Outside Detector Light

[Titchfield]

I have just bought a new outdoor light with detector. I am confused!

From the house to the old light was red, blue, yellow and green/yellow. Not seen a yellow cable before and it does not appear on any diagrams.

The new light is only requiring Live, Neutral and Earth. I am assuming the blue is N from the house and green/yellow is Earth?

Which Live do I connect - red or yellow? And what do i do with the spare wire? Put into a 'dead-end' in a small block?

Thanks

Scott

 

[ColJack]

it would depend..
it may be that the red is a permanent live, and the yellow a switched live..

try the yellow first and put the red in a connector block, if that doesn't work, try the red and put yellow in a conector block..

 

[Titchfield]

Thanks - I will go and try!

S

 

[Titchfield]

hello again - sadly that didn't work. I isolated both the red and the yellow separately.

 

[ColJack]

stupid question..
did you turn the switch on?
or check the fuse if it's got a fused spur on it?

 

[Titchfield]

hi, yes did check the switch! I also checked the bulb in a lamp to eliminate that possibility. Could it be a faulty light unit? But that diesn't explain what i do with 4 cables when the new lamp only needs 3!

Thanks for your help.

S

 

[ColJack]

another stupid question.. you do realise it's daylight outside?
it's probably got a dusk sensor on it..
did you set it to it's test function? it likely won't come on in daylight if it's not set to test..

 

[Titchfield]

That is true on the sensor, but it should still have come on by the switch?

S

 

[ColJack]

flicked it twice in less than a second?

 

[Titchfield]

no, why?

 

[ColJack]

that's usually the overide..

read the instructions..

if you suspect the fitting, put a lead and a plug on it and try it in a socket.. ( in a dark room )

can you do us a photo of the fitting connections, the wires out of the wall and any switching arangement for it.. ( take the switch off the wall and photo the wires ) and we'll advise further..

 

[Titchfield]

The light is working okay. Could it be that the light needs the live (red presumably) and the yellow switch live, with the blue put in a block? But would that complete a circuit?

 

[ColJack]

you need a tester to see what's what..
go and buy a multimeter from B&Q ( or other DIY outlet store ).. and tell us when you have one...

 

[Steve]

The light is working okay. Could it be that the light needs the live (red presumably) and the yellow switch live, with the blue put in a block? But would that complete a circuit?

NO!

You clearly realise one of the cores is live, one is switched live.

The switched live and neutral should be connected to the light. Please realise that the sensor controls the light at all times. Even the double-switch-flick override will not override the daylight sensor on some models.

When I bought one recently, it came with a bit of black tape on the daylight sensor, for commisioning purposes. This was from B&Q. The instructions should indicate where the sensor is. It will not work if it sees daylight.

 

[Titchfield]

Thanks Steve - it is a B&Q light. I will find some black tape and try that tomorrow. How do I know if the red or the yellow is the switch live?