Photo-cells and CFLs

Posted by nielloeb@hotmail.com on October 18, 2009, 3:41 pm

I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
at dusk and off at dawn. I can buy a screw-in photo-cell that works
with CFLs for only $8. If I cover the regular eye so it thinks it's
always dark and therefore will always be on, will the CFL work? It
would be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

Posted by John Grabowski on October 18, 2009, 3:46 pm

>I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
> at dusk and off at dawn. I can buy a screw-in photo-cell that works
> with CFLs for only $8. If I cover the regular eye so it thinks it's
> always dark and therefore will always be on, will the CFL work? It
> would be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

*Put a CFL in the fixture and see if it works before you spend money on an
accessory. If the existing photocell worked with a regular bulb it should
work with a CFL.

Posted by Oren on October 18, 2009, 4:39 pm

On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:46:50 -0400, "John Grabowski"

>>I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
>> at dusk and off at dawn. I can buy a screw-in photo-cell that works
>> with CFLs for only $8. If I cover the regular eye so it thinks it's
>> always dark and therefore will always be on, will the CFL work? It
>> would be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

>*Put a CFL in the fixture and see if it works before you spend money on an
>accessory. If the existing photocell worked with a regular bulb it should
>work with a CFL.

I've seen one instance where the CFL bulbs would flicker.. (new
construction/fixture/bulb(s), etc.) Never learned what the problem
was - the photo cell or the bulb.

Posted by zxcvbob on October 18, 2009, 8:56 pm

John Grabowski wrote:

>> I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
>> at dusk and off at dawn. I can buy a screw-in photo-cell that works
>> with CFLs for only $8. If I cover the regular eye so it thinks it's
>> always dark and therefore will always be on, will the CFL work? It
>> would be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

>
>
> *Put a CFL in the fixture and see if it works before you spend money on
> an accessory. If the existing photocell worked with a regular bulb it
> should work with a CFL.

It will work, sort of. Then the CFL will die in just a few
weeks. They don't like that transition when the photocell is
just turning on for 5 minutes or so. BTDT.

Bob

Posted by aemeijers on October 18, 2009, 10:45 pm

zxcvbob wrote:

> John Grabowski wrote:

>>> I have an outdoor floodlight fixture with a photo-cell to turn it on
>>> at dusk and off at dawn. I can buy a screw-in photo-cell that works
>>> with CFLs for only $8. If I cover the regular eye so it thinks it's
>>> always dark and therefore will always be on, will the CFL work? It
>>> would be cheaper than buying a new fixture.

>> *Put a CFL in the fixture and see if it works before you spend money
>> on an accessory. If the existing photocell worked with a regular bulb
>> it should work with a CFL.

>
>
> It will work, sort of. Then the CFL will die in just a few weeks. They
> don't like that transition when the photocell is just turning on for 5
> minutes or so. BTDT.
>
> Bob

For a heavily cycled, but short run-time light like that, CFL doesn't
make much sense. And in cold weather, lag time on startup will be annoying.

--
aem sends...

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