Common Problems with Photocells and How to Fix Them
Introduction
Photocells, undoubtedly, have added to our convenience and they act as an effective tool against power wastage, making sure only as much is used as needed. Moreover, they ensure the safety of your house by giving an impression at night that it is occupied even when it isn’t. These are one of the most suitable devices for street lights as well, where manually switching off the lights and turning them on at the right time would have been a great nuisance and another contributor to energy power wastage.
However, all these benefits can be made possible only as long as your photocells are working properly. A malfunctioning photocell can cause you a great deal of headache. However, in most cases, the malfunction is caused by such problems which can be fixed with a little effort. Let us get into the details of what are the common problems with photocells and how you can fix them.
1. Faulty Wiring
A loose or faulty wiring is one of the most common reasons behind a malfunctioning photocell. If the wires connecting a photocell to the main power supply are faulty, low quality, or loosely fitted, it will prevent the photocell from working to its best. It will either not work at all or will work inconsistently and not give a sustainable performance.
A loose or faulty wiring is one of the most common reasons behind a malfunctioning photocell. If the wires connecting a photocell to the main power supply are faulty, low quality, or loosely fitted, it will prevent the photocell from working to its best. It will either not work at all or will work inconsistently and not give a sustainable performance.
2. Overly Sensitive Photocell Sensor
Sometimes, a photocell may cause a light fixture to flicker, or go on and off at unusual times. If a photocell is making the lights flicker too often, one possible reason behind it could be a too sensitive photocell. It makes the light go off and on with slightest changes in outdoor light intensity.
If you are using a photocell which comes with adjustable sensitivity level, the solution lies in changing the level of sensitivity. However, if the option is not provided to adjust sensitivity of your photocell sensor, you might have to get it done by the manufacturer. They would either fix a too sensitive photocell for you or replace it with another one.
3. A Confused Photocell
Yes, a photocell can get confused. This happens when there is an artificial source of light installed somewhere near your light fixture and your photocell sensor confuses it with the sunlight. Since a photocell simply detects the ambient light intensity to turn the lights on and off, it may take that artificial light source as a stimulus and get turn the light off, considering that there is already enough outdoor light.
If this is the case with your photocell, you can either get rid of that artificial source of light, move it a bit away from your photocell-installed light fixture, or else, you can change the place of your photocell-installed light fixture so that it doesn’t face that light source directly.
3. A Confused Photocell
Yes, a photocell can get confused. This happens when there is an artificial source of light installed somewhere near your light fixture and your photocell sensor confuses it with the sunlight. Since a photocell simply detects the ambient light intensity to turn the lights on and off, it may take that artificial light source as a stimulus and get turn the light off, considering that there is already enough outdoor light.
If this is the case with your photocell, you can either get rid of that artificial source of light, move it a bit away from your photocell-installed light fixture, or else, you can change the place of your photocell-installed light fixture so that it doesn’t face that light source directly.
4. Debris Accumulation
Since the photocells are mostly installed outdoor, it is not unlikely at all that they accumulate unwanted debris, or pollutants over the course of time. They have to withstand extreme weathers and pollution, and hence, unwanted particles may accumulate resulting in a malfunctioning, or nonfunctional photocell.
The solution to this problem lies in simply removing the unwanted accumulations. Cleaning the photocell and your light fixture will most probably solve your problem and the photocell will return to its normal functioning.
5. Aberrations in Photocell
Sometimes, over the course of time, the outdoor cells may suffer from tiny cracks or crevices which may appear as a result of extreme weather conditions. This can lead to a photocell either not working at all or having spells of inactivity followed by spells of proper functioning. This can be nuisance as you obviously expect your photocells to provide consistent performance. One of the reasons for this problems can be a low quality photocell that cannot withstand weather changes and requires maintenance every now and then.
check your photocell for any cracks and crevices or broken, chipped parts. If you think these cracks and damages are a reason for your nonfunctional photocell, you might not have any other option but to get your photocell replaced by a new one, and obviously a better one this time.
If you are looking for a photocell which is durable enough to endure the extreme weather conditions without cracking or breaking down, give a look to our high quality, durable Long Join photocell series at LONG-JOIN.com. we have one of the most sturdy photocell units where each and every part is carefully crafted with the highest quality material to provide durability and consistent performance over the years.
Conclusion
If you make a choice wisely and go for only quality photocells for your outdoor lights, it is unlikely that you may suffer from faulty photocells even after long periods of time. However, sometimes, other factors might cause you photocells to not function properly or consistently. For example, a loose wiring, or wrong wiring can result in a totally nonfunctional photocell. Similarly, debris accumulation over the time may cause a photocell to stop working. However, where these might be the common reasons of malfunctioning photocells, make sure that the problem doesn’t lie with your light fixture. You need to rule out this possibility before turning to your photocells as the main culprit.
• References
1-https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/global-energy-demand#:~:text=Global%20energy%20demand%20is%20increasing%20due%20to%20industrial%20activity%20and,for%20much%20of%20the%20world.
