Outside halogen PIR light not working?

[Stevestrat]

I have a halogen PIR light above the back door. Started blowing bulbs so I replaced it. The new one isn't coming on, I can hear the sensor click so there must be power but the light won't come on.

 

[littlespark]

Is it another halogen fitting, or LED?

If it’s a halogen tube, check It’s sitting in the lampholder clips properly, and it’s a good bulb.

Remember not to touch the tube directly with fingers.

Power off before checking the lamp… many a burnt finger and shaky ladder when that thing lights up unexpectedly!

 

[Stevestrat]

Is it another halogen fitting, or LED?

If it’s a halogen tube, check It’s sitting in the lampholder clips properly, and it’s a good bulb.

Remember not to touch the tube directly with fingers.

Power off before checking the lamp… many a burnt finger and shaky ladder when that thing lights up unexpectedly!

Its halogen, new bulb sitting solidly between the contacts. You can hear the PIR sensor click but the light doesn't come on. I'm not in the best of health, limited mobility so struggling on the ladder to fit it then find its not working is frustrating to say the least!

 

[brianmoooore]

I'd still be giving the complete lamp holder a good inspection. The quality of these deteriorated over the years in inverse proportion to the rise of Chinese industry, right up to when the introduction of LED equivalents spared us from having to deal with them.

 

[littlespark]

There’s a little raised ball on the end of the springy lampholder that need to sit in hollow in the ends of the tube.
It is easy to miss it, as the spring still holds the tube on the porcelain part but there’s no metal to metal connection to make a circuit.

We use LED as much as possible now. Longer lifespan than halogen tubes, and a fraction of the electricity usage.

 

[Stevestrat]

I'm going to check the bulb positioning when I get a chance, got other things on just now.

I did think about LED but I'd need to faff about to connect it. They're supplied with cable whereas I have a wall mounted conduit with cable. Not too bothered about electricity usage as the light only comes on for a short time when needed.

 

[brianmoooore]

I did think about LED but I'd need to faff about to connect it.

There are LED tubes available as direct replacements for most incandescant lamps and tubes.
Littlespark's "little raised balls" have been known to fall off when a QH tube is removed from a fitting, but he's quite correct about halogen tube ends resting on the porcelain part of the holder. Most of us have had to revisit a fitting or two that we've just fitted with a tube to sort that one out.

 

[littlespark]

I maybe should have called them "dimples"

 

[Stevestrat]

Well . . . . don't ask me how but its now working. Got the ladder out, opened the front and the light came on, didn't even touch it. Gave it a twiddle to make sure the bulb was correctly seated, still working. Adjusted the settings a bit and done.