Lights will not switch off

[Paul_C]

i will put my money on the timer being set wrong, look at the pic, the red override switch isat the bottom of its position, i think it should be at the top

Thats because I've been trying to figure out what's going on. The little red switch was at the top (1) position.

what happens if you move it back to the top then?

It can't be the timer. He's had the yellow isolated from the timer output and the lights are still on,

 

[stevedo]

i will put my money on the timer being set wrong, look at the pic, the red override switch isat the bottom of its position, i think it should be at the top

Thats because I've been trying to figure out what's going on. The little red switch was at the top (1) position.

what happens if you move it back to the top then?

The lights stay on.

 

[kendor]

is there another more local switch that may be overiding the timer and switch?

Not that I know of. We're still fairly new to the house so that's not to say that there isn't another switch

could be then, you might have to search it out, maybe they come on with a switch you use for other lights? these outside lights may very well be being double fed.

 

[stevedo]

is there another more local switch that may be overiding the timer and switch?

Not that I know of. We're still fairly new to the house so that's not to say that there isn't another switch

could be then, you might have to search it out, maybe they come on with a switch you use for other lights? these outside lights may very well be being double fed.

I'll see if I can find another switch.

Thanks everyone for their help and support so far.

 

[Paul_C]

could be then, you might have to search it out, maybe they come on with a switch you use for other lights? these outside lights may very well be being double fed.

Distinct possibility if you're not familiar with all the switches yet. Could be that there was an original switch for the outside lights and somebody added the timer and its associated switch later.

 

[kendor]

without any more info i'm making a wild guess here but my suspicion is that the red and blue are not L and N but the three core is the other end of a two way lighting circuit. and neutral for the timer motor is in series through a lamp filament.

 

[stevedo]

without any more info i'm making a wild guess here but my suspicion is that the red and blue are not L and N but the three core is the other end of a two way lighting circuit. and neutral for the timer motor is in series through a lamp filament.

I can't see any other switches. What more info do you need?

 

[Paul_C]

without any more info i'm making a wild guess here but my suspicion is that the red and blue are not L and N but the three core is the other end of a two way lighting circuit. and neutral for the timer motor is in series through a lamp filament.

That seems unlikely, as the timer would not have been operating properly. The motor would run fine through the relatively low reistance of the lamp filaments, but the timer would stop as soon as the lights came on.

I would have thought Steve would have mentioned the timer not running properly if that were the case.

 

[kendor]

without any more info i'm making a wild guess here but my suspicion is that the red and blue are not L and N but the three core is the other end of a two way lighting circuit. and neutral for the timer motor is in series through a lamp filament.

That seems unlikely, as the timer would not have been operating properly. The motor would run fine through the relatively low reistance of the lamp filaments, but the timer would stop as soon as the lights came on.

I would have thought Steve would have mentioned the timer not running properly if that were the case.

why would the motor stop when the lamps came on? they are tungsten filaments after all with negative coefficient of resistance.

 

[stevedo]

without any more info i'm making a wild guess here but my suspicion is that the red and blue are not L and N but the three core is the other end of a two way lighting circuit. and neutral for the timer motor is in series through a lamp filament.

That seems unlikely, as the timer would not have been operating properly. The motor would run fine through the relatively low reistance of the lamp filaments, but the timer would stop as soon as the lights came on.

I would have thought Steve would have mentioned the timer not running properly if that were the case.

Current situation is, 2 lights are on with the 3rd bulb removed, timer is running and yellow wire into timer is removed.

 

[kendor]

without any more info i'm making a wild guess here but my suspicion is that the red and blue are not L and N but the three core is the other end of a two way lighting circuit. and neutral for the timer motor is in series through a lamp filament.

I can't see any other switches. What more info do you need?

what i meant was it's rather late in the night for you to start tracing out cables so i was making a guess. perhaps you can get more info on where cables run to tomorrow ( christmas eve yeah right )
would like to get to the bottom of this so will wait for your reply perhaps in the new year?

 

[Paul_C]

why would the motor stop when the lamps came on? they are tungsten filaments after all with negative coefficient of resistance.

If the timer motor were in series with the line side of the lamps as you suggest, then as soon as the switch contacts closed they would short out the motor.

 

[kendor]

Current situation is, 2 lights are on with the 3rd bulb removed, timer is running and yellow wire into timer is removed.

you would need to remove all lamps and check motor is running still to prove my theory.

 

[stevedo]

without any more info i'm making a wild guess here but my suspicion is that the red and blue are not L and N but the three core is the other end of a two way lighting circuit. and neutral for the timer motor is in series through a lamp filament.

I can't see any other switches. What more info do you need?

what i meant was it's rather late in the night for you to start tracing out cables so i was making a guess. perhaps you can get more info on where cables run to tomorrow ( christmas eve yeah right )
would like to get to the bottom of this so will wait for your reply perhaps in the new year?

Aaaah, OK lets call it quits for tonight. I'll make everything safe and maybe have a closer look tomorrow or next week.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[breezer]

to answer the previous queries, why not set the timer to the right time, come back couple of hours later and see what it says