Photocell+timer

[piz]

Hello Help please
I have just been to a job that has a photocell sensor connected and a manual 7 day timer


to 7 lights on the outside of some arms houses
surley these cant work together cos if the timer kicked in at say 17.00hrs and off at 23.00hrs the sensor would be inopperatine between the hours of 23.00 and 17.00hrs

also this thing is in line looks like some sort of switch relay rated at 20 amps is it required ?

 

[RogertheBodger]

Looks like a contactor in the picture, it will switch the lights on and off, it's probably connected so the photocell brings the lights on at dusk and the timer switches them off at whatever it's set at, ( so they're not on all night)

 

[Marvo]

Is the photocell and the timer switch contacts wired in series or parallel with each other? Maybe one of them is redundant. The relay you've attached the picture of would normally be used if the current draw of the lights is higher than the timer or photocell is rated to switch.

Maybe you can sketch us a schematic of the complete circuit and attach it.

 

[Hawk81]

Hello Help please
I have just been to a job that has a photocell sensor connected and a manual 7 day timer


to 7 lights on the outside of some arms houses
surley these cant work together cos if the timer kicked in at say 17.00hrs and off at 23.00hrs the sensor would be inopperatine between the hours of 23.00 and 17.00hrs

View attachment 3671also this thing is in line looks like some sort of switch relay rated at 20 amps is it required ?

Ok I would say that the 20amp contactor is there as the load of the lights is too much for the photocell and timeclock. The timeclock will switch on at 5 and the photocell will only bring the lights on if it is dark enough to warrent them. Then the timeclock will switchthem off at say midnight. Rather than leave the lights on to the morning.

 

[piz]

Thanks that sounds like a good idea it will stop them having to adjust the time as it gets lighter each week

 

[One_of_them]

Ok I would say that the 20amp contactor is there as the load of the lights is too much for the photocell and timeclock. The timeclock will switch on at 5 and the photocell will only bring the lights on if it is dark enough to warrent them. Then the timeclock will switchthem off at say midnight. Rather than leave the lights on to the morning.

this is exactly how it works. Dealt with a few over the last couple weeks. As above also, saves having to adjust T/C every wk

 

[BillyTheSparks]

This is the way I have always wired outside lights when asked about including a timeclock. It saves alot of bleating about adjusting the clock all year.

You can now get a photocell with a timer type thing which turns the lights off at midnight (approx)
Haven't used one yet altough i have got one in the shed o' dred!

SS9 - Part-Night Electronic Photocell

 

[PenguinSupplies]

This is a very good option

Digital Timer and Countdown with Photocell Built In

 

[PenguinSupplies]

Photocell Sensor with Timer

 

[Hawk81]

Nothing like trying to get some free advertising