# Photocell Sensor Lighting Wiring (2 wires)



## Schroeck (May 29, 2013)

Is there a dusk to dawn photocell sensor or a way to wire a photocell sensor in place of a single pole light switch in a scenario where only two wires come out of the wall, a black and a white? Our new home has a series of recessed lights under the eves of the home and at the end of the line is a dusk to dawn photocell sensor. The lights are always on, when I removed the photocell sensor the lights turned off and there are only two wires in the junction box, a black and a white. A typical photocell sensor has 3 wires (white, black, red) and requires 4 wires, 2 from the power source and 2 to the light source. What are my options if I only have 2 wires available and want a dusk to dawn type switch controlling the lights?


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## mm11 (Apr 30, 2013)

What type of photocell did you remove? Two leads?

Seems like the old photocell switched the neutral (code violation), and it burned up with the contacts in a closed position.


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## Schroeck (May 29, 2013)

The photocell sensor never worked properly, the property is new and someone installed it hoping it would work. The current photocell sensor has 3 leads; the lights have always been on until they all burned out. Whoever wired the lights ran a wire from the lights to the photocell sensor, and the wire only has two wires, a white and a black, and functions as a single pole light switch would. I want to know if there is a product or way to wire a dusk to dawn photocell sensor to the wires I have available?


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

That sound like a switch loop for the photo sensor and that useally not the best move with someone done like that.

Normally they work fine with indentscent bulbs but once you go with LED or CFL .,, the bet do go out of the window ( it means will never work properly espcally with off mode ) 


Whatever you do ., don't repurpose the EGC aka bare ground conductor for other useage that is not mean for that only for ground protection only.

Merci,
Marc


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## Schroeck (May 29, 2013)

So does anyone know if there is a way to wire a photocell sensor to a 2-wire "switch loop?"


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

Schroeck said:


> So does anyone know if there is a way to wire a photocell sensor to a 2-wire "switch loop?"


The only way you can do this is use the two wire photocell format and as I mention before check what kind of lighting load you have there if indentscent bulbs that is not a issue at all. 

Unless you snake in new XX-3 conductor < cable > then it will not be a issue with any type of photocell sensor at all.

Merci,
Marc


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## Schroeck (May 29, 2013)

The load is 12 standard flood lights, which we may replace the bulbs with energy saver cfl flood light bulbs. Would this be an issue? I can't seem to find a 2-wire photocell sensor, any recommendations? Thank you!


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

Schroeck said:


> The load is 12 standard flood lights, which we may replace the bulbs with energy saver cfl flood light bulbs. Would this be an issue? I can't seem to find a 2-wire photocell sensor, any recommendations? Thank you!


If you go with the CFL bulbs the photosensor you have there now I am pretty sure it will not work properly unless you leave at least one indentscent bulb in there all the time the rest with CFL then it should work allright.

The reason why I mention the indentscent bulb due it will act like shunt to keep prevent the rest of the CFL lamps flicker when it is in off mode with two wire photosensor.

So that one way you can do this otherwise if you have real easy access to the junction box to the luminaire then that what I will recomeoned to do that route.

What photocell you have on now ? 

Merci,
Marc


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