photocell problems !!! - Electricians Forum | Electrical Forum | An electrical forum for electricians in the UK

electrotec · 29-06-2008

I recently installed some LED decking lights and some GU10 waterproof garden spots and instead of my usual choice of photocell Royce thompson ( or Zodion) i used an eterna minature photocell as it was less obtrusive and could be hidden. It has worked perfectly so when the customer asked if i could install photocells to control 3 x GU10 lamps fitted in the soffit above their garage door and 2 x GU10 lamps fitted in their front door porch i used the same type of eterna photocell as i had in the garden in both locations. Again they worked perfectly. The next door neighbour liked them so much i ended fitting the same for them.
I then got a call from my original customer complaining the lights werent coming on above the garage. After a quick inspection i found one of the GU10 lamps had blown but in the process caused the photocell to stop working. i changed the photocell and since then every time the lamps have blown either in the porch or garage in both my customers and their neighbours the photocell has stopped working and has to be replaced. The Gu10 lamps fitted in the garden have blown but they are not damaging that photocell. The only difference is the garden lights also have LED decking lights connected to the circuit. I have contacted Eterna and they have no idea. Has anyone had similar problems or got an ideas.
Many thanks Tony (Electrotec)

Spudmiester · 30-06-2008

Sounds to me like the GU10 blowing has taken the phocell with it because its not big enough to handle the extra current caused by the bulb going pop.

What are they rated at ?

Try switching through a relay.

Spud

Moog · 09-07-2008

Breaking capacity of the photocell? Total Load? MCB fitted as per instructions?

old dog · 09-07-2008

the only thing i can think of the circuit with the leds the diode is protecting
the photocell from surge

Moog · 11-07-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by old dog

the only thing i can think of the circuit with the leds the diode is protecting
the photocell from surge

All lamps should have been in parallel so I dont think LED should not effect, I think the relay post or replace photocell for your usual choice is the way to go as clearly the photo cell is being damaged proberbly by surge when lamp blows.