Security light stays on

[KateMoss]

I see there are several threads on this but my particular case doesn’t seem to be covered…
I took the light down while some building work was done and on putting it back in the same place it comes on when it gets dark but stays on. I have tried the various re-set tips but they haven’t improved it.
My problem is I can’t find any details of a light quite like mine. There is no maker’s name and no adjustable controls that I can see and the wiring is very simple compared to what I see on the web. I attach a picture. On the face of it it is very simple, red blue and earth from mains go to red, blue and earth on the connector block as far as I recall.
Any help would be appreciated.
Also what is the ball-ended plastic arm in the picture for?

 

[ericmark]

Some lamps were set but switching on/off in a set sequence, I seem to remember having two lamps on same isolator and never seemed to both end up with same program.

 

[Bosswhite]

You may find with the setting buttons there is a "Dusk to Dawn on " Setting does it go off in daylight ?

 

[KateMoss]

You may find with the setting buttons there is a "Dusk to Dawn on " Setting does it go off in daylight ?

Thanks, but I have looked closely and I can’t see any setting buttons/controls on it at all! Seems to be a very basic (or fiendishly clever)! model, that’s why I say I can’t find any similar ones on the net.

 

[JohnW2]

... I have looked closely and I can’t see any setting buttons/controls on it at all!

I obviously can't argue with you, but that would be pretty (I would say very) unusual. Are you certain? Are there perhaps some very small holes through which a screwdriver/whatever can be inserted to adjust.

There are commonly three adjusters (usually little things one can rotate - by hand or with a screwdriver) - for 'sensitivity', 'time on' and 'light sensing' (the later to adjust how dark you want it to be for the PIR to come into action).

Kind Regards, John

 

[ETAF]

There are commonly three adjusters (usually little things one can rotate - by hand or with a screwdriver) - for 'sensitivity', 'time on' and 'light sensing' (the later to adjust how dark you want it to be for the PIR to come into action).

Quite a few older models had DIP switches - very small switches that you could set for timer.

 

[KateMoss]

I obviously can't argue with you, but that would be pretty (I would say very) unusual. Are you certain? Are there perhaps some very small holes through which a screwdriver/whatever can be inserted to adjust.

There are commonly three adjusters (usually little things one can rotate - by hand or with a screwdriver) - for 'sensitivity', 'time on' and 'light sensing' (the later to adjust how dark you want it to be for the PIR to come into action).

Kind Regards, John

Thanks John, I’m certain, I have looked again and I’m generally good at spotting things like that.
The thing is nothing has been altered anyway, it has just been disconnected so I wouldn’t expect to have to re-configure (even if I could!).
It seems to come on when it gets darker, as I said, so I assume some ‘dusk’ sensor is working, but it then stays on. I think maybe the motion sensor is stuck in ‘on’ mode, possibly a connection inside came loose via the little bit of movement it has been subjected to.
Pure conjecture on my part, I don’t know if that’s possible. Also I can’t take it apart to check connections as there are some plastic wedge-shaped tabs in the housing which won’t come out of their slots without the risk of a severe slip of the screwdriver which will do further harm. I really think this was designed to be ditched on failure - it came with the house.
P.S. can you see the ball-ended plastic thing I mentioned behind the wires? No idea what it does but it must be there for some purpose.

 

[SFK]

ball-ended plastic thing I mentioned b

Sorry No idea.

One idea - on my PIR you pull the PIR section downwards and it slides out of the upper housing by about 1cm to expose the controls.
SFK

 

[EFLImpudence]

I don't know as I have not seen one like it, but

to me, it looks like the bottom is a dusk to dawn sensor and the other the PIR.

So, should the light come on dimly dusk to dawn and brighter when the PIR senses something (called Hi-Lo usually) with settings somewhere to alter it if you want.

Edit - not correct.


Which is the ball-ended piece you mention?

 

[ETAF]

as mentioned above by a previous poster
I had a PIR flood light in garage, since removed, and on the switch if had some ON/OFF/ON sequencing and timing to change it to be on all the time, to be dusk to dawn and to activate the PIR
I suspect you may need to do that
https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-reset-a-motion-sensor-light/9ba683603be9fa5395fab904793806f

• Step 1: Turn your light switch to the on position, then flip it off for two to three seconds. Turn the switch on and check your lights. If this does not work, proceed to step two.
• Step 2: Turn your light switch on and off quickly, hitting each position four times. When the light comes on, turn the switch to the off position and wait five to seven seconds before turning it on again. The light should remain off and the motion detection unit should be reset.

like
OFF – ON – OFF – ON in quick succession
OR

 

[KateMoss]

The ball-ended piece is difficult to see. The ball is marked by a yellow arrow(it’s inside the case, the other end is fixed by a screw (blue arrow) and the red arrow shows a bit of the plastic arm connecting the two.

 

[KateMoss]

as mentioned above by a previous poster
I had a PIR flood light in garage, since removed, and on the switch if had some ON/OFF/ON sequencing and timing to change it to be on all the time, to be dusk to dawn and to activate the PIR
I suspect you may need to do that
https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-reset-a-motion-sensor-light/9ba683603be9fa5395fab904793806f

like
OFF – ON – OFF – ON in quick succession
OR

Thanks, I saw that myself and tried it, it doesn’t seem to have done the trick but I’ll give it another go.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Isn't that just the part of it that hooks on the wall bracket?

 

[JohnW2]

... P.S. can you see the ball-ended plastic thing I mentioned behind the wires? No idea what it does but it must be there for some purpose.

I haven't seen anything quite like that before, but it looks as if it may simply be something to 'hold down' the wires (if those wires are positioned under it before the 'ball' is put back in its hole) - certainly not of any functional relevance

Kind Regards, John

 

[Alec_t]

On lamps I've had/got, On-Off-On in quick succession locks the light on. This can be annoying if there are brief drop-outs in the mains supply. Is your mains subject to drop-outs?