Problem with outside lights with pir

[leeherb18]

Hi new to this forum - I have added 2 additional outside lights (all 3 with pir) and taken the feed for addirional 2 from the original light. The cable is 3 core and earth leading from the original light to the switch indoors. The feed to the switch from the lighting circuit is 2 core and earth. The new lights I've added outside are also 2 core and earth. When the switch is on all 3 light are on, but none will go off, they are all either all on or all off. As you've probably gathered i'm not an electrician - at switch black is acting as switched live and grey as neutral so brown/back into live, grey into neutral. At light grey into neutral but black into grey, should black be wired into live also

 

[Steve]

If the original light was working before, dont alter the switch. I cant understand what's what there anyway, your description is poor.

Now, are you aware that most PIR sensors have an override function, whereby if you rapidly switch them off and on within a second, they will stay on forever (until you turn them off for a minute or so).

Of course, another thing could be you mucked up the wiring.

I cant help without a clearer explaination though.

What wires are at the original fitting, what terminals did they connect to, and what have you altered there? I assume you didnt change the switch.

 

[leeherb18]

hi Steve - I'll try and explain a little clearer.
I didn't originally change the switch. The switch operated the 500w PIR correctly. I added 2 additional outside lights (both with pir) and took the feed from the existing 500w pir. The wiring in the existing light is 3 core and earth with live to live, earth to earth, black to the terminal where two grey wires comes from the light and the grey wire feeding into the light connecting to neutral. I added 2 core and earth cable into the live, earth and neutral terminals and took this to external juntion box, where I have the two new outside lights feeding from. The original switch indoors had 3 settings - on, sensor and off, but would not operate all lights correctly at any setting (apart from off). I changed the switch to a one-way and now all lights are on or off depending on switch, but do not function on pir.

 

[Spark123]

Can you put it back to when you had the perm on/off/sensor switching arrangement? I take it this was a supply on/off with one switch and sensor/perm on with the other?
Can you upload a few pictures of what you have? Is it possible you have connected into LS on the new lights instead of L? Have you picked up the live which is on when you have it switched on?

 

[Steve]

Your 3-way switch wont work witht he two new lights as you can only give them a single live.

Unless you use another run of 3core and earth. In which case connect the other 2 lights the same as the original.


Your two new lights can only be wired permenantly on PIR (with original light on its own PIR). Do this by connecting the live to the "live" of the first light. Your override switch will only operate the first light.

 

[Steve]

Oh hang on, the new switch - i didnt see that.

Dont connect the black that leads to the lights.

Only the core you call "live" - i assume brown.

This should work, but obviously no override.

Ignore my ramblings above lol. This should do the trick.

 

[leeherb18]

Steve - understand - what would happen if I ignored the grey cable in the 3 core and just used as though I had 2 core - would that work - therefore leave unconnected and capped off at both the switch and original light

 

[Steve]

Yes. You should somehow terminate it at each end. Using a terminal block or something.

 

[leeherb18]

Many thanks - very helpful, I'll again try next weekend

 

[Steve]

I've yet to come accross a 500w floodlight that will comfortably take two sets of cores in its enclosure. It must be tight in there.

 

[leeherb18]

yes you're right it is tight, especially when you're up a ladder wiring it up, hopefully get it all sorted next weekend, else I'll be back on the forum!