Village Tinker, thank you
 

Our outside post light wasn’t working (our landscape lighting was tied to the post light). I finally got around to bringing an electrician out a few weeks ago.

Electrician took the post apart, couldn’t figure out what’s wrong. Wanted to come back, rerun wiring from the box, through the ceiling, down wall, under landscaping, under sidewalk, etc - i didn’t get a price, but easily into the thousands.

electrcian told my wife they do ALL the electrical for the Villages, they know where all the wiring is, etc. Call him, they’ll come back

This week I read Village Tinker commenting that the post lights run through a GFCI outlet in the the garage - there are two outlets.
I looked today, the outlet on the back wall was hidden, and the GFCI was RED.
I reset the outlet, waited for dusk, and Wala- lights work.

I guess I earned my electrical engineering degree from University of VT.

Village Tinker will always be a TOTV hero for helping us in so many ways. Thank you VT.

Glad I was able to help you.

Please tell us the electrician’s name who tried to rip you off so the rest of us can be wary.

I agree.

Another common problem is the sensor fails. It is a $ 10 part but you need someone more qualified than me to install it.

VT is an incredibly helpful guy

That is why you get quotes.

Replacing the sensor isn't that hard. Just replace one wire at a time. Turn off the breaker!

The next question would be why did the GFCI trip??? Could be an old GFCI outlet in the garage, could be the sensor wires inside the light pole were worn and a huge rainstorm found them… could be the phase of the moon???

Lamp post not working
 

If the so called qualified electrician had a underground electrical sensor whereby you place a device and the lampost and its send a signal where you use other device to find the break be it underground or in a wall. As a retired electrician I am amazed of the stories I read about contractors in Florida

It's difficult to determine. GFCI devices are very sensitive. They measure and compare the incoming and outgoing current. If there is a very slight difference, then the device will trip because there may be a short in a plugged-in appliance. If the GFCI device continues to trip, that is the time to replace it.

VT and light post switch fail
 

Agree, VT is very handy and helpful. Always learn something from him. About the light post, I went to ACE and puchased the $10 sensor. Then, I couldn't figure out how to match up the wiring so I went back to ACE and the manager drew a diagram explaining which wires to match to which wires. Amazingly, that was the trick. I have the diagram and if you want me to text it to you, just leave me a pm. If this lady can do it, anybody can.

Lamp post
 

I used a dawn to dusk light bulb instead of electrician. Bought it at lowes under $10.00. Simply replace old bulb. Works great

You do need a sensor to tell the bulb to go on and off.

Thanks and well done. Might take you up on it down the road but the new sensor put in by a handyman still works well after 3 1/2 years living here.

One of my GFI outlets tripped every time it rained...turns out there is one by the outside AC unit that was not caulked correctly and rain would get in behind it and trip it. A Lenart electrician who was here for another job figured it out and caulked it -- no extra charge. Problem solved.

A dawn-to-dusk bulb has a sensor on the bulb. No need for a separate sensor on the lamppost.

Those bulbs have a built in sensor...

But... If the lamp post is not working (due to a GFI issue), that solution won't help...

Awesome
 

That is truly inspiring! I love it when do it yourselfers outshine licensed electricians. How could they not have checked the GFI outlets? Seems pretty basic thing to do when they first come out. Great work Buddy!

and now you know

easy to replace

TINKER to the rescue .,,,,,,,,,again.

GFCI outlets go bad all the time. In my last house I replaced all of them after 10 years on the recommendation of my electrician friend. At no charge to me except cost of outletd

I tend to agree, especially if there was a recent lightning strike nearby, we had one very close, actually near the neighbors backyard, and while we were OK, the neighbor had several damaged, as well as lots of other electrical damage. As far as we could determine the strike was to a metal road sign about 100 feet from each house.

My post light began flickering several months ago and more recently goes on at dusk but is dim. Could that be a faulty bulb?

One can even forego the sensor in the post and install a bulb that has a sensor.

If the bulb is an LED type, then the bulb could be failing, if the bulb is an older style incandescent type then I would suspect the sensor is going bad, or you have a failing electrical connection in the post.

that’s because your a jersey girl

This story is not even possible. There is no way that looking on the internet can give a good solution when the PROFESSIONAL told you otherwise! You may think you found a good solution, but the electrician is going to be back at your house before long to fix the real problem and you may even die from using the internet instead of the professional.

{100% sarcasm intended for a completely different member of TOTV, who mayor may not even see it. Reminds me of one if his posts, "I bet you argue with your electrician too..}