[Mikeyboy]

Bought one of these from Wilkos yesterday. Idea was, fit it in my hall
light, and it will come on as it goes dark. Good for security and
convenience of the first person home.
I tried it out this morning, and it came on immediately, ven though
its pretty bright daylight, though admittedly it is overcast, I
wouldn't describe it as dark in any sense.
The location is basically next to the front door, which has masses of
glass in it.

Does this suggest that it is only going to turn off in reallt bright
sunshine? That is my "take" on the situation.
Can anyone who know, please advise?
Thanks.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article
,
Mikeyboy wrote:
Bought one of these from Wilkos yesterday. Idea was, fit it in my hall
light, and it will come on as it goes dark. Good for security and
convenience of the first person home.
I tried it out this morning, and it came on immediately, ven though
its pretty bright daylight, though admittedly it is overcast, I
wouldn't describe it as dark in any sense.
The location is basically next to the front door, which has masses of
glass in it.

Does this suggest that it is only going to turn off in reallt bright
sunshine? That is my "take" on the situation.
Can anyone who know, please advise?

They're normally adjustable. Look for a plastic recessed screw, etc.
Possibly with a scale round it.

--
*A day without sunshine is like... night.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

[CJK[_2_]]

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article
,
Mikeyboy wrote:
Bought one of these from Wilkos yesterday. Idea was, fit it in my hall
light, and it will come on as it goes dark. Good for security and
convenience of the first person home.
I tried it out this morning, and it came on immediately, ven though
its pretty bright daylight, though admittedly it is overcast, I
wouldn't describe it as dark in any sense.
The location is basically next to the front door, which has masses of
glass in it.

Does this suggest that it is only going to turn off in reallt bright
sunshine? That is my "take" on the situation.
Can anyone who know, please advise?

They're normally adjustable. Look for a plastic recessed screw, etc.
Possibly with a scale round it.

--
*A day without sunshine is like... night.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

The last one I had the adjustment was no longer present. I did a PM
on a dead Osram non adjustable one & it is quite complex involving
a PIC (PIC16C505) microprocessor. Based on my observations
these seem to learn the lighting pattern and adapt to it. Providing it
is left permanently on, it seems to adapt to the local lighting pattern
in a day or two. Just don't switch it off....

Chris K

[Jonathan Campbell]

Mikeyboy wrote:
Bought one of these from Wilkos yesterday. Idea was, fit it in my hall
light, and it will come on as it goes dark. Good for security and
convenience of the first person home.
I tried it out this morning, and it came on immediately, ven though
its pretty bright daylight, though admittedly it is overcast, I
wouldn't describe it as dark in any sense.
The location is basically next to the front door, which has masses of
glass in it.

Does this suggest that it is only going to turn off in reallt bright
sunshine? That is my "take" on the situation.
Can anyone who know, please advise?

Are you talking about a device that fits between the bulb and the socket?

If so, you may find that it does not have any adjustment --- unlike
external PIR-switched lights.

In the case of the one I have (turns on when 'dark' and a sound is
made), it is in the hall about one metre from a door with a lot of glass
and facing south. In winter 'it thinks' it is dark for most of the day
-- at times when you would never think of switching on a light.

There will be a light sensor somewhere; it may be possible to arrange
that it faces the door.

Best regards,

Jon C.

[Harry Bloomfield[_3_]]

Mikeyboy wrote on 15/02/2009 :
Bought one of these from Wilkos yesterday. Idea was, fit it in my hall
light, and it will come on as it goes dark. Good for security and
convenience of the first person home.
I tried it out this morning, and it came on immediately, ven though
its pretty bright daylight, though admittedly it is overcast, I
wouldn't describe it as dark in any sense.
The location is basically next to the front door, which has masses of
glass in it.

Does this suggest that it is only going to turn off in reallt bright
sunshine? That is my "take" on the situation.
Can anyone who know, please advise?
Thanks.

To allow test and setting up during daylight, they often supply the
units with a black sticky label or similar over the light sensor. Once
tested and working you are supposed to remove this - Have you checked
for this?

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

[John]

"Harry Bloomfield" wrote in message
k...
Mikeyboy wrote on 15/02/2009 :
Bought one of these from Wilkos yesterday. Idea was, fit it in my hall
light, and it will come on as it goes dark. Good for security and
convenience of the first person home.
I tried it out this morning, and it came on immediately, ven though
its pretty bright daylight, though admittedly it is overcast, I
wouldn't describe it as dark in any sense.
The location is basically next to the front door, which has masses of
glass in it.

Does this suggest that it is only going to turn off in reallt bright
sunshine? That is my "take" on the situation.
Can anyone who know, please advise?
Thanks.

To allow test and setting up during daylight, they often supply the units
with a black sticky label or similar over the light sensor. Once tested
and working you are supposed to remove this - Have you checked for this?

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk


If they are too sensitive to light then they 'see' their own light and
switch off.

[Harry Bloomfield[_3_]]

John has brought this to us :
"Harry Bloomfield" wrote in message
k...
Mikeyboy wrote on 15/02/2009 :
Bought one of these from Wilkos yesterday. Idea was, fit it in my hall
light, and it will come on as it goes dark. Good for security and
convenience of the first person home.
I tried it out this morning, and it came on immediately, ven though
its pretty bright daylight, though admittedly it is overcast, I
wouldn't describe it as dark in any sense.
The location is basically next to the front door, which has masses of
glass in it.

Does this suggest that it is only going to turn off in reallt bright
sunshine? That is my "take" on the situation.
Can anyone who know, please advise?
Thanks.

To allow test and setting up during daylight, they often supply the units
with a black sticky label or similar over the light sensor. Once tested and
working you are supposed to remove this - Have you checked for this?

-- Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk


If they are too sensitive to light then they 'see' their own light and switch
off.

Not quite - the sensor can be and is ignored when the light has been
turned on to prevent them cycling, besides which there a tremendous
difference between the levels of daylight and that provided by a lamp.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

[Mikeyboy]

So is the consensus that I should leave it on all day and allow the
sensor to get used to the differences in natural light? or what?
I am a little confused.
Thanks for the help, by the way.

[John]

If they are too sensitive to light then they 'see' their own light and
switch off.

Not quite - the sensor can be and is ignored when the light has been
turned on to prevent them cycling, besides which there a tremendous
difference between the levels of daylight and that provided by a lamp.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk


Surely it depends on the lamp shade or fitting. Some may keep natural light
away from the sensor.

If the sensor can ignore its own light then how can it detect the daylight
of the morning - I guess it would only be a simple photo cell.

[Harry Bloomfield[_3_]]

John laid this down on his screen :
Surely it depends on the lamp shade or fitting. Some may keep natural light
away from the sensor.

If the sensor can ignore its own light then how can it detect the daylight of
the morning - I guess it would only be a simple photo cell.

I don't quite follow your question...

It is simple electronic logic, as in - If light has been turned on,
then ignore input from p/cell until light times out and goes off. If
light is out then enable p/cell.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

[CJK[_2_]]

"Harry Bloomfield" wrote in message
k...
John laid this down on his screen :
Surely it depends on the lamp shade or fitting. Some may keep natural
light away from the sensor.

If the sensor can ignore its own light then how can it detect the
daylight of the morning - I guess it would only be a simple photo cell.

I don't quite follow your question...

It is simple electronic logic, as in - If light has been turned on, then
ignore input from p/cell until light times out and goes off. If light is
out then enable p/cell.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk



I was judging my input from an Osram CFL with integrated sensor. When
it was first plugged in it did not work but after a few days it settled down
& coped with varying day lengths. When it finally gave up I investigated
& the logic was based on a microcontroller with embedded non volatile
memory. My
guess was that it was learning the varying light levels & setting the switch
point
accordingly. The replacement (different mfr) is doing the same.

This may be the norm for those without adjustment. Worth a try just leaving
it
for a few days and see if it sorts itself out if there is no adjustment.

Chris K

[John]

"Harry Bloomfield" wrote in message
k...
John laid this down on his screen :
Surely it depends on the lamp shade or fitting. Some may keep natural
light away from the sensor.

If the sensor can ignore its own light then how can it detect the
daylight of the morning - I guess it would only be a simple photo cell.

I don't quite follow your question...

It is simple electronic logic, as in - If light has been turned on, then
ignore input from p/cell until light times out and goes off. If light is
out then enable p/cell.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk


Sorry - didn't realise there was also a timer.

[Martin Pentreath]

On 15 Feb, 11:55, Mikeyboy wrote:
Bought one of these from Wilkos yesterday. Idea was, fit it in my hall
light, and it will come on as it goes dark. Good for security and
convenience of the first person home.
I tried it out this morning, and it came on immediately, ven though
its pretty bright daylight, though admittedly it is overcast, I
wouldn't describe it as dark in any sense.
The location is basically next to the front door, which has masses of
glass in it.

Does this suggest that it is only going to turn off in reallt bright
sunshine? That is my "take" on the situation.
Can anyone who know, please advise?
Thanks.

I've got three dusk-to-dawn lights at various places outside our
house. The two which are built into lamps are pretty rubbish in my
view. They turn the light on far too early and off far too late. I'm
talking here about sensors located outside in broad daylight, in one
case pointing upwards towards the southern sky. They only have 7 watt
bulbs in them, so lecky consumption is not a big deal, but the whole
point of the things was to increase security, and outside lights
switched on in daylight says "empty house" to me. The last time I
fitted an outside light I bought one with no sensor and bought a
fairly sophisticated, fully-adjustable sensor unit separately. That
one works fine.

To sum up: (1) built-in light sensors are rubbish, (2) if you put them
indoors they'll probably be on for 23 hours a day, (3) buy a decent
one separately, and (4) why can light manufacturers make sensors which
come on at a sensible time?

Cheers!

Martin

[The Medway Handyman]

John wrote:
If they are too sensitive to light then they 'see' their own light
and switch off.

Not quite - the sensor can be and is ignored when the light has been
turned on to prevent them cycling, besides which there a tremendous
difference between the levels of daylight and that provided by a
lamp. --
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk


Surely it depends on the lamp shade or fitting. Some may keep natural
light away from the sensor.

If the sensor can ignore its own light then how can it detect the
daylight of the morning - I guess it would only be a simple photo
cell.

Agreed. I can't get my head around this at all.

I have a dawn/dusk light outside the front door. Outside the attached
garage I have a 500w security light activated by a switch. When I turn this
on the dawn/dusk goes out, when I turn it off the D/D comes back on.

So how come the D/D doesn't react to its own light & turn off?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk