Does anyone here know how to turn these lights on and off? Moved into this house last year and tried changing the bulb and every single switch in the house. Anyone know the trick to these?
Does anyone here know how to turn these lights on and off? Moved into this house last year and tried changing the bulb and every single switch in the house. Anyone know the trick to these?
Is there possibly a magic eye or sensor somewhere? Can you speak to the previous resident?
brlymeister
If light works, use a circuit finder tool with a socket adapter to locate the circuit and then work backwards from there (I.e., find other items on that circuit to help find the switching source.)
BeesKneesTX
I ended up just sticking a string of solar lights in mine after it stopped working.
slinnhoff
I found my switch in the corner of the garage
xBADJOEx
My dad just puts old posts up with no intention of it working.. he goes…” Its an antique,worth a lot of money.”
Numerous_Program1060
I have a lamp post and it took me a couple of years to finally find a weird timer switch on the opposite side of the house in the basement. I swapped it for a toggle switch and put a light sensor on it.
TheBobInSonoma
Ask a neighbor if they remember seeing it lit
Zabe60
Look for a box on the outside of your house or in your garage.
cougineer
Is there an extension chord buried in the ground you need to plug-in? I’m not kidding… this was my case. Now it’s hooked up to a timer in an exterior outlet
foshizzlemyziggle
Could be a small box with a photocell on the outside of your house where the wires come from. Had that setup in my current house and redid my lamp post to one that has its own photocell.
Familiar-Zebra6489
It’s likely on a Clapper. Just stand near it and clap until it turns on.
TimeRemove
Get a non-contact electrical tester ($20~ from Amazon), you can then check for a circuit. If there isn’t one, then the problem isn’t at the light, and you’ll want to dig up the cable (which won’t be buried as deep as you expect), and trace it back.
If there is a circuit/electrical power, check there isn’t a light sensor that is broken/blocked/dirty.
nanoH2O
No light sensor where it comes on automatically at night? That’s how ours works. Maybe the wiring is bad.
Just_Mastodon_9177
Is there a access panel at the base of the post? Check for power at the wires with a Volt ohm meter.
seasonedsaltdog
There might be a sensor on it somewhere. Keep all switches on and cover sensor up with your hand to see if it turns on. It might be powered- but only turns on when it gets dark enough. Not sure if someone else mentioned this or you’ve tried already
JohnArthurForever
easy you just set it on fire
Frequent-Strength772
Do you have any exterior power outlets? Are any of them possibly attached to interior switches? We have a 4-switch box by our front door and one of them ran to an exterior outlet that was then running out to a similar light. Possibly disconnected at that outlet? If not, do your exterior light switches have an “extra” wire attached that might have been chewed through or disconnected? The circuit tester theory seems like the best one to start.
denali_sun
We have a switch for outside Christmas lights, that I found inside our coat closet by the front door
Bob-Bhlabla-esq
Can your realtor ask the former home owners?
I gave my contact info to the new owner of our old place and occasionally she’d call and ask random questions about the house. Might be worth a try before you waste a lot of time 🤷‍♀️
SufficientFan381
Voice activated. Sometimes they’re not very sensitive. You might need to yell at it.
Chemical-Sky-6905
Could be a bad photo cell
Mastert8r
These are usually installed with bolts in the bottom. Should easily unscrew and you can check that the wiring is correct or if it exists at all. If it does dig out near the post and see how far down the wiring goes and in what direction. If it’s shallow, follow it back to the house.
IdaPizzaMan
Check the gfi in the garage.
jjutie
Look for photocell on top of it. Probably went bad.
Laymans_Terms19
I had the same problem. Mine were on a programmable timer, that was the ONLY way to turn them on and off. and the mechanical
dial timer was located with the electrical box. Discovered when I could hear the dumb thing clocking, googled what it was and noticed the clamps fell off. Got those back on and now I have driveway lamps for select hours of the day.
Reeftankz10000
It’s powered kinetically. You need to grasp it around the shaft and stroke up and down for about 3 minutes.
glendaleterrorist
I recommend a .22 or a close range, pellet gun
j-double
Make sure your electric company didn’t install. This sounds weird, but there’s an option, where our energy company will install decorative lights as an option, and bill us monthly. Maybe not for you but definitely worth checking into it all else fails
Mean-Operation2370
They run on natural gas. Don’t dig it up or you’ll hit gas line!! It is probably not hooked up to the gas line anymore OR the gas to house has been cut off by the gas company. Call them!!
hayes2400
Ours had a bad photocell and never turned on power to the bulb. If this is your problem, you can replace the sensor or rewire to bypass it and buy a bulb with a built-in photocell to turn on at dusk. Look for a small sensor about 1/2″ in diameter near the top of the post or on the fixture.
minnesota_husk3r
Double check your circuit breakers too. They may have shut it off from there.
UnitSignificant2866
If it is a photo cell, then there is power to the pole 24/7. You can get an electricity sensor at a hardware shop that can tell if it’s got power.
Treestyles
Electrical tape over the iris
HunniBunniX0
***Pull the lever Kronk!***
Joking aside, there might be some kind of a sensor set up somewhere. Ask the prior tenants?
With-Cheese-Please
By chance, is there a small latched door on one of the sides? Or, are you able to slowly dig down to see if there are wires going on any one direction?
Professional-Sock837
Gas lamp
CatastrophicLeaker
Get a wifi bulb
Macsimus15
This exact thing happened to me. Turned out there was at some point a light sensor. I wound up finding the wiring in a closet in my garage.
jobu5000
It’s the switch inside your garage between the door and the wall. Tiny wall, hidden behind the garage door frame. Bob thought it was convenient, Charlene said it was a stupid place to put it. She was right.
BeerPizzaGaming
I would start with checking your breakers. If none are tripped then perform a continuity test from the pole. You might have a false ground/ bad wiring.
LAGGERWERKS
Mine is connected to my porch light.
BeerPizzaGaming
I think your issue is that is a lamp post that identifies as a stripper pole and is in the process of its transformation.
SawtoothGlitch
Shut off the main house breaker and see if they still light up. If they do, they are on your neighbors circuit, so leave them the fuck alone.
44 Comments
Is there possibly a magic eye or sensor somewhere? Can you speak to the previous resident?
If light works, use a circuit finder tool with a socket adapter to locate the circuit and then work backwards from there (I.e., find other items on that circuit to help find the switching source.)
I ended up just sticking a string of solar lights in mine after it stopped working.
I found my switch in the corner of the garage
My dad just puts old posts up with no intention of it working.. he goes…” Its an antique,worth a lot of money.”
I have a lamp post and it took me a couple of years to finally find a weird timer switch on the opposite side of the house in the basement. I swapped it for a toggle switch and put a light sensor on it.
Ask a neighbor if they remember seeing it lit
Look for a box on the outside of your house or in your garage.
Is there an extension chord buried in the ground you need to plug-in? I’m not kidding… this was my case. Now it’s hooked up to a timer in an exterior outlet
Could be a small box with a photocell on the outside of your house where the wires come from. Had that setup in my current house and redid my lamp post to one that has its own photocell.
It’s likely on a Clapper. Just stand near it and clap until it turns on.
Get a non-contact electrical tester ($20~ from Amazon), you can then check for a circuit. If there isn’t one, then the problem isn’t at the light, and you’ll want to dig up the cable (which won’t be buried as deep as you expect), and trace it back.
If there is a circuit/electrical power, check there isn’t a light sensor that is broken/blocked/dirty.
No light sensor where it comes on automatically at night? That’s how ours works. Maybe the wiring is bad.
Is there a access panel at the base of the post? Check for power at the wires with a Volt ohm meter.
There might be a sensor on it somewhere. Keep all switches on and cover sensor up with your hand to see if it turns on. It might be powered- but only turns on when it gets dark enough. Not sure if someone else mentioned this or you’ve tried already
easy you just set it on fire
Do you have any exterior power outlets? Are any of them possibly attached to interior switches? We have a 4-switch box by our front door and one of them ran to an exterior outlet that was then running out to a similar light. Possibly disconnected at that outlet? If not, do your exterior light switches have an “extra” wire attached that might have been chewed through or disconnected? The circuit tester theory seems like the best one to start.
We have a switch for outside Christmas lights, that I found inside our coat closet by the front door
Can your realtor ask the former home owners?
I gave my contact info to the new owner of our old place and occasionally she’d call and ask random questions about the house. Might be worth a try before you waste a lot of time 🤷‍♀️
Voice activated. Sometimes they’re not very sensitive. You might need to yell at it.
Could be a bad photo cell
These are usually installed with bolts in the bottom. Should easily unscrew and you can check that the wiring is correct or if it exists at all. If it does dig out near the post and see how far down the wiring goes and in what direction. If it’s shallow, follow it back to the house.
Check the gfi in the garage.
Look for photocell on top of it. Probably went bad.
I had the same problem. Mine were on a programmable timer, that was the ONLY way to turn them on and off. and the mechanical
dial timer was located with the electrical box. Discovered when I could hear the dumb thing clocking, googled what it was and noticed the clamps fell off. Got those back on and now I have driveway lamps for select hours of the day.
It’s powered kinetically. You need to grasp it around the shaft and stroke up and down for about 3 minutes.
I recommend a .22 or a close range, pellet gun
Make sure your electric company didn’t install. This sounds weird, but there’s an option, where our energy company will install decorative lights as an option, and bill us monthly. Maybe not for you but definitely worth checking into it all else fails
They run on natural gas. Don’t dig it up or you’ll hit gas line!! It is probably not hooked up to the gas line anymore OR the gas to house has been cut off by the gas company. Call them!!
Ours had a bad photocell and never turned on power to the bulb. If this is your problem, you can replace the sensor or rewire to bypass it and buy a bulb with a built-in photocell to turn on at dusk. Look for a small sensor about 1/2″ in diameter near the top of the post or on the fixture.
Double check your circuit breakers too. They may have shut it off from there.
If it is a photo cell, then there is power to the pole 24/7. You can get an electricity sensor at a hardware shop that can tell if it’s got power.
Electrical tape over the iris
***Pull the lever Kronk!***
Joking aside, there might be some kind of a sensor set up somewhere. Ask the prior tenants?
By chance, is there a small latched door on one of the sides? Or, are you able to slowly dig down to see if there are wires going on any one direction?
Gas lamp
Get a wifi bulb
This exact thing happened to me. Turned out there was at some point a light sensor. I wound up finding the wiring in a closet in my garage.
It’s the switch inside your garage between the door and the wall. Tiny wall, hidden behind the garage door frame. Bob thought it was convenient, Charlene said it was a stupid place to put it. She was right.
I would start with checking your breakers. If none are tripped then perform a continuity test from the pole. You might have a false ground/ bad wiring.
Mine is connected to my porch light.
I think your issue is that is a lamp post that identifies as a stripper pole and is in the process of its transformation.
Shut off the main house breaker and see if they still light up. If they do, they are on your neighbors circuit, so leave them the fuck alone.
Ask Ellen to go to the basement and plug it in