Outdoor motion lights

[480sparky]

.....On a side note, towards the subject, kinda..... We use little square photo cell's, can't remember the name, on lighting control circuits for a lot of our pole lights. They only last about a year, sometimes less.
Know of a good brand or stile that would last longer?

I call 'em Ice Cubes. Not to be confused with ice cube relays.

As for longevity problems, are you controlling the lights directly with the PCs, or using it to drive a contactor?

 

[hockeyoligist2]

I call 'em Ice Cubes. Not to be confused with ice cube relays.

As for longevity problems, are you controlling the lights directly with the PCs, or using it to drive a contactor?

A relay to the contactor

 

[mdshunk]

Tork makes a slick little piece that takes a regular twist-lock photocell on top and has a contactor inside. I forget what it's rated at. An aweful lot.

 

[peter d]

Tork makes a slick little piece that takes a regular twist-lock photocell on top and has a contactor inside. I forget what it's rated at. An aweful lot.

10 jiggawatts. Duh. :roll:

 

[480sparky]

A relay to the contactor

Unless it's a monstrously huge contactor, the coil(s) can't draw that much power. Wonder why they burn up so often?.....:-?

 

[hockeyoligist2]

Unless it's a monstrously huge contactor, the coil(s) can't draw that much power. Wonder why they burn up so often?.....:-?

That was what I'm thinking, not much of a load. They don't "burn up" as in "let the smoke out", they always go to the closed position, lights on during the day. It may be the sewer gasses? The eye always turns a copper color.

 

[aftershock]

That was what I'm thinking, not much of a load. They don't "burn up" as in "let the smoke out", they always go to the closed position, lights on during the day. It may be the sewer gasses? The eye always turns a copper color.

Are they getting water inside of them?