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#1
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Porch light controls: how do they work?
Anyone,
Okay, here's a dumb question... We just moved into an old house which has two exterior lights mounted onto the house on either side of the front door. I'm not sure who the manufacturer is. Each light has two control switches, and I cannot figure out exactly how they work together. Switch 1 has these four settings: TEST, 1 Minute, 5 Minutes, 10 Minutes. Switch 2 has these four settings: OFF, 3 Hours, 6 Hours, Dusk to Dawn. Can anyone explain to me what these switches do, and how/if they work together? What I would like to do is to set the lights so that they go on at dusk, and go off a few hours later (or stay on all night, if necessary). Thanks in advance, David |
#2
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Porch light controls: how do they work?
In article ,
David E. wrote: Okay, here's a dumb question... We just moved into an old house which has two exterior lights mounted onto the house on either side of the front door. I'm not sure who the manufacturer is. Each light has two control switches, and I cannot figure out exactly how they work together. Do these lights have a motion detector as well as a photocell? If so, here is what I think they mean: Switch 1 has these four settings: TEST, 1 Minute, 5 Minutes, 10 Minutes. Test is for testing. On when motion detected, immediate off when motion stops. Others are for how long light stays on after motion stops. Switch 2 has these four settings: OFF, 3 Hours, 6 Hours, Dusk to Dawn. Taking a guess here, but OFF is either no motion detector or no light/dark detector. 3 & 6 are hours to be active after dusk, and dusk-dawn is all night. Can anyone explain to me what these switches do, and how/if they work together? What I would like to do is to set the lights so that they go on at dusk, and go off a few hours later (or stay on all night, if necessary). I think you want the 3 or 6 setting. See if you can find a manufacturers name on them and then look on the web. You may be able to d/l an instruction sheet or call customer service to get one. Or see if you can locate a duplicate in the store to get manufacturer's name. -- Rich Greenberg N Ft Myers, FL, USA richgr atsign panix.com + 1 239 543 1353 Eastern time. N6LRT I speak for myself & my dogs only. VM'er since CP-67 Canines:Val, Red, Shasta & Casey (RIP), Red & Zero, Siberians Owner:Chinook-L Retired at the beach Asst Owner:Sibernet-L |
#3
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Porch light controls: how do they work?
On Fri, 29 Dec 2006 15:03:21 -0500, "David E."
wrote: Anyone, Okay, here's a dumb question... We just moved into an old house which has two exterior lights mounted onto the house on either side of the front door. I'm not sure who the manufacturer is. Each light has two control switches, and I cannot figure out exactly how they work together. Switch 1 has these four settings: TEST, 1 Minute, 5 Minutes, 10 Minutes. Switch 2 has these four settings: OFF, 3 Hours, 6 Hours, Dusk to Dawn. Can anyone explain to me what these switches do, and how/if they work together? What I would like to do is to set the lights so that they go on at dusk, and go off a few hours later (or stay on all night, if necessary). Thanks in advance, David You have a motion sensor light. Switch 1 allows for a test and determines how long the light stays on after activated - 1, 5 or 10 minutes. Your light also has a feature that allows it to burn at a dimmer setting until it is activated - kind of like a night light. Switch 2 turns this feature off or operates it at 3 hours, 6 hours or all night (which is what you indicate you would like to do). I select the 6 hour setting so right now it comes on between 5-6 PM and provides continuous lighting until 11 - 12 PM unless someone activates it at which point it becomes full bright. Hope this helps. |
#4
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Porch light controls: how do they work?
Tom,
Thank you so much; I was wondering why the lights seemed to get brighter and dimmer, seemingly without rhyme or reason! I do have a question regarding switch 2. Just to make sure I understand: if I set them for 6 hours, that means that they will stay on automatically for 6 hours (on the dim setting) beginning at *dusk*, right? I.e., I don't need to program any sort of start time; the start time is always dusk? Also, do you think that there might be a way to increase the angle of the motion detector? I actually wouldn't need the nightlight feature at all if the light came on when I approach the porch from a wider angle than that at which it currently activates. David "tomcarlson (REMOVE) (Tom)" wrote in message . .. On Fri, 29 Dec 2006 15:03:21 -0500, "David E." wrote: Anyone, Okay, here's a dumb question... We just moved into an old house which has two exterior lights mounted onto the house on either side of the front door. I'm not sure who the manufacturer is. Each light has two control switches, and I cannot figure out exactly how they work together. Switch 1 has these four settings: TEST, 1 Minute, 5 Minutes, 10 Minutes. Switch 2 has these four settings: OFF, 3 Hours, 6 Hours, Dusk to Dawn. Can anyone explain to me what these switches do, and how/if they work together? What I would like to do is to set the lights so that they go on at dusk, and go off a few hours later (or stay on all night, if necessary). Thanks in advance, David You have a motion sensor light. Switch 1 allows for a test and determines how long the light stays on after activated - 1, 5 or 10 minutes. Your light also has a feature that allows it to burn at a dimmer setting until it is activated - kind of like a night light. Switch 2 turns this feature off or operates it at 3 hours, 6 hours or all night (which is what you indicate you would like to do). I select the 6 hour setting so right now it comes on between 5-6 PM and provides continuous lighting until 11 - 12 PM unless someone activates it at which point it becomes full bright. Hope this helps. |
#5
Posted to misc.consumers.house
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Porch light controls: how do they work?
On Mon, 1 Jan 2007 07:09:32 -0500, "David E."
wrote: Tom, Thank you so much; I was wondering why the lights seemed to get brighter and dimmer, seemingly without rhyme or reason! I do have a question regarding switch 2. Just to make sure I understand: if I set them for 6 hours, that means that they will stay on automatically for 6 hours (on the dim setting) beginning at *dusk*, right? I.e., I don't need to program any sort of start time; the start time is always dusk? That is correct. In Winter when it gets dark around 5:00 or so the six hour setting would keep them on until around 11:00 - Midnight while in Summer it may run until 2:00 - 3:00 AM. Also, do you think that there might be a way to increase the angle of the motion detector? I actually wouldn't need the nightlight feature at all if the light came on when I approach the porch from a wider angle than that at which it currently activates. Hard to say without seeing the fixture but it's not likely. Most are built into the fixture and are not adjustable. You might take a look at the sensor to see if there is any way it can be aimed but if so, you can probably just aim it a little to one side or the other. I would imagine that the actual angle is fixed. If it's a real problem, you could replace it with a unit that has a separate sensor that is adjustable but they aren't real attractive. |
#6
Posted to misc.consumers.house
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Porch light controls: how do they work?
REMOVE REMOVE Tom wrote: On Mon, 1 Jan 2007 07:09:32 -0500, "David E." wrote: Tom, Thank you so much; I was wondering why the lights seemed to get brighter and dimmer, seemingly without rhyme or reason! I do have a question regarding switch 2. Just to make sure I understand: if I set them for 6 hours, that means that they will stay on automatically for 6 hours (on the dim setting) beginning at *dusk*, right? I.e., I don't need to program any sort of start time; the start time is always dusk? That is correct. In Winter when it gets dark around 5:00 or so the six hour setting would keep them on until around 11:00 - Midnight while in Summer it may run until 2:00 - 3:00 AM. Also, do you think that there might be a way to increase the angle of the motion detector? I actually wouldn't need the nightlight feature at all if the light came on when I approach the porch from a wider angle than that at which it currently activates. Hard to say without seeing the fixture but it's not likely. Most are built into the fixture and are not adjustable. You might take a look at the sensor to see if there is any way it can be aimed but if so, you can probably just aim it a little to one side or the other. I would imagine that the actual angle is fixed. If it's a real problem, you could replace it with a unit that has a separate sensor that is adjustable but they aren't real attractive. The angle no. But most have sensitivity controls and some also have a range booster switch. |
#7
Posted to misc.consumers.house
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Porch light controls: how do they work?
Thanks, everyone. The lights are working just the way we want them now!
wrote in message ups.com... REMOVE REMOVE Tom wrote: On Mon, 1 Jan 2007 07:09:32 -0500, "David E." wrote: Tom, Thank you so much; I was wondering why the lights seemed to get brighter and dimmer, seemingly without rhyme or reason! I do have a question regarding switch 2. Just to make sure I understand: if I set them for 6 hours, that means that they will stay on automatically for 6 hours (on the dim setting) beginning at *dusk*, right? I.e., I don't need to program any sort of start time; the start time is always dusk? That is correct. In Winter when it gets dark around 5:00 or so the six hour setting would keep them on until around 11:00 - Midnight while in Summer it may run until 2:00 - 3:00 AM. Also, do you think that there might be a way to increase the angle of the motion detector? I actually wouldn't need the nightlight feature at all if the light came on when I approach the porch from a wider angle than that at which it currently activates. Hard to say without seeing the fixture but it's not likely. Most are built into the fixture and are not adjustable. You might take a look at the sensor to see if there is any way it can be aimed but if so, you can probably just aim it a little to one side or the other. I would imagine that the actual angle is fixed. If it's a real problem, you could replace it with a unit that has a separate sensor that is adjustable but they aren't real attractive. The angle no. But most have sensitivity controls and some also have a range booster switch. |
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