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Light Post not working-any suggestions?

Discussion in 'Homeowners Corner' started by girlPA, Sep 2, 2009.

  1. girlPA

    girlPA New Member

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    We recently purchased our townhouse and the light post has never worked properly. We have tried almost everything but it seems our house might have some poor wiring. Whenever we turn on the light in our furnance room off the garage it sometimes turns the light post on but that has not been working lately. Also sometimes when our light post moves a bit it comes back on. However, recently it has not been coming back on. Has anyone else had any problems with their's? Or does anyone know a good electrician in the area?

    Thanks!
     
  2. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    almost always the problem is the light sensor.

    You could simply have loose wiring in the post too. They are usually just wire-nuts tying the wiring together.

    If the light doesn't come on you should find the GFI circuit the light is on, and ensure it's not popped. And after that, it's check the light sensor, tape over it and see if it ever comes on.

    Replacing the light sensor is a simple $10 home depot fix.

    Does your outside light turn on via switch or via light sensor?
     
  3. mamatothree

    mamatothree New Member

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    Bane Electric 703-723-6501 and Ashburn Electric 703-858-7332 both have experience with repairing light posts in the community.

    The HOA does not have an approved vendor list. These companies are advertisers in our newsletter. The HOA does not endorse specific vendors or guarantee their work.

    That said...as a homeowner I have had positive experience with both these companies.
     
  4. girlPA

    girlPA New Member

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    Thank you both very much! I really appreciate the suggestion on the things we can try to fix it ourselves. And also thank you for the electrican referrals.
     
  5. girlPA

    girlPA New Member

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    Oh and our light pole turns on via a sensor. But I really think something might be wrong with the overall wiring but we will try the fixes ourselves and go from there. The strange thing is we haven't ever found the reset button for the light pole in our house yet...and we have looked just about everywhere everyone said it might be.
     
  6. tyger31

    tyger31 Member

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    Have you looked in the basement? In our SFH, it's in the basement where we have our washer and dryer.
     
  7. girlPA

    girlPA New Member

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    Yes, there aren't any switches in the laundry closet of our basement except for a switch that works the actual overhead light?
     
  8. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    Look at all your electrical outlets in the garage/basement and see if one has the red and black resets. This may be the GFCI for your lampost.
     
  9. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    look for any GFI outlets. It will not be on a switch, just tied into an existing GFI outlet somewhere in the house. Typically in the garage or bathroom near the front of the house.

    The sensor failing is a VERY common issue. Its a very simple fix and pulling it out and heading over to home depot will help ensure you get a compatible one.. tho they are virtually all the same here. They just have the neck that is held in place by a plastic nut that holds it to the pole.. and you just undo the wire nuts and redo it with the new sensor. (cutting the power at the breaker panel to be safe first of course)
     
  10. signifer

    signifer Member

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    Hi,

    You didn't say what kind of townhouse you were in. We are in one by Miller and Smith and the GFI in the garage by the door into the house is the one that the lamppost is connected to.

    Good luck,
    Richard
     
  11. Ozgood

    Ozgood Not a space alien

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    There are some great suggestions in this thread.

    I do have one question from your original post

    This sounds weird. Far be for me to suggest that the builders had their respective heads up the appropriate butts when wiring your house (that would be wrong), but if the other good suggestions on this thread don't work you might want to get an electrical inspection done. You may have some wiring issues.

    I hope it is just a loose wire but you can never tell with the quality builders we have here in this area. :censored::angryfire:
     
  12. Sasquatch519

    Sasquatch519 Member

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    I had a similar problem with my lamppost. Mine was flaky for a few weeks with turning on and off randomly for a few weeks before totally dying. I replaced the photoelectric sensor and it works fine now. My tale is chronocled in this thread:

    http://www.broadlandshoa.org/hoaforum/showthread.php?t=16759
     
  13. glencastle

    glencastle The Paterfamilias

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    Here's another thought...may not be appropriate but worth considering.

    I had a similar problem...reset my GFI, replaced bulbs, etc, etc. I was ready to call an electrician and as a last resort removed the bulbs and blasted the sockets with a can of air. Seems there was a bunch of bug guts in the sockets because the lights attracted all manner of things that died and fell in there.

    Once I did that, I had three working lights. May not apply to your situation but worth a mention.
     
  14. lauralynne

    lauralynne Member

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    Just be careful; 2.5 years ago, my former coworker's light in the post caught fire due to faulty wiring. The side of the house caught fire too, but everyone was able to evacuate in time, and the fire dept. was able to prevent major damage.
     

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