PIR strangely seems to be working as a photocell, other PIR working fine

[joeyscurlock]

I've installed 4 lights, one with a built in PIR operated at the bottom of the garden which allows slave lights up to 1KW, at the top a separate PIR allowing 2kw also controlling the 4 lights. I've used a 4 core 1.5 SWA, using switched live to control all lights and i've let the common flow through down to the bottom PIR so it has a permeant supply as well as switched supply.

I finished the job and it was getting dark, turned the switch on, struggled to do the walk tests as it was to dark seemed to be doing all sorts at the time, staying on, constant flashing (one pir is meant to flash 3 times on start up to say pir mode is active). I told the customer to turn the switch on in the morning, stay out of the way, and see if it was all working. He said the lights went off after turing switch on, then when it was getting dark all the lights activated. I disconnected each pir individually and one is working perfectly and I have established the one which is working as a photocell or so i think. Its not activating when i walk past even when settings are set to daylight but once again it was getting dark by the time this was happening, after messing around with it, i turned it back on but it was dark at this time so it stayed on. I plan on going tomorrow in the day removing the switched live from the working pir and try to get this faulty pir to work.

The working PIR has a photocell function available if you do a sequence on the light switch, faulty PIR does not have this facility or so it doesn't say.

Anyone have any suggestions why this is happening or anyone experienced this before? Very frustrating stuff

 

[Richard Burns]

Each PIR will have a photocell to stop the lights coming on in daylight, this is a fairly basic function, it may not be adjustable but it is almost certainly there.
(helps with Building regulations compliance with L2)
It may be that there is something activating the PIR all the time, e.g. moving branches close to the PIR, or a spider inside the PIR.
You do not say the power of the lights you are switching, if they are all 500/400W then you may have fused the relay contact shut on the PIR ( possibly a small tap on the side may free it!) so that it is only working when the photocell permits switch on.
Have you wired the permanent line to the lamp input and the switched line to the PIR input so that it is going into start up mode every time it switches on.
Run out of instant ideas now.:nonod:

 

[joeyscurlock]

I've wired permanent line to the pir input along with neutral from the switch (switch wire neutral). Then 4 core armoured out, brown permanent line, grey output line, blue output neutral and black earth. I've connected permanent line to the input side of the pir to feed the other pir at the bottom

I'm only feeding around 40W

 

[Barry White]

What kind of lamps are they LED by chance? If the pir has an SSR instead of a relay they leak and cause all sorts of probs with LEDs if they have relays you will hear them click

 

[Andy78]

3 years too late ?

 

[Barry White]

did one the other day too must be getting old lol

we must have a prize the the oldest recovered thread sometime!!!!!