Outdoor Security Lighting Help

While back during the beginning of our January thaw, a large chunk of ice slid off the roof crashing down on the back porch, taking the light with it. Of course the energy efficient light is made out of plastic, so it was easily broken.

So I purchased a simple light fixture made out of a die cast metal. Also bought a programmable Compact Fluorescent Light Control and a 13 watt 6500*K CFL. I followed the instructions to program the controler to turn the light on at dusk, off at dawn. The light came on that evening, but wouldn't go off during the day - even with a bright sunshine. Then I shine my 4-D Mag Light at the sensor and it still would not go off. So then I switched the incandescent only light controler and the 100 watt regular bulb from my desk lamp. I had the desk lamp plugged into a lamp socket plug-in adapter, which was attached to the dusk/dawn light controller. I have a ceramic lamp socket attached to a plastic junction box that sits on the window sill. I found that these controlers don't work well with table lamps with shades. So I came up with this "Mickey Mouse" aparatus and it works well.

Any who, switched out the incandescent for the CFL to see if it would work inside. The incandescent worked well in the outside fixture, but isn't saving me much in energy with the 100 watt bulb. The CFL sort of works OK inside using the random feature. The random feature suppose to turn the light on for 2, 5, or 8 hours then off. It turns on in the evening for a set number of hours and off. Few hours later it comes back on for so many hours and off again. And will repeat this again in a few hours to dawn.

This product suppose to have a 5 year warranty. I did contact the company and they gave my a bunch of jiberish mumbo jumbo. The ceramic lamp socket on a plastic junction box is in total darkness till dawn. The desk lamp is several feet away from the window via it's own cord. I'm guess a good 4 feet away. So i cannot see where the "EYE" is seeing any light to cause confusing for the controller to turn the light off and back on again in a few hours.

Any guess on what to do?

As to the outside porch light, went to Top Bulb (online) and purchase a special outdoor CFL meant for said purpose with it's own built in sensor and it is working great so far. It remain off today, even with the dark gloomy skies we have had today. Turn on this evening and roduces more light than the 100 watt bulb and is only using 20 watts. Will see if it goes out in the morning.

 

I recently switched from 100 Watt spots to 5 watt LED spot lights, they are great and give off very good light. $15 buck a pop but real cheap in the long run, another advantage is if some little bugger decides to do the BB thing he will have to shoot out each and every LED!

 

Plus LED lights can withstand constant on/off cycles with ease. CFL's are meant to be on at "least" 15 minutes to warm up. And LED's don't have the dangers of mercury like CFL's do.