# Photo Cell and Light issue.



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Go to Grainger and buy a Tork photo eye,(Do not by that junk from lowes)

Also if you're going to use metal halide fixtures spend a few more bucks and buy RAB fixtures,also RAB IS making LED spot lights now and will last 50,000 hours.

Welcome to the forum.....:thumbsup:


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

Listen to Harry, these things really are junk. For a very short period of time when turned on the 500 watt lamp is drawing around 5000 watts and it sounds like it's blowing the solid state switch.


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

Yep!! Change brands


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

8V71 said:


> Listen to Harry, these things really are junk. For a very short period of time when turned on the 500 watt lamp is drawing around 5000 watts and it sounds like it's blowing the solid state switch.


Just the name on that lowes stuff says junk..::no:


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## Bugz11B (May 12, 2013)

You can get a different brand as stated above HOWEVER check the temp rating. My GUESS to your problem is your burning out the electronics in your photocell, the ambient temp around the bulb on a 500w halogen (according to Sylvania) is between 250 & 600 deg C and the temp rating of the utilitech photo cell is 65 deg C....


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Erik.Schaeffer said:


> You can get a different brand as stated above HOWEVER check the temp rating. My GUESS to your problem is your burning out the electronics in your photocell, the ambient temp around the bulb on a 500w halogen (according to Sylvania) is between 250 & 600 deg C and the temp rating of the utilitech photo cell is 65 deg C....


 
Those are little heaters and with those quatz luminarie I never put the photocell that close to the quatz at all.

I know someone mention about they going thru the ballast the big box store verison are good for make smoke come out the ballast espcally with the surges so I use good one which useally from electrical supply centre.

Merci,
Marc


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## RGH (Sep 12, 2011)

....same problem with Hampton Bay...1/2 the photo cells are poop out of the box...hate when ho's buy em and I have to put them up....tell them up front this may not work...next time call me go to my supplier they have a lighting showroom with GREAT STUFF !!!


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## Tyger255 (Jul 23, 2013)

thanks for the help guys, I went to a local supply house and picked up a 25 amp 3000 watt stem mount photo cell. it could be a bit overkill but I want to be done with the issue.

thanks again for the replys.


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## uconduit (Jun 6, 2012)

Just from a financial point of view, I just don't get replacing a metal halide with a halogen. A halogen needs at least like 3-4 times as much power to deliver the same amount of light and halogen lamps also need to be replaced much more often too.


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## Spark Master (Jul 3, 2012)

I have had problems with photocells. A Tork failed in my own house. So I sent it back, and they claimed a lightening strike ! There was a handwritten note with the replacement.

I know it wasn't a lightening strike. Nothing else in my house was burnt out. Just got a lousy one.

Now I did what you did. Always buy overkill in the wattage ratings.


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