Problem Cause Solution
No power at plug Tripped breaker or GFI Reset circuit breaker in main panel or the GFI usually located in a bathroom, garage or kitchen.
GFI keeps tripping Ground problem or defective GFI GFI’s are notorious for nuisance tripping. Use a high grade model such as the Hubbell #GF5252I.
Transformer is cycling on & off at night Excessive wattage load or short Reduce lamp wattage, fixture quantity or increase size of Transformer. See shorting solution below.
PhotoCell Transformer is cycling on & off in the daytime Photocell wiring incorrect Reverse the hot and common wires on the Photocell 120v input. Request wiring schematic for proper wiring.
One cable run not working Cut cable or short Test cable for voltage – if none then it is cut – if there is very low voltage and the cable is hot then there is a short. Check all fixtures and splices for defects.
Lamps are burning out prematurely Excessive voltage at lamp Drop the affected cable run down to the next lower voltage tap or increase wattage load on that cable to drop voltage. Also, some lamps are rated for a very short life such as the 4414 (300 hours). Use halogen lamps.
The closest lamp to the transformer is burning out prematurely Excessive voltage at lamp The closest lamp will always have a higher voltage reading than the last lamp. Cable fixtures so that there is about 40′ from first to last within a lighting zone. See System Layout for details. If there is only one lamp (fixture) very close to the transformer then use 16 gauge cable to run to it only. This will help by creating voltage loss caused by the resistance from the skinny cable.
Lamps have a yellow or golden tone Voltage too low Move affected cable to the next higher voltage tap or reduce load on cable. If possible run additional cable to first fixture to reduce voltage loss.
Lamp goes on and off when fixture is moved Too much tension on socket leads With spring type sockets it is important to leave some slack so the socket contacts make a good connection to the lamp base. This is a common problem on the Tree / Trellis Spots where the installer doesn’t leave any slack in the socket lead wires coming out of the back of the fixture then he tries to adjust the beam angle thereby yanking the contacts off the socket base.
All of the lights on the system are getting dimmer with age Splices are corroding As non-waterproof splices corrode they create electrical resistance which reduces voltage. To fix simply dig up all splices on the project and waterproof them with FX LiteSplice&â„¢ or equal. Black tape don’t get it!!
Photocell Transformer is coming on too soon Transformer is in dark location In order to operate properly the photocell must have a good look at daylight. Move to a brighter location.
Fixtures have a white mineral deposit on them Irrigation water is hitting them when they’re on – like washing a car in the hot sun To avoid having mineral build-up schedule the irrigation to come on after the lights have gone off. This is especially true with the 50w spots – very hot. To remove the deposits use Lime Away bathroom cleaner or equal.
The fixtures are corroding and my client is about to kill me!! Inferior metals and finish Next time buy your clients the best engineered and built components available – FX!
