I have some lights wired to a Heath/Zenith motion detector. A couple of weeks ago, they came on and since then have stayed on 24/7. I tried different modes and settings, and the lights stay on. I turned off the power for several minutes, and the lights came back on immediately afterward.

I replaced the sensor with a new one, and nothing changed. The lights remain on all the time, regardless of the settings on the sensor.

All the sources I've found say "oh, it's easy, you've just set it to Manual mode accidentally or there's a heat or light source too close" and so on. Not so. There is no way this sensor should keep the lights on all the time. At a minimum, they should go off the next morning.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

Shut the power to the sensor for a minute or so. It will reset sensor. Reason lights came on was there was a momentary power out that turned them on.

 

Since it has different settings and modes, it must have a circuit board with some sort of logic chip on it. Apparently that has failed in the on state. You could probably modify it to be a dawn to dusk only, but total repair is unlikely. Replacement of the entire assembly is likely your only option.

 

pugsl, I have already turned the power off at the breaker box at least twice. I have performed all the trouble-shooting steps I have found so far, and none of them have worked.

Gunguy45, if you mean a circuit board in the sensor, I just installed a new sensor. Otherwise, is there another circuit board I should look for?

Thanks!

 

There has to be a board in the motion detector somewhere since you have different settings and modes. The sensor is just that..a sensor...on when it detects heat sources passing through different planes, off when it doesn't. If you mean you replaced the whole part that screws into a box, not just a component of the motion detector itself...then I can't be much help.

Did the part you replaced connect directly to the wiring for the lights? Or did it connect to an enclosure of some sort, then other wires connected to the lights? Part or model numbers of what you have and what you replaced would be helpful.

 

Sorry, I meant to specify Heath/Zenith model number 5316. Yes, I replaced the entire sensor head unit.

I simply connected the new unit's 3 wires exactly as the old one's were.

The sensor was installed in a separate location from the lights, so I assume the wires I connected to just act as extensions of the sensor head.

Nothing was changed before this behavior began, and the only thing I have done is replace the sensor head unit with a new one.

 

Well, like I said...can't really help since on your unit all the electronics are contained in the sensor head. As long as it is connected as it was originally (when it worked), you've tried cutting power for 5 min or so, given it around 2 min warmup after power is reapplied, and are using the correct bulbs (no CFL or LED), I can only believe you have a faulty replacement. Rack your brain to think of anything that could have changed (though most would cause it to NOT come on or come on and go out when nothing is actually present in it's view) and investigate those possibilities.

 

Your remote sensor head should be connected with......
black for hot/power
white for neutral
red for switched lead.
At the sensor..... leave the red wire disconnected. The lights should be off.
If they are still on.... there is a wiring problem.

 

PJmax, I will check that out. Unfortunately, I will probably not have time to do that for a couple of weeks, but I'll post whatever I find out.