Why is there no switch to my back spotlight?

ihaveaquestion · Jul 25, 2016

In my backyard, there is electrical which runs up a concealed track on the house. At the top of it is a spotlight, but there is no switch anywhere to be found to turn it on. I don't know if it has power going to it or not.

There is an outlet midway up the electrical track and the outlet DOES work. So it is possible the spotlight does too but how do I turn it on to see, if there is no switch?

I tried putting in new bulbs and nothing happened. I do not see a breaker labeled as 'back deck' or anything similar on the electrical panel in the basement.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Deleted member 9648 · Jul 25, 2016

I'm not sure how I can find your switch from thousands of miles away, but if you want to pay my fares...accommodation and two weeks wages I'll be more than happy to take a look. As an aside what's the fishing like round there? Salmon....Musky? Should I bring my gear?

ihaveaquestion · Jul 25, 2016

My question was "why is there no switch to my back spotlight?" and not "where is the switch to my back spotlight?" which seems to have been your interpretation... There is not a switch. Do you charge extra for the snarky attitude?

Adam W · Jul 25, 2016

Welcome to the forum ihaveaquestion.

Paul.M · Jul 25, 2016

Maybe a switch was not fitted? Or was forgotten? Hidden/placed in an out of the way position?????

If you want this light to work, call a local electrician to have a look at it for you. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

davesparks · Jul 25, 2016

ihaveaquestion said:
My question was "why is there no switch to my back spotlight?" and not "where is the switch to my back spotlight?" which seems to have been your interpretation... There is not a switch. Do you charge extra for the snarky attitude?

Noon earth should we know why there is no switch for your back spotlight? Unless the electrician who installed it is on here and remembers doing the job then we haven't got a hope in hells chance of giving the correct answer.

There are a number of possible answers, it could be that the switch has been removed, the supply to the light disconnected, the light controlled by a sensor or time control, the switch being in an inspected or hidden location

Octopus · Jul 25, 2016

Does the light have a PIR? Lots of outside lights are wired without switches!

Spoon · Jul 26, 2016

Post a picture of the light.

telectrix · Jul 26, 2016

Spoon said:
Post a picture of the light.

from toronto, by airmail?

Besoeker · Jul 26, 2016

Murdoch said:
Does the light have a PIR? Lots of outside lights are wired without switches!

The same thought occurred to me. I have halogens inside and outside my garage. Both are operated by a PIR and neither has a switch. They plug into a socket strip inside the garage so they can be disconneted for a lamp change.

Adam W · Jul 26, 2016

ihaveaquestion said:
My question was "why is there no switch to my back spotlight?" and not "where is the switch to my back spotlight?" which seems to have been your interpretation... There is not a switch. Do you charge extra for the snarky attitude?

There will be some kind of switch, whether it be a conventional switch, as others have pointed out a timeclock or photocell, or at the very least you should be able to turn it on and off via the circuit breaker.

The socket is not necessarily connected to the light.

There are many reasons the light might not be working other than that the bulb has gone or it's switched off - there could be a bad connection in the fitting, there could be a bad connection in a join in the cable, or the circuit could be incomplete, but to answer your question again, yes there is a switch.