Possessed Security light

[di-try]

Sorry if this is posted in the wrong area, I'm new. I signed up specifically to ask for help as my 'googling' got me nowhere :/

So I have a basic security light on my driveway, with a motion sensor (PIR I believe) and since I changed the bulb recently, whenever the sensor is tripped it flashes/strobes over and over rather than just lighting up for the set time limit (60 secs max). It's like there's a photo shoot going on every time I pull up ?! Constantly clicking and flashing until I get out of the way.

I've tried repositioning it, I've tried every variation on the dials underneath (the light and time settings) and I made sure I got the right bulbs. So my question is am I doing anything wrong or has it had it ?

Of course it's less than a year old and I can't find any receipts :/

If anyone can shed any light on this, it would be appreciated. (Pun intended

Cheers

 

[bernardgreen]

Wrong answer deleted

 

[alan333]

Could it be that your new bulb isn't connecting properly to it's contacts at either end?

 

[di-try]

I'll give it a wiggle tomorrow (gave up tonight) but like I said, you can hear the sensor clicking too.
I'll still try that.
Cheers Alan333

 

[PBC_1966]

As well as checking the connections at the lamp itself, check the connections on the terminal block where powers come into the unit. It's possible that something was working loose and the movement of you changing the lamp has disturbed it.

 

[Iggifer]

What kind of lamps are they? Linear Halogen? Or fluorescent?

 

[di-try]

Linear halogen (120w)

 

[Iggifer]

I would definitely check you've got both ends making a good contact, they can feel like they're in properly but one end often isn't quite right

 

[conny]

I had problems with a linear lamp once.
The silver shroud was in place at both ends but the dimple in one end was missing. Contact was only being made by side contact with the shroud and it was 'switching' on and off intermittently. I think the heat must have been causing the shroud to expand and lose contact then shriking as it cooled so making contact again. Fitted a new lamp with both dimples in place and it was fine.

 

[securespark]

Have you tried powering it down for a couple of minutes then switching back on?

This might settle it down.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Just a thought - it doesn't also have a dusk-dawn control, does it, i.e. so that it doesn't light up in the day when someone approaches?

 

[di-try]

So I checked the bulb was in correctly, checked the dimples, everything seems correctly in place.

Yes it does have a dusk-dawn dial, when I checked the bulb, I changed the setting to see if it was working (was still a bit light out) it lighted up fine, without any flickering. Then checked on it later in the evening (when it was dark) and its Flickering again !!

Might take it apart at weekend check connections, if all else fails replace it. :/

Cheers for all the help/replys

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Try masking off the light sensor when it's dark. Could be that it's picking up the light from the bulb, so switching off. Then it's all dark, so it switches on. Then it picks up light from the bulb and switches off.....

Have you put a brighter lamp in, changed the angle of the light, etc?

 

[di-try]

Yeah ... I think it's had it.

So last daft question (honest) when replacing it, is it just a case of matching the wires up, like rewiring a plug (I can manage that)