My kids were playing football in the garden and accidentally hit our
external flood light with sensor and damaged it. So I purchased one of those
standard square flood light with a sensor underneath.. It came with a
500watt Halogen Bulb.

The electricity that is used for the flood light is shared with 6 other
inside lights all using 60watt bulbs.

So following the instructions, I fixed the bracket on the wall, wired it up,
stuck the bulb in and turned on the electricity. The new light would not
turn on. so I checked all the wiring, even purchased a new 500watt bulb and
still nothing.

I then purchased one of those neon screw drivers used to test weather there
is electricity going through, and used it to touch each end, where the
halogen bulb sits and it lit up meaning that there was electricity going
through.

Why wont the light come on? The previous light that the kids damaged had a
150watt Halogen bulb. Could it be that there is not enough electricity going
in to light up the 500watt bulb? If this was that case, wouldn't the main
fuse for the flood light automatically shut off?

When using the neon screwdriver should it light up when I touch both ends of
where the halogen bulb sits?

If I purchased 150watt Halogen bulb, would this remedy the problem (500watts
is overkill really)..

Please help, I don't know what to do.. Any help would be most appreciated...
Mal

"Mali"  wrote in message 
news:Yi0Zd.58632$y25.16788@fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

> My kids were playing football in the garden and accidentally hit our
> external flood light with sensor and damaged it. So I purchased one of 
> those
> standard square flood light with a sensor underneath.. It came with a
> 500watt Halogen Bulb.
>
> The electricity that is used for the flood light is shared with 6 other
> inside lights all using 60watt bulbs.
>
> So following the instructions, I fixed the bracket on the wall, wired it 
> up,
> stuck the bulb in and turned on the electricity. The new light would not
> turn on. so I checked all the wiring, even purchased a new 500watt bulb 
> and
> still nothing.
>
> I then purchased one of those neon screw drivers used to test weather 
> there
> is electricity going through, and used it to touch each end, where the
> halogen bulb sits and it lit up meaning that there was electricity going
> through.
>
> Why wont the light come on? The previous light that the kids damaged had a
> 150watt Halogen bulb. Could it be that there is not enough electricity 
> going
> in to light up the 500watt bulb? If this was that case, wouldn't the main
> fuse for the flood light automatically shut off?
>
> When using the neon screwdriver should it light up when I touch both ends 
> of
> where the halogen bulb sits?
>
> If I purchased 150watt Halogen bulb, would this remedy the problem 
> (500watts
> is overkill really)..
>
> Please help, I don't know what to do.. Any help would be most 
> appreciated...
> Mal
>


There should be plenty of electricity to not only light your lamp but, and I 
don't mean to patronise, kill you.

Are all the adjustors(?) correctly set, i.e. the 'on' time and darkness 
control.

If your neon lit up at both ends of your bulb (lamp) then you are probably 
missing the neutral return.

If in any doubt about what you are looking at seek help, neon testers can be 
very misleading as they light up with tiny leakage currents.

Peter

Thanks for replying :)


> Are all the adjustors(?) correctly set, i.e. the 'on' time and darkness
> control.


All the adjusters are set on test mode. according to the neon screwdriver,
power is getting to the bulb


>
> If your neon lit up at both ends of your bulb (lamp) then you are probably
> missing the neutral return.


I have check and re-checked, the neutral is connected..

 > If in any doubt about what you are looking at seek help, neon testers can
be

> very misleading as they light up with tiny leakage currents.


It very odd? so to make sure I understand, power is sent to the bulb via the
LIVE wire from one end of the bulb>>>through bulb>>>and then exited out via
other end of the bulb using NEUTRAL wire?? if so should the neon screwdriver
light up when I use it to test both ends of the bulb?

I really appreciate all the help, (before I electrocute myself  tomorrow)...

"Peter Andrews"  wrote in message
news:pS0Zd.43901$ug2.26576@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

>
> "Mali"  wrote in message
> news:Yi0Zd.58632$y25.16788@fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> > My kids were playing football in the garden and accidentally hit our
> > external flood light with sensor and damaged it. So I purchased one of
> > those
> > standard square flood light with a sensor underneath.. It came with a
> > 500watt Halogen Bulb.
> >
> > The electricity that is used for the flood light is shared with 6 other
> > inside lights all using 60watt bulbs.
> >
> > So following the instructions, I fixed the bracket on the wall, wired it
> > up,
> > stuck the bulb in and turned on the electricity. The new light would not
> > turn on. so I checked all the wiring, even purchased a new 500watt bulb
> > and
> > still nothing.
> >
> > I then purchased one of those neon screw drivers used to test weather
> > there
> > is electricity going through, and used it to touch each end, where the
> > halogen bulb sits and it lit up meaning that there was electricity going
> > through.
> >
> > Why wont the light come on? The previous light that the kids damaged had
a
> > 150watt Halogen bulb. Could it be that there is not enough electricity
> > going
> > in to light up the 500watt bulb? If this was that case, wouldn't the
main
> > fuse for the flood light automatically shut off?
> >
> > When using the neon screwdriver should it light up when I touch both
ends
> > of
> > where the halogen bulb sits?
> >
> > If I purchased 150watt Halogen bulb, would this remedy the problem
> > (500watts
> > is overkill really)..
> >
> > Please help, I don't know what to do.. Any help would be most
> > appreciated...
> > Mal
> >
>
> There should be plenty of electricity to not only light your lamp but, and
I
> don't mean to patronise, kill you.
>
> Are all the adjustors(?) correctly set, i.e. the 'on' time and darkness
> control.
>
> If your neon lit up at both ends of your bulb (lamp) then you are probably
> missing the neutral return.
>
> If in any doubt about what you are looking at seek help, neon testers can
be
> very misleading as they light up with tiny leakage currents.
>
> Peter
>
>

I've seen a few of these lights where the bulb is not located on the pins 
correctly. With the electricity OFF hold the bulb un some clean tissue and 
gently move it from side to side and check the pins are located in either 
end of the bulb properly. Switch back on and try it.
Even with all the settings set to the minimum you should get detection and 
light up after dark.

"Mali"  wrote in message 
news:Yi0Zd.58632$y25.16788@fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

> My kids were playing football in the garden and accidentally hit our
> external flood light with sensor and damaged it. So I purchased one of 
> those
> standard square flood light with a sensor underneath.. It came with a
> 500watt Halogen Bulb.
>
> The electricity that is used for the flood light is shared with 6 other
> inside lights all using 60watt bulbs.
>
> So following the instructions, I fixed the bracket on the wall, wired it 
> up,
> stuck the bulb in and turned on the electricity. The new light would not
> turn on. so I checked all the wiring, even purchased a new 500watt bulb 
> and
> still nothing.
>
> I then purchased one of those neon screw drivers used to test weather 
> there
> is electricity going through, and used it to touch each end, where the
> halogen bulb sits and it lit up meaning that there was electricity going
> through.
>
> Why wont the light come on? The previous light that the kids damaged had a
> 150watt Halogen bulb. Could it be that there is not enough electricity 
> going
> in to light up the 500watt bulb? If this was that case, wouldn't the main
> fuse for the flood light automatically shut off?
>
> When using the neon screwdriver should it light up when I touch both ends 
> of
> where the halogen bulb sits?
>
> If I purchased 150watt Halogen bulb, would this remedy the problem 
> (500watts
> is overkill really)..
>
> Please help, I don't know what to do.. Any help would be most 
> appreciated...
> Mal
>
> 

This is the way your circuit works Mali. When you put a 240v live to one 
end of the lamp, assuming the neutral is connected and you have a complete 
circuit, then current will flow depending on the resistance of the lamp. 
Under these circumstances the lamp would light. If you were to test with 
your screwdriver you would find it would light at the live end but not at 
the neutral end. This is because in a complete circuit you get a full volt 
drop to zero across the resistance of the circuit. These facts are derived 
from Ohms law.
    If we imagine the neutral path is broken then your screwdriver would 
light at the live end, but because there is no current flow there would be 
no volt drop either. This means your screwdriver would also light at the 
neutral end as well.
    I think from what you say you have voltage at the live end. If you have 
voltage at the neutral end then check the following as you have either a 
faulty fitting or faulty neutral.

1. Is the lamp correctly seated?
2. Check the neutral internal wiring in the fitting is complete through to 
your incoming neutral wire.
3. Are there any nearby joints in the wiring you may have disturbed?

You would find a multimeter far more reliable for carrying out this kind of 
work particularly if you wanted to test continuity from your lampholder to 
neutral terminal on your fitting. Finally you could try temporarily 
connecting an ordinary baton type lampholder with a 60w bulb instead just to 
see if it lights. This would confirm either the fitting or wiring is faulty.

Hope this helps.

Bob

"Rivermersey"  wrote in message
news:rY4Zd.60300$y25.24996@fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

> I've seen a few of these lights where the bulb is not located on the pins
> correctly. With the electricity OFF hold the bulb un some clean tissue and
> gently move it from side to side and check the pins are located in either
> end of the bulb properly. Switch back on and try it.
> Even with all the settings set to the minimum you should get detection and
> light up after dark.


I would concur with this. It's very easy to think that the halogen tube is
sited over the connecting lugs at the ends, when it's just got jammed on the
porcelain.

As has been said hold the lamp with a cloth (not fingers, as the grease off
your hands kills these lamps by causing hot spots) push it back and forth
and ensure it is located over the lugs.

I hope you have a big garden as there is little more irritating than these
500 watt lamps blazing across roads, blinding drivers and sending your
neighbours nuts by flashing on and off all night and floodlighting their
bedrooms! They are totally misused because they are so cheap - but you more
than make up for the cheaper cost by wasting 500 watts every time it flicks
on during a windy night!

Often when I change these lamps for folk, I suggest I fit a 200 watt lamp
unless the garden is large. They generally agree, and have no subsequent
complaints. I have one 500 watt adequately illuminating a paddock!