# home security lighting advice needed



## commuter (Jul 13, 2011)

I'm adding a dusk til dawn sensor to the 4 bulkhead lights at my mother' house. There is a switch in the kitchen which controls the existing lights. I think I identified the first light on the circuit and connected the sensor between the switch and the "first" light. The two lights nearest the switch are now controlled by the sensor but the two furthest away are on permanently (when the switch is left on)

Has anyone got any advice on what to try next to control all 4 lights from the sensor?

Thanks for reading


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## powerplus (Oct 6, 2014)

hi 
without seeing your system i would think that the circuit is split after the light switch but before the lights i think you would need to investigate further and find the junction box for the lighting

to be honest i would think it best if you find someone who understands lighting circuits the lighting circuit can be a mind field


good luck


barry


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Probably too simple an answer but we always switch all ours off, wait a bit, and then switch back on. It seems to reset them but then they were working well to begin with so may not be relevant?


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## commuter (Jul 13, 2011)

patp said:


> Probably too simple an answer but we always switch all ours off, wait a bit, and then switch back on. It seems to reset them but then they were working well to begin with so may not be relevant?


Thanks. All lights were/are working but not all being controlled by the DTD sensor. If I find a junction box where the lighting circuit is split any ideas on where the sensor should be connected? I know this is a difficult one without seeing the circuit but I'm just exploring to see if anyone has any theories and I can have a look to see if any of the scenarios match the current setup.

I guess if there are 2 cables going into the switch could that point to there being one feed per pair of lights?


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Prior to your additions are you sure the 4 lights were only controlled by one switch ?

Terry


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## p-c (Oct 27, 2007)

Hi.
If the lights have two feeds from after the switch and that "junction box" is some way from the lights you will have that distance to wire the sensor in.
Why not go and buy four exterior lights with seperate sensors and replace the existing lights with them. You will also cover a greater area than one sensor.
Kind regards
p-c


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## commuter (Jul 13, 2011)

dghr272 said:


> Prior to your additions are you sure the 4 lights were only controlled by one switch ?
> 
> Terry


Yes they were. They were fitted by my father some years ago


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## commuter (Jul 13, 2011)

p-c said:


> Hi.
> If the lights have two feeds from after the switch and that "junction box" is some way from the lights you will have that distance to wire the sensor in.
> Why not go and buy four exterior lights with seperate sensors and replace the existing lights with them. You will also cover a greater area than one sensor.
> Kind regards
> p-c


The lights are bulkhead lights fitted onto the horizontal surface of the UPVC fascia and the switch is in the kitchen so the only cables visible on 3 of them are where they pop out from behind the UPVC to connect into the lights. The 4th light goes round the corner of the house and is secured onto the brickwork so the cables are very accessible and this is where I've split the cable and put the sensor. It's a dawn till dusk sensor so it doesn't need to "cover a greater area"

I'm was just hoping someone might have had a "bright" idea to save me having to rip the fascia off. Thanks to all who've replied so far


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## powerplus (Oct 6, 2014)

hi

i think you need to find where the main cable comes from the one that supplies the live and neutral im guessing here that your father has supplied 2 cables into the light switch box and that should be a live supply to the lights but through the switch

it should be should be live from the fuse box and then the live is switched and sent to all the lights so that when the light switch is off there is only neutral at the lights

i think you need to use a volt meter to trace the wiring as lighting wiring can be a little complicated 


barry


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Clearly there are TWO cables, each feeding two lights (maybe they were fitted in pairs at different times and whoever fitted them didnt think to feed the later two directly from the first two) each cable requires a sensor, OR wire the “last” two so they are fed from furthest from the switch of the first two. Basically you want one cable feeding all four lights with the sensor in the circuit after the switch but prior to the very first light.

Andy


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

I believe this is how it should be wired. (Don't forget the earth.)


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