[KeithD]

What circuit breaker controls the outside night light?

[retiredguy123]

It varies from house to house. Cover the sensor with duct tape and turn off the breakers one at a time until the light goes off.

[bsloan1960]

Originally Posted by KeithD

What circuit breaker controls the outside night light?

I changed the bulb and it still didn't work so I assumed it was the sensor. On a hunch I found the breaker and shut it off, then back on even though it didn't look tripped. This caused my dead post light to come back to life.

[SIRE1]

If you mean the outside post light, mine is on the garage plugs circuit and the outlet plug with the GFCI controls it.

[villagetinker]

Originally Posted by KeithD

What circuit breaker controls the outside night light?

KeithD, if your post light is off, it could be the bulb, the light sensor, the GFCI outlet in the garage or the circuit breaker. NOTE: your house may have 2 to 4 GFCI outlets in the garage, and newer houses have GFCI breakers. If a breaker is tripped you MUST move the handle to the full OFF position and then to the ON position to reset the breaker. If either the GFCI outlet or breaker trip immediately after reset, you have a grounding problem in that circuit.

[Kenswing]

Originally Posted by KeithD

What circuit breaker controls the outside night light?

Our light post is on its own circuit. Breaker labeled “lamp post”.

[Topspinmo]

If you trying to replace bad photo cell Why not just replace bulb with photo sensing bulb. Most if not all outside lights fail in on position. I wouldn’t waste time changing out the photo cell if it failed in on position, it just going to fail again in few years. I think my Photo cell light bulb cost 3 bucks at Walmart.

[Gpsma]

Originally Posted by Kenswing

Our light post is on its own circuit. Breaker labeled “lamp post”.

I would doubt that the lamp post is on its own dedicated circuit. Trip it off one day and see if your GFI circuit still works

[Kenswing]

Originally Posted by Gpsma

I would doubt that the lamp post is on its own dedicated circuit. Trip it off one day and see if your GFI circuit still works

Doubt all you want.

[villagetinker]

Originally Posted by Kenswing

Doubt all you want.

Kenswing, I hope there is a GFCI outlet after this CB and before the lamp post, otherwise I believe your installation is illegal per building codes and UL safety standards. IMHO, if this is truly wired directly to the post light, I would have the circuit breaker replaced with a GFCI type as soon as possible.

[Kenswing]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Kenswing, I hope there is a GFCI outlet after this CB and before the lamp post, otherwise I believe your installation is illegal per building codes and UL safety standards. IMHO, if this is truly wired directly to the post light, I would have the circuit breaker replaced with a GFCI type as soon as possible.

I was told that as long as there is no receptacle on the post and the wiring is at least 18” below grade that the circuit doesn’t need to be on a GFCI. Pike’s Electric wired our home and a lot of the homes in my area and they all seem to be the same. Maybe Cassandra from Pike’s can weigh in.

[pikeselectric]

Good morning to all, this is Casandra with Pike's Electric. Noticed the thread and at the suggestion of Kenswing, I am happy to chime in.
If the post light is on its own, dedicated, breaker, and buried at the correct level, then there will be no GFCI outlet/receptacle associated.
If the post light was wired on to a circuit combined with other items (garage, irrigation, etc.) when the home was built, more than likely there will be a GFCI outlet/receptacle in the garage somewhere that provides GFCI protection to the entire string/circuit.
Also worth mentioning, if you have an outlet on your post light, it MUST be GFCI protected. Either a GFCI outlet itself, a GFCI outlet the post light comes off of, OR a GFCI breaker in the panel. Anyone installing outlets on post lights not GFCI protected is illegal and unsafe.
Hope this helps.

[GpaVader]

Originally Posted by Kenswing

Doubt all you want.

FWIW - Mine is that same way and I have not found anything else on the circuit....

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by pikeselectric

Good morning to all, this is Casandra with Pike's Electric. Noticed the thread and at the suggestion of Kenswing, I am happy to chime in.
If the post light is on its own, dedicated, breaker, and buried at the correct level, then there will be no GFCI outlet/receptacle associated.
If the post light was wired on to a circuit combined with other items (garage, irrigation, etc.) when the home was built, more than likely there will be a GFCI outlet/receptacle in the garage somewhere that provides GFCI protection to the entire string/circuit.
Also worth mentioning, if you have an outlet on your post light, it MUST be GFCI protected. Either a GFCI outlet itself, a GFCI outlet the post light comes off of, OR a GFCI breaker in the panel. Anyone installing outlets on post lights not GFCI protected is illegal and unsafe.
Hope this helps.

I understand the explanation and the code requirement. But, wouldn't it be easier, cheaper, and safer to just use a GFCI breaker in the electrical panel? You may pay a few dollars more for a GFCI breaker, but you wouldn't need to dig down and install the wiring 18 inches deep. Also, I really don't see the logic of having the wiring to the lamppost 18 inches deep, when an aboveground short circuit in the light fixture could cause someone to be electrocuted. If I were having a separate circuit installed for a lamppost, I would specify a GFCI breaker in the panel.

[KeithD]

Originally Posted by KeithD

What circuit breaker controls the outside night light?

Thanks for all the very useful information. I discovered that I had both a faulty sensor and a tripped garage cfi circuit. Probably both caused by the same event.