Burning PIR Light

[elsmore1]

Hi,

I noticed a funny smell recently when sitting in lounge then I thought it was a blub which had just blown in side table lamp. Then when I went out into garage the PIR light came on which has been outside for about 2 years. I could smell burning again and I looked up and saw the actual PIR light was on but appeared to be smoking!

I have it disconnected now as it was wired seperately so it wont activate now. Is this a likely PIR fault or something in the electric circuit? Nothing else seems affected.

I was earlier adding a light to understairs cupboard off of another light in hallway. The existing light has just one cable in nuetral/earth/live, so I just piggy backed off of this and it worked fine. I disconnected it now as a precaution but outside PIR still burns so off permantly now.

I will get an electrician to pop around to take a check. Its only under 3 years old the house and all else appears ok.

Thanks

 

[JohnW2]

I could smell burning again and I looked up and saw the actual PIR light was on but appeared to be smoking! ... I have it disconnected now as it was wired seperately so it wont activate now. Is this a likely PIR fault or something in the electric circuit?

Are you sure it was smoke, and not 'steam' due to moisture being heated by the lamp? ... Assuming it was smoke, nothing in the circuit, per se, could cause that. The fault would either have to be in the PIR/lamp itself, or the connections to it ('loose').

I will get an electrician to pop around to take a check.

Assuming that it was, indeed, the PIR/lamp causing the smell, it shouldn't take an electrician very long to get to the bottom of it.

Kind Regards, John

 

[AndyPRK]

is it a flood light? If yes, maybe just needs a new lamp

 

[elsmore1]

Hi,

You maybe correct it might be steam more than smoke but it was definitley a burned plastic type smell. Its a bit windy out back so any smoke steam moves quickly. There is a second PIR which I have left off a while as it keeps tripping on I turned this back on and no smoke or smell, so may well be the one PIR unit.

It did seem a bit coincidence it started when I wired in another bulb but its disconnected now. I might take it down and have a look later.

Thanks

 

[elsmore1]

I have just removed the PIR light and looks fine inside where the electric wires connect. I opened the front glass panel and saw little bits of white powder and removing the actual bulb one end of the bulb broke. I cant believe that made such a stink but it was at fault.

Thanks

 

[AndyPRK]

so you recently added an extra light/load to it ?

 

[JohnW2]

so you recently added an extra light/load to it ?

I don't think so. As I understand it, the 'adding another light' was a purely co-incidental recent activity involving a light in a cupboard fed from a hall light circuit.

Kind Regards, John

 

[elsmore1]

The new light I added was on the first floor lighting circuit. The garage is on another fuse/circuit. There is still a smell outside in the garden though the PIR unit itself hardly smells. I am sure it was smoking/steaming.

I think the extra indoor light was a coincidence.

 

[flameport]

Several problems here.

A bit of broken ceramic at the end of a lamp will not smell of burning plastic or anything else.
The lamp outside was not on when the burning smell was noticed.
The outside lamp was working, so not likely it would have been burning anyway.
If the burning was outside, how exactly could it have been detected inside the lounge?

 

[elsmore1]

Hi,

I did notice the smell when I went outside and PIR light came on. I smelt in lounge as PIR is just outside patio doors. Still a bit of a mystery. I will check if neightbour has been burning something as smell is also towards their garden.

Thanks

 

[DaftPunk]

Are you sure that something like a plastic bag hasn't blown onto the light in the recent wind? Halogen floods get mega hot when they're on and would easily burn something like that.