Managing lights paired up with motion sensors can be quite challenging when you’re installing them for the first time. If you browse the community forums for a while, you’ll find a ton of reports of customers dealing with sensor-related issues. So, it is a good idea to hire a general contractor to avoid the hassle of dealing with all the minor issues with the outside sensor light not working.
However, if you’re tight on budget and don’t want to hire a general contractor, then there are a few things that can be done regarding the outside sensor light not working. The following list of troubleshooting steps should help you with more perspective on the issue.
Why Is Outside Sensor Light Not Working?
- Change Fixture Orientation
The orientation of the fixture is the first thing that you have to check if the outside sensor light is not working. The effectiveness of the motion sensors is directly linked to the angle of the device. So, if you have not positioned the device properly, then you won’t get any performance from the outside sensor lights. All you have to do is to check the installation instructions again and change the angle to get the lights working again.
- Increase SensitivityÂ
Almost all the sensor lights come with a sensitivity range. The majority of issues with the outside sensor light not working point towards the sensitivity problems. So, if you’re not getting any response from the lights, then increasing the sensitivity is your only option. If you’re sure that the covered area and the angle of the fixture are correct, then slightly increasing the sensitivity will eliminate these problems with the sensor lights.
- Remove Dust
If the sensor lights were working perfectly just a few days ago, then you’re likely dealing with dust build-up on the sensors. If you’ve not cleaned the sensors in a while, then now might be a good time to service the unit. Make sure that there is no debris left on the sensor, and then try to engage the light again. Hopefully, you won’t have to bother with the same issues again, and the sensors will be able to easily detect movement when there is a bit of movement in the targeted area.
- Check Electrical Connections
Even if you’ve managed all of the above-mentioned steps perfectly, you need to check the electrical connections for possible errors. To isolate this error with the outside sensor lights, you have to inspect the complete wiring cluster and remove corrosion from corroded connection points. Make sure that the wiring is in good shape, and rely on a multimeter to further find the voltage difference in the sensor lights.
On the other hand, if the wiring is damaged or bent in a weird shape, then you will have to replace the defective wiring. It would be better if you could seek help from a professional because it can be pretty challenging to fix these issues with the sensor lights yourself
- Power Cycle Lights
Now, power cycling the sensor lights might seem like a generic fix, but it has proven to be effective multiple times. So, there is no harm in power cycling these lights and then checking the performance of the sensors again. All you have to do is to remove the power from the main circuit breaker and then turn it back on after 10 minutes. This should fix any programming-related bugs in the system, and you won’t have to bother with resetting the outside sensor lights again.
- Check For Hardware Issues
If the issue with the outside sensor lights not working is not fixed at this stage, then the possibility of hardware issues increases by a massive margin. If you’ve recently purchased these outside sensor lights, then claiming the warranty is the only smart move. However, you can also contact the customer support department for your respective brand and seek help in diagnosing the problem. If the lights are damaged, then you can’t do much about the problem, and you should either claim the warranty or take the lights to a repair center. Hopefully, you won’t have to bother with all of that, and the issue will be fixed after fixing the orientation of the lights.