I'm sure the porch light fixture is pretty old. It was my mother's house before i moved here a year and a half ago. The dusk to dawn control worked fine until a few days ago. Now, at night the light seems to come on for a few minutes, then it goes off for a few minutes, then it comes back on for a few minutes. It actually reminds me of a motion sensor light because it sometimes seems to come on when i walk near it. But this could be a coincidence. I don't imagine that it could suddenly become a motion sensor light.
I'm wondering if there's a manual override on it, i dont' see anything, at least not on the outside of the fixture. I see the photo cell. I tried changing the bulb. it had a mercury bulb in it. I put a different mercury bulb in but the same problem continues. I put a regular incandescent bulb in but it has the same problem. When the light switches on and off, it makes a soft click. I don't feel safe with the porch so dark.
Today i went out to try to buy a new one of these fixtures. Home Depot had none at all, except for security lights, no regular porch lights. OSH had one i liked but another customer came and took it while i was trying to decide and it was the only one. I saw one that would work at Lamps Plus but it was much more expensive.
I have a call in to an electrician. I'm not a do it yourself-er, not to install something electrical like that, but if anyone knows if there's something simple i can try, i would appreciate it. I would like to somehow make it stay on tonight. I really don't like the darkness there.
I asked at OSH for one of those controllers that you screw into your existing socket and and screw the light bulb in to the controller but they gave me an automatic shut off controller. I didn't realize it til i got home.
I'm wondering if there's a manual override on it, i dont' see anything, at least not on the outside of the fixture. I see the photo cell. I tried changing the bulb. it had a mercury bulb in it. I put a different mercury bulb in but the same problem continues. I put a regular incandescent bulb in but it has the same problem. When the light switches on and off, it makes a soft click. I don't feel safe with the porch so dark.
Today i went out to try to buy a new one of these fixtures. Home Depot had none at all, except for security lights, no regular porch lights. OSH had one i liked but another customer came and took it while i was trying to decide and it was the only one. I saw one that would work at Lamps Plus but it was much more expensive.
I have a call in to an electrician. I'm not a do it yourself-er, not to install something electrical like that, but if anyone knows if there's something simple i can try, i would appreciate it. I would like to somehow make it stay on tonight. I really don't like the darkness there.
I asked at OSH for one of those controllers that you screw into your existing socket and and screw the light bulb in to the controller but they gave me an automatic shut off controller. I didn't realize it til i got home.