# cant find a photocell that works on a dimmer circuit



## 3bar (Jan 14, 2011)

every photocell i've seen says not to be used on a dimmer circuit.
anybody know of one that will work?


----------



## Rmcooke86 (Feb 18, 2018)

As long as you have the dimmer installed after the photo cell I don't see a issue. Where is this being installed?


----------



## 3bar (Jan 14, 2011)

Rmcooke86 said:


> As long as you have the dimmer installed after the photo cell I don't see a issue. Where is this being installed?


thats what i thought. but after reading how photocells work, that doesnt seem to be the case.

i have dimmer on exterior lights and want to add a photocell.


----------



## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Use an astrological clock timer.


----------



## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

3bar said:


> thats what i thought. but after reading how photocells work, that doesnt seem to be the case.
> 
> i have dimmer on exterior lights and want to add a photocell.


If you can't find one you could have the photocell operate a relay that completes the lighting circuit.


----------



## Rmcooke86 (Feb 18, 2018)

Try installing the dimmer on the load side of the photo eye (red wire). Take a look at my rough drawings for both applications of what will and won't work. 

When learning electrical it takes time, experience and simple trying. Good luck.


----------



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Why the need for a dimmer? What kind of lamps are you wanting dimmed and why do they need to be on a photocell?


----------



## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

I recently put my outside lights on a photocell. Finally they made some LEDs I could live with so leave the switch on now and it lights up my driveway with a warm color. My truck is parked right there loaded with tools. It has an alarm but I don't want a window broken by some crackhead.


----------



## 3bar (Jan 14, 2011)

Rmcooke86 said:


> Try installing the dimmer on the load side of the photo eye (red wire). Take a look at my rough drawings for both applications of what will and won't work.
> 
> When learning electrical it takes time, experience and simple trying. Good luck.


obviously the dimmer would be after the photocell, but most photocells are thermal it appears. i'd need one with a relay inside. if its thermal, and with a dimmer, the resistance will be too low to heat up the thermal element in the photocell, and the lights will never turn off.


480sparky said:


> Why the need for a dimmer? What kind of lamps are you wanting dimmed and why do they need to be on a photocell?


i have can lights all around exterior of house, and i recently changed them to led halogen style par30 bullbs. they are really bright, and no they are not available in lower watts. i dim them way down for a nice soft light.


----------



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

3bar said:


> obviously the dimmer would be after the photocell, but most photocells are thermal it appears. i'd need one with a relay inside. if its thermal, and with a dimmer, the resistance will be too low to heat up the thermal element in the photocell, and the lights will never turn off.
> 
> i have can lights all around exterior of house, and i recently changed them to led halogen style par30 bullbs. they are really bright, and no they are not available in lower watts. i dim them way down for a nice soft light.


Get lower-wattage LEDs.

BTW, there is no such thing as LED halogens. They're either LED or halogen.


----------



## P42003 (Jun 15, 2016)

Rmcooke86 said:


> Try installing the dimmer on the load side of the photo eye (red wire). Take a look at my rough drawings for both applications of what will and won't work.
> 
> Good luck.


There are several other threads online saying it just won't work, and why. Sorry I did not save the links, but that's what I came up with trying to answer the original question.


----------



## 3bar (Jan 14, 2011)

480sparky said:


> Get lower-wattage LEDs.
> 
> BTW, there is no such thing as LED halogens. They're either LED or halogen.


thats why i said "halogen style"  these new sylvania ultra led par30 actually look like the old halogen bulbs, and the light output is the same too. real nice bulbs. 75w output while only using 13w.


----------



## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

I don't think dimming them will give you the warm light you want. Mine are 350 lumens 2200k at 4.5 watts each. Nice warm color to me. 

If you are wanting a brighter light on occasion you might want to install a led spot light. But that's getting into some wiring.


----------



## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Run the photocell into a relay switching the power to a dimmer.

Or just use a dimmer timer set to sunrise/sunset...like I said...


----------



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

RangoWA said:


> I don't think dimming them will give you the warm light you want. Mine are 350 lumens 2200k at 4.5 watts each. Nice warm color to me.
> 
> If you are wanting a brighter light on occasion you might want to install a led spot light. But that's getting into some wiring.


2200K? Egads.... that's a yellow 'bug' light!


----------



## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

480sparky said:


> 2200K? Egads.... that's a yellow 'bug' light!


It's a nice warm orange. And I do know my colors. Makes the house look great at night. I can't say it's labeled accurately though.


----------



## 3bar (Jan 14, 2011)

i think i found the solution. basicaly i cant use a thermal photo sensor, which is what's most commonly used. i need an electronic photo sensor.
like this
Intermatic EK4336S
https://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-EK4336S-Mount-Electronic-Photocontrol/dp/B0119Q6QRY

or Intermatic EK4436SM
https://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-EK4436SM-Metal-Electronic-Control/dp/B01IXUYB9E


----------



## 3bar (Jan 14, 2011)




----------



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Those look like the most ordinary, plain-jane everyday PCs you see by the millions. Even the grocery stores and pharmacies carry them.


----------



## 3bar (Jan 14, 2011)

480sparky said:


> Those look like the most ordinary, plain-jane everyday PCs you see by the millions. Even the grocery stores and pharmacies carry them.


why should they look different? its what's inside that matters. they operate different.


----------

