Faulty Photocell (Zodion)?

[OscarFoxtrot]

Evening all.

I was renewing a timber canopy in a block of flats and had to remove a Photocell thats used to control when the communal lighting comes on/goes off. I never touched any of the wiring or the internals but in order to get to the top mounting screw I had to unscrew the head of the photocell. I then did the reverse and remounted it in its original position when I was finished. Going by the size of the prongs it seems there is only one way the head attaches to the body so I'm confident I put it back together correctly.

Only problem now is that the lights are constantly on, no matter the level of daylight.

Have I done something wrong or have I inadvertently damaged it?

Its a Zodion SS4.

Cheers

 

[tonyelectric]

Most probably the cell was on its last legs and you disturbing it pushed it over the edge, I would first open the lower case (black part) to make sure no wiring has been disturbed, if thats OK pop along to the local electrical wholesalers, these are standard, buy another top and plug in

Incidently it is normal for the lights to come on immediately after you plug in the cell but they should go out soon after.

You are right they plug in one way only.

 

[OscarFoxtrot]

Thanks Tony, appreciate it.

It was end of the day and dark when I refitted it so all the lights came on. Customer phoned a couple of days later to say the lights were still on and hadn't gone off

I'll get a new one fitted. Does the power need to be off when the head is attached or removed?

 

[tonyelectric]

Best practice to turn off but simply changing the plug in top can be done live.

 

[PrinceofDarkness]

The simple unplugging of such a PEC head shouldn't have an adverse affect - they don't have any 'rattley parts'!

Perhaps this PEC is now in the permanent shade of your new canopy? It must have been pretty close to the overhanging structure for you to have moved it in the first place.......


Lucia.

 

[OscarFoxtrot]

Cheers Tony

 

[OscarFoxtrot]

The simple unplugging of such a PEC head shouldn't have an adverse affect - they don't have any 'rattley parts'!

Perhaps this PEC is now in the permanent shade of your new canopy? It must have been pretty close to the overhanging structure for you to have moved it in the first place.......


Lucia.

Its back in exactly the same place as it was before, on the face of the canopy.

The timbers on the canopy were rotten beyond repair so were removed and replaced. The photocell was screwed onto the face of the old timbers and is now back on the face of the new timbers.

 

[PrinceofDarkness]

Fair enough then O.F., that being the case, it's hardly your fault or liability....


Lucia.

 

[dannyboi2003]

If you remove the photocell head do the lights go off? If they do then its most probably knackered, just buy a new one and plug it in - job done! If the new cell has the same problem then the cell socket has probably lost its neutral connection, i believe if that happens they go into fail-safe which keeps the lights on 24/7. You will need to open up the socket and check the connections, isolate the supply first tho!

 

[OscarFoxtrot]

Cheers Danny, yes when the head is removed the lights go out.

I'll take the existing one to Neweys and see if they have a replacement

 

[ricicle]

There's not an overide switch been inadvertantly put on is there ?

 

[OscarFoxtrot]

Thanks for the assistance folks.

I replaced the photocell last week for a new one.

Lights came on then went off again (daytime), like Tony said they would.

Told the customer to phone me if the lights never came on that night.

Happy customer phoned to say all was well and lights were switching on and off like they did previous.

Cheers

 

[Click-Sure]

I love a happy ending!

 

[martinxxxxxx]

I love a happy ending!

Me too and it is always nice when the OP takes the trouble to come back on the forum to thank those who helped and let people know the epilogue.

A warm hazy Christmasy feeling.

We need more post like this tonight.

Martin

 

[noii]

Is there a trick to getting the translucent cover off the black part?

I've just moved in to a new home with one of these (Zodion SS4) which seems to have the same always-on trouble as OscarFoxtrot, and I wanted to take a peek inside before buying a replacement, but the cap seems very securely attached. The only thing to grip on to is the three metal contacts, and I don't really want to pull too hard on them.