What the heck is this and what can I replace it with??

[neilp123]

Hi there,
Trying to fix and outdoor light. I’ve changed the bulb, no good.
Now I’m looking at what I think is the switch for it inside the house. I’ve never seen a switch like it before....

When I press the soft button it doesn’t seem to click or anything. Do I need to replace this switch? What with?

Thanks

 

[flameport]

It's a flex outlet, not a switch.
The soft part is a plastic plug which is removed when installing the flex to an appliance.

 

[neilp123]

Ahhh....So it’s nothing to do with the outdoor light!

Ok, now I have to find out where the switch for the outside light is!

 

[neilp123]

So this is the light. Bulb has been replaced. Any idea where I should start in finding the issue?

 

[jj4091]

Looks like an e.s lamp (screw in ) switch off the power at the consumer unit if necessary & clean the terminals inside the lamp holder ( one at the bottom & one in the threads of the holder. Use some sort of contact cleaner ( I like De-oxit )

 

[flameport]

Has this light ever worked?

It's also of the type that only works at night when movement is detected. Possible that the sensor is broken.

 

[conny]

Sometimes when you cut the power to them then re-energise the circuit they come on briefly.
Turn all the power of by the individual trips, (mcb's or whatever you have). When they are all off have someone stand by the lamp as you switch each trip back on. Get them to yell when/if it comes on. You will then know which circuit to investigate.

 

[FrodoOne]

This "Light Fitting" appears to contain a "Movement Sensor", which is a device which senses "movement" after "dusk".

The Neutral (N), Line (L) and Switched Line (L1) connections are visible in your photo.
First, check that voltage (240 V AC) is available between L and N (with a Voltmeter/Multi-meter)
(Since the lamp is a halogen/incandescent, you might also check for continuity of the filament within it, using the ohm-meter function.)

If voltage is not available, find out why.

If voltage is available, turn it off (at the breaker) and bend up the centre terminal of the Edison Screw lamp holder to ensure contact with the centre contact of the lamp.

Re-connect the supply, cover what appears to be a "Movement Sensor" (Passive Infra-Red [PIR] sensor) and the lamp should turn on.
(You should then also have voltage between N and L1)

(However, you may need to wait until it is "dark" in order to test it, if it is a PIR "Movement Sensor" and not just a "dusk-sensor".)

If it does not turn on after these tests, it is probable that the sensor and/or its circuitry is faulty - so, you will need to replace the entire unit.


I would not replace this unit with lamp with an integrated Movement Sensor, since such PIRs tend to fail, quite often!
I would use a lamp-housing and a separate Movement Sensor, both of which can be replaced individually.

 

[JohnD]

it's great fun tinkering, but it terms of economy, it will cost you less to buy a simple lamp with an LED, and to run it for ten years, than to run your existing lamp for five years; and much more than it will cost you to buy and run a new lamp with PIR. It is pretty sure never to go wrong.

You could get a lamp with just a photocell, which will be cheap and will save people telling you you've forgotten to turn your lamp off.