Placement of photocell in lighting circuit

[Papa-Gus]

Situation: I have two outdoor fluorescent luminary fixtures, each with a self-contained photocell, installed under a patio cover.

Problem: The lamps energize needlessly on cloudy days, often cycling on and off as lighting conditions change; not a desirable condition for compact fluorescent lamps.

Objective: I plan to install one single photocell in an ideal location so the lamps energize simultaneously from dusk to dawn as intended.

Dilemma: Concerning the NEC, does it matter if I install this new photocell upstream of the wall switch that is used to control the outdoor fixtures or must the wall switch see uninterrupted power directly from the circuit breaker?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

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