IR Security Lighting question

[marts80]

Hi all I hope this hasn't been asked before, I've done a search but can't find any info....

Basically, I have 2 x 500w security lights attached to the side of my house - they both have IR sensors and are both powered separately. They work fine under normal dark conditions - ie when the beam is broken, they come on and go off after a while.

But.. Sometimes I would like them to be on all the time, like if I am working outside and need the light. It says in the instructions to get them to stay on all the time all you do is click the power off and then on again inside a second and that should be it. This doesn't work, the lights come on but eventually go off.

Now I'm not sure if I should be switching off/on when the lights are on or when they are off. Or is it something to do with the beam getting broken when I am working out there. (this would seem to defeat the purpose though)

Can anyone shed any light (boom boom) on why they wouldn't be staying on?

Cheers Martin

[tony sayer]

In article , [e-mail] writes

If you have them fed from a switch some of them will turn on and stay on if you flick the switch twice or something similar......

[Lurch]

On 25 Sep 2005 12:47:45 -0700, [e-mail] scrawled:

Some will stay on for a predetermined length of time after flicking the switch on and off rather than the proper sense if the word permanent.

My personal inclination in this situation is to fit a remote overide switch that physically bypasses the PIR circuit and brings the lamp on permanent. You could do this inside or use outdoor switches so you can just switch them on and off at will.

[marts80]

Many thanks for the info guys The instructions say flicking the switch off then on within a second will make the lights stay on until dawn.

They are both fed from the same switch - I tried flicking off/on again about 1/2 hour ago - one stayed on, the other went off...its not dawn yet!

I'll keep trying- thanks again Martin

[Bill]

In message , [e-mail] writes

Could it be that one or both are seeing the other light as daylight???

[david lang]

Keep moving!

Dave

[dave]

The ones I have here work the way you say they should - only the time stated is "within 4 seconds". eg Switch the light on, wait say, 2 seconds, then off then on again. If I do this the light stays on permanently - even in daylight. Mine aren't 500W though - only 150 I think. Try experimenting with the off-on time a bit.

[marts80]

Yeah I'll have a fiddle about with the off/on cycle a bit. I suppose it could be that one light is seeing the other as daylight but then surely that would happen with only 1 light anyway..

Thanks everyone for your time on this one.

I'll keep at it Cheers Martin