during the day - but as I said the book of words does not point this out as a feature and there are no controls for this if it were a feature.
many thanks
rob
Then check your connections again, because it sounds like a short across two points somewhere in the wiring runs.
Make sure that water hasn't dripped in and causing this short. Make sure that all connection don't have a single strand of copper sticking out that is creating a path between other connections. Make sure that all earth bonding conductors are fully installed, and that none have broken. This also applies to the neutral connections.
I hear you, but these are both identicle halogen units, they do have a power output control but it is documented as 180w or 300w when activated.
Rob
Will do this tonight, many thanks for your help BigWallop
Rob
In article , Robmc writes
It's a "feature" then, they run at 180W (=dim) when not triggered and
300W (=full power) when activated.HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.