Electrical testing

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • jkfletcher

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jul 12, 2011
    1,542
    48
    A geographical oddity
    I have an attached garage that has 2 lights on the outside, on either side of the garage door, that are attached to a dusk to dawn sensor, and then straight into the breaker box. Breaker box isn't labeled that great, and I need to change the light fixtures. Does the dusk to dawn sensor act as the switch? As in if I take the light fixture down and put a tester(non contact voltage tester) on the wires during the day, when the lights wouldn't be on since the sensor wouldn't have indicated it was dark and that the lights needed to come on, will I still get a hit on the hot wire? My plan is to put the tester on the wire(s) and flip breakers until I don't get a reading. I don't really feel like getting shocked, but other than not knowing which breaker to flip, I feel like this is an easy enough job to not hire someone to do it. Thanks
     

    GodFearinGunTotin

    Super Moderator
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Mar 22, 2011
    50,580
    113
    Mitchell
    Some of those sensors have a test mode. Sometimes it's on the sensor and some I've seen activated by doing something like turning the light switch off/on/off/on in quick succession. Another option would be to put a piece of electrical tape over the light sensor or glove over the entire motion sensor/light sensor device. It would be better to kill the breaker than rely on the motion/light sensor to keep you safe.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,682
    77
    Camby area
    Some of those sensors have a test mode. Sometimes it's on the sensor and some I've seen activated by doing something like turning the light switch off/on/off/on in quick succession. Another option would be to put a piece of electrical tape over the light sensor or glove over the entire motion sensor/light sensor device. It would be better to kill the breaker than rely on the motion/light sensor to keep you safe.


    THIS! Test mode FTW.

    Always kill the breaker. 110 USUALLY wont kill you, but no sense taking a chance.
     

    jkfletcher

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jul 12, 2011
    1,542
    48
    A geographical oddity
    I want to kill the breaker. I just don't know which one it is. The sensor is on the side of the garage up by the roof. I'm hoping I can test the wires for power, find the hot one, and flip breakers until I find no power in the wires. I'm wondering though if I'll find one that is hot when the lights aren't on(in which case it would be dark and I don't want to replace fixtures in the dark).
     

    ATM

    will argue for sammiches.
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Jul 29, 2008
    21,019
    83
    Crawfordsville
    There is NO SAFE value to electricity...

    Wait. What?

    scenes-of-relief-5-one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest-electrotherapy_scruberthumbnail_0.jpg
     

    awames76

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Feb 24, 2016
    381
    28
    kendallville
    most of my breaks in the house are not labeled, house is 67 yrs old. went from screw in fuse to 100 amp box to 200 amp box, so when i have to change a switch or a plug i just through the main.
     

    jkfletcher

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jul 12, 2011
    1,542
    48
    A geographical oddity
    Normally I would just turn on a light switch and flip the breakers until the light went out. But these fixtures don't have a switch, just the dusk to dawn sensor, so I assume that if it's light outside and the lights are off, that it would act as if a switch was turned off. I would assume that a wire would still be hot, even with the light off, like a regular light on a switch. But I also don't know if the sensor kills power to the lights, so that there is no power unless it's dark out.

    I don't even know if I'm explaining it the way it sounds in my head :)
     

    Woobie

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 19, 2014
    7,197
    63
    Losantville
    Wait. What?

    scenes-of-relief-5-one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest-electrotherapy_scruberthumbnail_0.jpg

    Don't tell me. You're thinking something crazy like your heart runs on electricity.

    Also, if it's enough to melt steel beams, it is unsafe.


    Anyway. OP, even though that sensor being open removes the current from the circuit, I wouldn't be very keen on trusting my well-being to something I couldn't manually make safe. I'll bet a little studying could narrow your search down to a few breakers, then do trial and error on them. You could cover up the sensor so it would close the circuit, letting you know when you've found the right breaker.
     

    Clay Pigeon

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Aug 3, 2016
    2,740
    12
    Summitville
    Well it's dark now, I would suggest you start flipping off single pole breakers one at a time until the lights turn off. :dunno:
    And I'm sure shortly you will know which breaker it is and then label the correct breaker.
     

    ATM

    will argue for sammiches.
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Jul 29, 2008
    21,019
    83
    Crawfordsville
    I was assured by several "experts" that a little [STRIKE]jet fuel[/STRIKE] electricity is good for you.

    Who am I to argue with experts? :dunno:

    jack-nicholson-flewover-214.jpg
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
    152
    Speedway area
    I want to kill the breaker. I just don't know which one it is. The sensor is on the side of the garage up by the roof. I'm hoping I can test the wires for power, find the hot one, and flip breakers until I find no power in the wires. I'm wondering though if I'll find one that is hot when the lights aren't on(in which case it would be dark and I don't want to replace fixtures in the dark).

    Go out there now. Have someone set off the sensor and start throwing breakers. Easy peasy.
    Mark it when you find it.
     

    RobbyMaQ

    #BarnWoodStrong
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    35   0   0
    Mar 26, 2012
    8,963
    83
    Lizton
    Mine is screwed and doesn't operate when it gets below 30 degrees, so needs replaced. thing is, it has an led that blinks (whether the light comes on or not) when it is supposed to be functioning.
    Fact is, the led wouldn't blink if no power was going to it... so you can test by shutting off breakers until the led shuts of as well.
    Just another idea for future readers...

    Yes you can test with a voltmeter, but as other's have mentioned, when lights shut off after shutting off a breaker, it's much easier/more apparent which breaker it is.

    Hint: May be worth plugging n a radio to outlets and such and flipping breakers so you can label which breaker goes to what for future reference
     

    jkfletcher

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jul 12, 2011
    1,542
    48
    A geographical oddity
    fixtures don't work, receptacles rusted out, so the dark is no good anyway. Didn't think about the tape over the sensor during the day. This is why I don't post when I'm supposed to be asleep, I forget to put stuff in the post that might be helpful to answer the question
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
    152
    Speedway area
    I do this stuff hot all the time but I respect electricity. And yes, 120 will kill you.
    If all else fails throw the main in the panel. Yes you will have to reset some things but you can do the work.
     
    Top Bottom