Let's try this again.
I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
at dusk and off at dawn. It is not compatible with CFLs. If I cover
the eye so it thinks it's always dark and therefore will always be on,
will a CFL work, or is the circuitry different such that the CFL will
have a shorter life, even though it will always be on?
Part II: If, for the previous question, it will work, I will add a
screw-in photo-cell that works with CFLs for only $8. Then, it will
be on only at night and will be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

wrote:
Let's try this again.
I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
at dusk and off at dawn. It is not compatible with CFLs. If I cover
the eye so it thinks it's always dark and therefore will always be on,
will a CFL work, or is the circuitry different such that the CFL will
have a shorter life, even though it will always be on?
Part II: If, for the previous question, it will work, I will add a
screw-in photo-cell that works with CFLs for only $8. Then, it will
be on only at night and will be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

Q 1 is easy. Try it.
Q 2 A little math is suggested, Cost of power to that CFL, assuming CFL
rating is accurate (ie 13 watt or whatever) times hours of elec saved

On Oct 19, 6:01*am, "
wrote:
Let's try this again.
I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
at dusk and off at dawn. It is not compatible with CFLs. *If I cover
the eye so it thinks it's always dark and therefore will always be on,
will a CFL work, or is the circuitry different such that the CFL will
have a shorter life, even though it will always be on?
Part II: If, for the previous question, it will work, I will add a
screw-in photo-cell that works with CFLs for only $8. *Then, it will
be on only at night and will be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

rewire the fixture with a non-photo cell socket ,....add the CFL
rated screw in photo cell socket

OR

if the photo cell is a remote one, jumper it

cheers
Bob

On Oct 19, 9:01*am, "
wrote:
Let's try this again.
I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
at dusk and off at dawn. It is not compatible with CFLs. *If I cover
the eye so it thinks it's always dark and therefore will always be on,
will a CFL work, or is the circuitry different such that the CFL will
have a shorter life, even though it will always be on?
Part II: If, for the previous question, it will work, I will add a
screw-in photo-cell that works with CFLs for only $8. *Then, it will
be on only at night and will be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

You need to bypass the photo-cell. Forcing it on does not solve the
problem. Or replace it with one that is compatible with cfls.

On Oct 19, 12:42*pm, jamesgangnc wrote:
On Oct 19, 9:01*am, "
wrote:

Let's try this again.
I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
at dusk and off at dawn. It is not compatible with CFLs. *If I cover
the eye so it thinks it's always dark and therefore will always be on,
will a CFL work, or is the circuitry different such that the CFL will
have a shorter life, even though it will always be on?
Part II: If, for the previous question, it will work, I will add a
screw-in photo-cell that works with CFLs for only $8. *Then, it will
be on only at night and will be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

You need to bypass the photo-cell. *Forcing it on does not solve the
problem. *Or replace it with one that is compatible with cfls.

The usual photocell lights may not turn on fully at twilight
conditions, and the CFL's don't like that. If the photocell operates
a relay, so the light is fully off or fully on, then the CFL will work
ok.

On Oct 19, 3:06*pm, "hr(bob) "
wrote:
On Oct 19, 12:42*pm, jamesgangnc wrote:

On Oct 19, 9:01*am, "
wrote:

Let's try this again.
I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
at dusk and off at dawn. It is not compatible with CFLs. *If I cover
the eye so it thinks it's always dark and therefore will always be on,
will a CFL work, or is the circuitry different such that the CFL will
have a shorter life, even though it will always be on?
Part II: If, for the previous question, it will work, I will add a
screw-in photo-cell that works with CFLs for only $8. *Then, it will
be on only at night and will be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

You need to bypass the photo-cell. *Forcing it on does not solve the
problem. *Or replace it with one that is compatible with cfls.

The usual photocell lights may not turn on fully at twilight
conditions, and the CFL's don't like that. *If the photocell operates
a relay, so the light is fully off or fully on, then the CFL will work
ok.

It's very unlikely that the photocell operates a relay since they are
pretty much never used in those things. Mechanical failure rate is
too high. It probably has a triac that is not compatible with cfls.

On Oct 19, 2:58*pm, jamesgangnc wrote:
On Oct 19, 3:06*pm, "hr(bob) "
wrote:





On Oct 19, 12:42*pm, jamesgangnc wrote:

On Oct 19, 9:01*am, "
wrote:

Let's try this again.
I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
at dusk and off at dawn. It is not compatible with CFLs. *If I cover
the eye so it thinks it's always dark and therefore will always be on,
will a CFL work, or is the circuitry different such that the CFL will
have a shorter life, even though it will always be on?
Part II: If, for the previous question, it will work, I will add a
screw-in photo-cell that works with CFLs for only $8. *Then, it will
be on only at night and will be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

You need to bypass the photo-cell. *Forcing it on does not solve the
problem. *Or replace it with one that is compatible with cfls.

The usual photocell lights may not turn on fully at twilight
conditions, and the CFL's don't like that. *If the photocell operates
a relay, so the light is fully off or fully on, then the CFL will work
ok.

It's very unlikely that the photocell operates a relay since they are
pretty much never used in those things. *Mechanical failure rate is
too high. *It probably has a triac that is not compatible with cfls.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I have a couple at my house that have the relays, you can hear a click
as the light varies up and down. But, I agree that type are in the
minority.

I have bought three regular photo-cells for regular bulbs in the last month,
and only one of them has worked.

Is there a huge failure rate for these things ?

James

wrote:
Let's try this again.
I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
at dusk and off at dawn. It is not compatible with CFLs. If I cover
the eye so it thinks it's always dark and therefore will always be on,
will a CFL work, or is the circuitry different such that the CFL will
have a shorter life, even though it will always be on?
Part II: If, for the previous question, it will work, I will add a
screw-in photo-cell that works with CFLs for only $8. Then, it will
be on only at night and will be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

I bought 3 lamps from the Borg without even knowing they have photocells
in them. I could turn that feature of but I left it set to light dusk
to dawn and all three CFL's have been working for months now. If the
cheap photocells in the lamps go bad, I'll bypass the photocells, wire
them direct, and put them all on one heavy duty photocell. And if that
doesn't work, I'll make the photocell turn on a relay which will give
power to all three lamps, I know that WILL work.

OLDER CFLs died fast on my pole light with photocell.......

newer ones live happlily and last a long time. whatever failed must
have been addressed..........

On Oct 20, 7:28*am, " wrote:
OLDER CFLs died fast on my pole light with photocell.......

newer ones live happlily and last a long time. whatever failed must
have been addressed..........

The "photocells" in light-sensitive switches or fixtures or whatever
you want to call them are normally variable resistors whose resistance
changes with the light that falls on the sensor. This in turn is used
to control a semiconductor called a "triac" which can control the
output, either directly, or by operating a relay. The relay, because
of its mechanical nature, is either on or off. But, if the triac
output is connected directly to the output/lamp socket, in
transitional lighting levels, the triac will only be partially
conducting, just like a light dimmer, and that is what the CFL's don't
like.