FLASHERS

[JBR]

I have six light sensitive LED lamps outside our house, on the wall and along the path which are all flashing in unison! To complicate matters, all are controlled from a timer switch (indoors).
Normally, they come on when it is dark and go out when daylight, as you might expect. However, when I turned off the timer switch I noticed that all six lamps are flashing regularly, but very briefly, all at the same time and at exactly once a second.
I would expect that with the power turned off there would be no lights, and these flashes are as bright as the lamps when they are lit properly.
I suspect that as all six are doing this at exactly the same time it may be down to the timer switch. If I turn off the appropriate circuit breaker they all stop as you would expect.
I'd welcome any comments and suggestions. Thank you.

 

[securespark]

Can you post a piccy of the timer?

 

[Murdochcat]

Sounds like you need a snubber

 

[JBR]

Thanks Securespark!

 

[securespark]

Not familiar with that brand.

But if it has an override, where you can turn the lights on all the time, what happens?

 

[securespark]

Have just looked up that time switch.

Have you recently changed the lamps or fittings for LED ones?

Apparently, that switch is not compatible with LED loads. But this Timeguard one is. The only thing is, it needs a 25mm box. If yours is 16mm, you can get a 10mm spacer.

ZV700B | ZV700B Digital Light Switch with Optional Dusk Start | Timeguard

ZV700B. The ZV700B combines the function of a manual light switch, with the option of automatic timed control of lighting on a weekly basis available at...

www.timeguard.com

 

[JBR]

Not familiar with that brand.

But if it has an override, where you can turn the lights on all the time, what happens?

They stay on, at least whenever I have tried it. I have only just changed the lamps from filament to LED.

Have just looked up that time switch.

Have you recently changed the lamps or fittings for LED ones?

Apparently, that switch is not compatible with LED loads. But this Timeguard one is. The only thing is, it needs a 25mm box. If yours is 16mm, you can get a 10mm spacer.

ZV700B | ZV700B Digital Light Switch with Optional Dusk Start | Timeguard

ZV700B. The ZV700B combines the function of a manual light switch, with the option of automatic timed control of lighting on a weekly basis available at...

www.timeguard.com

Yes. There was no problem with the earlier ones.
Thanks for letting me know about that.
This example you suggest looks like it would suit very well, so I'll see if I can lay my hands on one.
I think your link is just the manufacturer, but I'm sure they'll be able to point me in the right direction!
Thanks again for your help.

 

[SFK]

As an interim solution, change one of the LED bulbs back to incandescent bulb.
Good chance that that one bulb will provide enough load to stop the timer causing the flashing.

 

[securespark]

Yes, the link is to the product on Timeguard's website.

Just be careful to add up the wattage of the new LED lamps you intend to use.

If over 20W total, you'll need an extra part.

 

[JBR]

As an interim solution, change one of the LED bulbs back to incandescent bulb.
Good chance that that one bulb will provide enough load to stop the timer causing the flashing.

Thank you. That looks like a temporary solution.

 

[JBR]

Yes, the link is to the product on Timeguard's website.

Just be careful to add up the wattage of the new LED lamps you intend to use.

If over 20W total, you'll need an extra part.

Yes, I discovered that when I looked through the bumf. There are six in total LED lamps, each rated at 9.5 watts, that's nearly 60 watts.
I also looked up the extra part, but I think that wiring that into the circuit might be difficult. It is too large to go behind the time switch and I have no idea where the connecting cables go presumably in the loft, as the cables outside from these six lamps enter the house at two or three different sites.
I think the easiest possible work around would be to leave the time switch I already have permanently on, and rely on the sensors in each lamp to turn them off during daylight.
There is one additional lamp (the seventh) which presently has a fluorescent lamp. I could replace that with an incandescent lamp, as SFK suggests and hope that that would do the job. Unfortunately, that one is high up on a corner and 'Marge' has instructed me that at my age I shouldn't be climbing a high ladder!

 

[securespark]

Join the club. Neither can I.
If I could, I'd nip round and install it for you.
What a PITA!

 

[JBR]

Join the club. Neither can I.
If I could, I'd nip round and install it for you.
What a PITA!

I'm sure you would as well, but I wouldn't hear of it anyway. You're a good chap.

Anyway, I have thought about this and the easiest thing to do would be to replace the timer with a simple switch (which I think I may still have, I never throw things away!). I could either turn it on when it begins to get dark and off when we get up in the morning. I could, of course, just leave it turned on. Although the one fluorescent lamp would stay on all the time, as far as I know it wouldn't use a great deal of power anyway.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Anyway, I have thought about this and the easiest thing to do would be to replace the timer with a simple switch (which I think I may still have, I never throw things away!). I could either turn it on when it begins to get dark and off when we get up in the morning. I could, of course, just leave it turned on. Although the one fluorescent lamp would stay on all the time, as far as I know it wouldn't use a great deal of power anyway.

Another alternative, would be some sort of Smart Switch, in place of the timer. You could program it to power up at dusk, off at 11pm or etc., and still have manual control.

Another advantage - I am 70 miles from home, yet I can still turn many things on and off from here.

 

[JBR]

Another alternative, would be some sort of Smart Switch, in place of the timer. You could program it to power up at dusk, off at 11pm or etc., and still have manual control.

Another advantage - I am 70 miles from home, yet I can still turn many things on and off from here.

Yes, that's a possible option. Thanks. I'll look into that.