[fredjim]

We had a big snow storm last month and since then I have been having problems with my photocontrol yard light.
At first I had to reset it everyday in order for it to turn on in the evening and out in the morning. Then the light would not turn on when I tried to reset it. I purchased a new bulb and it will not work.
Could it be my photo sensor? If it is, how do I check and repair it?

[tkrussell]

Need more detail of the fixture and photosensor. What type of fixture or lamp, what type of photosensor? I am not familiar with a photosensor that needs to be reset.

If the fixture uses a 175 watt mercury or metal halide lamp, the fixture contains a ballast, or transfomer, that suppplies power for the lamp,and this can be defective.

[fredjim]

tkrussell
Thanks

The photosensor is a Caster model and the replacement bulb is metal halide.
The reset I mentioned was after the lamp shut off in the morning, it would not relight in the evening until I turned the power off and then on a couple of times. That evening the lamp would light, turn off in the morning and I would have to repeat the relighting
When this did not work anymore, I thought the bulb was spent and I purchased the metal halide bulb but I cannot get it to turn on.
I removed the photo control, cleaned the surface and replaced it still would not work.

[Stratmando]

If the photocell plugs and turns to lock in the fixture and has 3 prongs, you can jump 2 to bypass the photocell, the 3rd wire is the neutral.
Also, You should be able to remove photocell, touch probes in socket to find 120? Volts, then the 3rd would be the wire to the lights ballast.