I have one that is apparently bad, though not totally shot. It does turn lights off during the day, but only a few hours in the afternoon, not at the break of day.

My question is, are these all basically the same assuming the voltage rating is the same? I tried searching for an identical replacement, but no luck. Info on the switch says:

CQC Qicheng
LC-105
E230352
120VAC 50/60HZ
1800W Tungsten 1100VA Ballast

It's a button style that mounts through a conventional cover plate. I see several similar switches on Amazon. If the voltage is the same, will any work?

Thanks!

I've got a similar, but different, issue with 2 of my floodlights, in that they trigger on motion, but immediately shut off.

Have 5 total, all similar & only 2 behave this way.

Don't some of those have settings as to how long you can keep the light on for?

Yes & they're set to the max & highest sensitivity.
Could just be that those 2 are bad, dunno & haven't had the time to dig into it.

I remember having some in the past where if I turned the power off for a while and back on, it reset them. Like a lot of things...

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
I remember having some in the past where if I turned the power off for a while and back on, it reset them. Like a lot of things...

Thanks, I may try to pull them down & clean them up, see if there's anything obvious.

Sorry for the hijack

No problem. If the electrical conversation helps just one person....

Is the sensor somewhere shaded?

If it's not shaded here's an Intermatic replacement unit.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
I have one that is apparently bad, though not totally shot. It does turn lights off during the day, but only a few hours in the afternoon, not at the break of day.

My question is, are these all basically the same assuming the voltage rating is the same? I tried searching for an identical replacement, but no luck. Info on the switch says:

CQC Qicheng
LC-105
E230352
120VAC 50/60HZ
1800W Tungsten 1100VA Ballast

It's a button style that mounts through a conventional cover plate. I see several similar switches on Amazon. If the voltage is the same, will any work?

Thanks!

Yes, you need to match the voltage.

But yes, you ALSO need to match* the wattage.

*This sensor is rated to throughput 15 amps (1800w/120v=15a) if the fixture is a tungsten lamp, but only 9 amps (1100va/120v=9ish amps) if the fixture is an electronic ballast (e.g., fluorescent fixture). You can find a sensor can accommodate the same draw, but you'll mostly encounter sensors that will throughput much less (500watts or 4amps @ 120v is common). You'll have to look at your fixture and determine how much wattage it is pulling and find something that will accommodate that draw with a nice comfortable margin for safety.

Get a new outdoor plate as well. You'll likely want the new gasket that comes with it. If the sensor is mounted to stucco, you'll also need some silicone caulk in addition to the gasket to make it watertight against the irregular surface of stucco.

When you go to wire it in, you should use some some lever nut style connectors (WAGO 221 or similar). Residential wiring is solid conductor, and the photosensor will have stranded conductors. Splicing these different wire types together with a regular twist-on wire nut is a frequent failure point for people who haven't been shown how to do it properly. Avoid this hazard by using a lever nut style connector. When you are done connecting wires and need to push the wires back into the box, tuck the wires in such a way that 1) the openings of the wire connectors are facing down (so as to not collect water), and 2) that the wire bends in such a way as to prevent water from flowing down the wire into the wall or into the device (eg. make a drip loop).

EDIT: Skins beat me to it--I have this exact same sensor:

https://www.amazon.com/Interma...ontrol/dp/B000BQR0BU

Thanks for the replies, Skins and Aeteocles.

Because I have a different mounting box, the switch you linked won't work; my box has four screws, one in each corner. But I did find what looks to be a suitable switch only.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003...C/ref=emc_b_5_i?th=1

Can you confirm? Thanks!

ETA, this switch controls four driveway lamps and I've replaced the bulbs with the smallest wattage LEDs I could find; 5W each.

I just had mine replaced yesterday. Electrician said I was lucky to get 4 years out of the sensor, due to the high temps here. It fell apart as he was removing it to bypass it.

He installed a Intermatic IC600WC inside the house. He added it next to the Off/On switch for the exterior lights. It has a setting for Dusk/Dawn, or that be programmed for times.

Thanks, Tom. I actually have another front porch light that's on an older analog timer that only works okay.

But that's a project for another day.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
Thanks for the replies, Skins and Aeteocles.

Because I have a different mounting box, the switch you linked won't work; my box has four screws, one in each corner. But I did find what looks to be a suitable switch only.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003...C/ref=emc_b_5_i?th=1

Can you confirm? Thanks!

ETA, this switch controls four driveway lamps and I've replaced the bulbs with the smallest wattage LEDs I could find; 5W each.

Yes, this one will work.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
Thanks for the replies, Skins and Aeteocles.

Because I have a different mounting box, the switch you linked won't work; my box has four screws, one in each corner. But I did find what looks to be a suitable switch only.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003...C/ref=emc_b_5_i?th=1

Can you confirm? Thanks!

ETA, this switch controls four driveway lamps and I've replaced the bulbs with the smallest wattage LEDs I could find; 5W each.

Personally I'd still use the intermatic unit (or TORK) just because it's a better product. You may be wasting $5 on a plate that you're just going to throw away, but hopefully you don't touch it for 20 years again. At a supply house I can specify the model number and get it with or without plate (ex TORK 3000) but it doesn't look like Amazon sells them.

I've used the ones you linked and I don't remember having any warranty calls, but I also didn't like using it. If it's easily accessible it probably doesn't matter, if you need a ladder or could get dirty then the extra $5-10 for a known brand is worth it.

Did I miss it, or did you not say if it was a shaded area?

Thanks for the info, Jesse! Yeah, I can rob the switch from the plate and be happy with a better product.

The switch is on the north side of the house and behind some plants which I've cut back. Still not an ideal spot.