Troubleshooting Tips to Help Get Your Sensors Working Again
A customer had two motion sensors attached to outdoor floodlights. The sensor worked fine on one side of house but did not work on the other side.
To remedy this problem, try cleaning the surfaces of your lights with a mild cleaning solution and a cloth. Sometimes, debris, dust, insects or mildew can accumulate on a sensor and make it inoperative. Make sure the bulb in the light is good, and try re-aiming the light to see if it works.
If you tried those two troubleshooting tips and your motion sensor lights are still not working, there are a few other things you could try:
- Turn off the circuit breaker that delivers power to the light, and leave it off for about 30 minutes. Turn it back on and check the light to see if the bulbs are lit. If they are, the sensor just needs to be reset and the light will turn off a few seconds later. If the reset doesn’t fix the problem, then you’ll have to replace the light bulb.
- Try adjusting the settings on the bottom of the sensor.
- If you want to go more in-depth with the troubleshooting, you can test the wires inside with a voltage tester, then disconnect the black and red wires from the circuit. Connect the light fixture’s black wire directly to the black feed wire in the box and secure the connection. Then, turn the breaker back on and check the light bulbs. If they are on, the motion sensor is bad and needs replacement. If the bulbs are not on, double check your wiring. If the wiring is good, then the entire fixture will need replacement.
If you would rather have a professional come take a look at your motion sensor lighting, call Raynor Services today!