Need bulb advice


  #1  
Old 12-02-10, 11:34 AM
G
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: usa
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Need bulb advice

Hell all! I have an outdoor, dusk-to-dawn, two-level (motion detector) fixture on my garage. (Just to be clear - the fixture comes on at dusk and then when you walk past it, it gets brighter) The bulb has burned out. I need to know what type of bulb to purchase. I've searched for a two level outdoor bulb and can't find one. The clerk at the store told me I could put a regular 60 watt outdoor bulb in the fixture and the fixture would adjust the level (brightness) of the bulb. I thought that was wrong and guess what, it doesn't work. The bulb comes on when you walk by it, but does not come at dusk. Can I put a regular (indoor) two level bulb in an outdoor fixture?
 
  #2  
Old 12-02-10, 11:50 AM
ray2047's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 29,711
Upvotes: 0
Received 15 Upvotes on 13 Posts
I have seen three level but not two level bulbs but may have just missed them. How many silver spots on the bottom of the base of the burned out bulb? Are there multiple or a single wattage printed on the bulb? The replacement you tried was incandescent wasn't it, not CFL?
 
  #3  
Old 12-02-10, 01:01 PM
G
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: usa
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I don't have the old bulb anymore, so I can't tell you how many silver spots, or the wattage. I can tell you that the old bulb had two filaments. The new one, of course, has one.

And yes, the replacement I tried was incandescent.

This has made me a little crazy. How do they sell the fixtures, but it is so hard to find out what bulb to put in it? I didn't buy the fixture, it came with the house when I bought the house. I've tried to find a fixture similar to find out what bulb that uses, but I haven't had much luck. When I explain what I have, the clerks just look at me. When I point to the display in the store that explains what a dusk-to-dawn, two level fixture is, they just say "oh". This really shouldn't be this hard, should it?
 
  #4  
Old 12-02-10, 01:08 PM
Tolyn Ironhand's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 14,329
Received 877 Upvotes on 740 Posts
The light like you describe that I have seen only uses a standard incandescent bulb.
Are you sure you didn't bump and of the switches or dials when working on it? Is the switch to the light on? Sometimes to put it into the dusk/dawn mode you have to shut the switch off and then turn it back on within 3 seconds. If you had the manufactures name you could see if they have a manual online.
 
  #5  
Old 12-02-10, 01:34 PM
ray2047's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 29,711
Upvotes: 0
Received 15 Upvotes on 13 Posts
Try a 3-way bulb and see what happens. Do you have both a ring and tab in the lamp holder base?
 
  #6  
Old 12-02-10, 06:56 PM
M
Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 437
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
I have 3 of these "Dual bright" floodlights on my house-one since April, 2 more that I installed last month- replacing one regular motion detecting light, and one that was on a timer. I believe the brand is Heath Zenith-perhaps they would have a website for help/, owners manuals, etc.*

In the 2 newer fixtures, I have ordinary halogen "par 38 floodlights" (not sure exactly what that means), which was the bulb indicated on the box containing the fixture. Of course, they were right next to the fixture.
In the older one (installed in April) I think that the bulbs are regular incandescent floodlights.
When they burn out, I think I'll go with the halogens.

If I understand the way the fixture works, it is the light controller/motion sensor that adjusts the bulbs brightness, rather than any special type bulb. [Unless "par 38 means" dual brightness, and then I apologize for my ignorance.]

GRHomeowner, what you are describing-"The bulb comes on when you walk by it, but does not come at dusk" sounds to me like a problem with the photo-sensor, or it's settings, rather than the "dual bright" mode, since the motion detectodr seems to be workingmotion detector.
On my lights, there is a "test mode" (one of several settings on a sliding switch located on the bottom of the sensor.which overrides the photo-sensor so that you can, well, test the lights during the day. There is another switch on the base of the sensor on my fixture that permits you to shut off the "dual bright" mode.
Just a guess, but what you are describing could be the result of these slide settings being inadvertently moved.
Good luck with your lights.

*OOPs, I just found part of the box (actually, my wife did- as I was slowly typing!!) it is Dual Brite
(note the spelling), and the manufacturer is Heath Zenith- they have a website, which may be helpful-even if your lights are a different brand.
(I'd post a link, but I'm not sure if that is allowed)
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: