adjust sensor of security light

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › adjust sensor of security light

paulchinnz

Circumspice
793 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#306197 4-Jul-2023 08:15

My security light is misbehaving - comes on with movement at night, but I've also seen it constantly on - I've checked for nearby things that are moving, and it's not that. Also occasionally it's on even during the day in broad daylight. I'm wondering if the dials in the photo mean anything?

I've tried resetting by switching it off for 10 minutes then turning it back on again, which sometimes seems to help (who knows!) but then it returns to its misbehaviour again after a few hours (or maybe it's just random and I'm seeing patterns where there're none).

Appreciate any help.

fe31nz

1232 posts

Uber Geek

#3100024 5-Jul-2023 00:56

Try giving it a vacuum. I have seen a spider taking up residence causing problems like this.

paulchinnz

Circumspice
793 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3100073 5-Jul-2023 09:33

Thanks will give that a go. Any idea what the dials on the sensor do?

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
8860 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#3100165 5-Jul-2023 12:34

paulchinnz:

Thanks will give that a go. Any idea what the dials on the sensor do?

Just a guess but adjust the length of the ‘on’ time?

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Senecio

2712 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3100168 5-Jul-2023 12:41

Most sensor lights will have two dials. One to adjust the sensitivity and one to adjust the length of time that the light stays on.

One interesting fact that most people don't know. Is that you can override the sensor and turn the light on permanently for most sensor lights. If you flick the wall switch On-Off-On-Off-On that will override the sensor and leave the light permanently on until the next time that you turn it off. Very handy if you're loading up a car in the dark and sometimes the light turns off just when you don't want it to.

paulchinnz

Circumspice
793 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3103783 13-Jul-2023 20:24

Thanks.
I've tried resetting using a bunch of different combinations of flicks of the light switch associated with the sensor lights, vacuumed, and also played with the dials. Haven't noticed much difference.

Anyone recognise the model of Schneider sensor, and which way the dials go to do what?

elpenguino

3424 posts

Uber Geek

#3103811 13-Jul-2023 23:22

Sometimes they just sh*t themselves and it's quicker and easier to replace it. This is where separate sensors are a bit better than the combo units.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

Bung

6487 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3103819 14-Jul-2023 06:41

paulchinnz: Thanks.
I've tried resetting using a bunch of different combinations of flicks of the light switch associated with the sensor lights, vacuumed, and also played with the dials. Haven't noticed much difference.

Anyone recognise the model of Schneider sensor, and which way the dials go to do what?

Closest I can find is model SAE-UE-MS-CDBWE. The arrows on face are for coverage zone, the time and lux controls are hidden until the centre is pulled down.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

paulchinnz

Circumspice
793 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3121032 28-Aug-2023 07:38

Thanks again everyone.

I used it as a manual light for a month but accidentally left it on a few days ago, and it's been working fine as a sensor light since. So maybe a bug that's departed.

BadCo

109 posts

Master Geek

#3121160 28-Aug-2023 13:32

Senecio:

Most sensor lights will have two dials. One to adjust the sensitivity and one to adjust the length of time that the light stays on.

This isn't 100% accurate.

The "sensitivity" dial you mentioned is actually a lux dial, to adjust when the sensor light will start working based on the amount of light. Generally you can't adjust the sensitivity of PIRs (Passive Infrared sensors), the range and sensitivity of PIRs is fixed.