Documenting the site conditions is the first critical step in developing a comprehensive lighting plan set that will reflect the goals and expectations of your clients. Using a 35mm camera to shoot a quick roll of all important features as described below will help you recall detail when sitting down to the drawing board.
“My lights were installed several months ago and now they don’t work! What’s wrong with the system?”
There are many reasons why your lights may not be working. One of the most common reasons your fixtures are not performing is that the lamps have reached the end of their life cycle. Every lamp has a life cycle rating based upon the type of lamp installed in the fixture. To review the average lamp life of your FX fixtures, go to our Product Gallery, click on the desired fixture; choose “lamp options” and you will see what the average lamp life is for that particular fixture.
“How long should a lamp last?”
Please note that lamp life is based on an “average” life span of that particular lamp. A 2000 hour rated lamp may last only 20 hours…or it may last 6000 hours. There are many variables that influence lamp life. FX Luminaire purchases lamps from the highest quality lamp manufactures like GE, Sylvania, Phillips and Ushio, yet sometimes lamps burn out prematurely.
“How do I change the lamp?"
Changing Lamps on FX Path Lights:
Changing the lamp on most FX pathway lights is a simple matter of loosening the set screw located on the side of the lower brass piece of the fixture’s lens cap with an Allen wrench. Once the set screw is loose, remove the fixture cap by gently twisting in an upward motion. Remove the existing lamp and reinstall the new lamp. (See illustrations) Every FX pathway light comes with an Allen Wrench; however, if you have lost yours, a 5/32 Allen wrench will do the job!
Changing lamps on FX Uplights:
Changing the lamp on an FX Luminaire uplight like the RS, MU or MP is a simple matter of removing the lens cap by twisting it off the body cavity; removing the burned out lamp from the socket; and installing the new lamp. (Note: the MU fixture has a small Allen Screw that must be loosened before attempting to remove the lens cap)
Changing Lamps on FX Downlights:
To change the lamp in the TS, TC, CL or VL, utilize the small suction cup that came with every fixture or purchase a “valve lapper” tool from an automotive supply house. Apply the suction cup or lapper on the face of the lamp. Gently press inward and twist the lamp counter clockwise. The spring-loaded socket will then release the lamp.
"My Lamps are Burning Very Quickly"
One of the most common causes of premature lamp burnout is excessive voltage to the fixture. Your FX lighting system is designed to operate at between 10.5 volts and 12 volts. Optimally, each fixture and lamp would be fed close to 11 volts in order to maximize lamp life. If a fixture is fed 14 volts, it will burn out 7 times faster than normal.
FIXTURES
“How could a fixture be fed 14 volts? I thought this was a 12 volt system?”
Underwriting Laboratories (UL), the independent safety testing lab for all things electrical, allows Low Voltage Transformer manufacturers like FX to produce transformers with up to a 15-volt output to help compensate for voltage drop through the system. Voltage Drop is the loss of electrical pressure from the electrical source (Transformer) to the Fixtures on any given circuit. For very long circuit runs, it isn’t uncommon for the circuit to lose 3 to 4 volts.
To maintain 11-12 volts at the last fixture on the circuit (#5 in diagram A), the installer may have chosen to use the 14-volt tap on the transformer. Because of Voltage Drop, the circuit may lose 3 volts (or more) from the transformer to the #5 fixture. The only way #5 fixture will receive 11 volts would be to use the 14 volt tap on the Transformer. If the system was installed in sequence (Daisy Chain – Diagram A) and the first fixture on the circuit is close to the transformer, it may very well be receiving 14+ volts, thus it is burning out with high frequency!
Unfortunately, if the circuit was installed as diagramed in Illustration A, fixture #1 will always receive more voltage than the #5 fixture on the circuit. Consequently, Fixture #1 will typically burn out much quicker than it should…especially if the circuit was wired up on the 14 volt tap. The solution to this scenario is to rewire the circuit as illustrated in B. The “Tee” method of cabling a circuit will balance the voltage load far better than the Daisy Chain method.
“Couldn’t I just move the cable down to the 11 volt tap?”
Yes, this is an option. However, now the #1 fixture will be receiving the proper voltage…but the #5 fixture will be receiving 8 volts or less resulting in a fixture producing very dim light output.
“My fixtures don’t work until I tap them. Then the light comes back on. Why are they behaving like this?”
When a lamp is at the end of its life cycle, the filament inside the lamp becomes thinner and thinner and eventually a small gap or notch will form. This notch creates a “short” within the lamp and keeps it from coming on. Sometimes the notch is very small and when the fixture is gently “tapped” the filament fuses back together and the fixture will operate!
Once the system is turned off, the filament cools and separates again. The following evening, the lamp does not respond…until it is gently tapped. When this occurs, the lamp has virtually reached the end of its life cycle… unless you want to tap the fixtures on each eve.
“My husband changed all of the lamps on the system and now none of them work! What did he do?”
A common mistake made by many is to replace existing lamps with lamps of higher wattage than those originally installed. As an example, Mr. Smith has an FX system with a PX-600 watt transformer and 25 fixtures illuminating his landscape. All of the original fixtures had 20-watt lamps in them for a total load on the transformer of 500 watts.
When he went to replace the lamps, he added ten 50-watt lamps, and fifteen 20-watt lamps. What he has done is increase the wattage demand from 500 watts to 800 watts thus overloading the Transformer. Overloading the transformer will cause the Transformer’s Circuit Breakers to Trip thus shutting the system down!
Solution: Reinstall lamps with the same wattage as the originals or upsize the transformer to a PX-900!
“I’ve replaced all the lamps but the system still isn’t working! Now what?
If you’ve replaced all the lamps and your system still isn’t working, either the cables have been cut or we now need to check the Transformer and the electrical components upstream from the fixtures.
TRANSFORMERS
“How do I know if I have power to my Transformer?”
The power path of your FX lighting system begins at your Electrical Panel (1). Inside the panel is a series of Circuit Breakers, one of which feeds 120 volt power to the Receptacle (2) that your Transformer is plugged into.
The quickest way to see if the Transformer is operating properly is to take a Volt Meter or Amp clamp and test the power level at the Receptacle on the face of the Transformer (3). If your Transformer has a Timer, you must remove the timer in order to test the Transformer Receptacle.
Make sure your Volt Meter is set on the 200 V~ setting. On most digital volt meters, this will be two clicks to the right! If you get a reading between 115-125 volts, you will know that the transformer is getting power to it; therefore, the GFCI Receptacle (2) and the Circuit Breaker in the Electrical Panel (1) have not tripped.
If, on the other hand, you get no volt reading, check to see that the GFCI receptacle has been tripped. Note that sometimes the GFCI that protects the circuit for your Transformer is NOT the one the Transformer is plugged into! It may be found in the kitchen, laundry room or other location within the house! If the GFCI has tripped, reset it and test your Transformer again.
If the GFCI is set properly, next check the Circuit Breaker in the Electrical Panel. If tripped, reset it and test your Transformer.
If you have a Receptacle Tester (RT), insert it into the Receptacle in which your Transformer is plugged. The RT will tell you if the wiring from the Electrical Panel to the receptacle is OK or not. If it does not indicate two orange lights, something is wrong with the wiring. Consult an electrician!
“Couldn’t I just move the cable down to the 11 volt tap?”
Yes, this is an option. However, now the #1 fixture will be receiving the proper voltage…but the #5 fixture will be receiving 8 volts or less resulting in a fixture producing very dim light output.
“Ok. I’ve tested the high voltage side of the transformer and everything seems to be in order. But my lights still don’t work. Now what?”
The first test to perform will determine if power is passing through the Transformer and any switching devices (timer, photocell) to the low voltage Taps. If the Transformer includes a PhotoCell (PC), cover the photo eye with the Black Bootie and switch the Timer to the “on” position by rotating the small knob on the top of the Timer counterclockwise.
Next, turn your volt meter on and place one of the probes on the Lug labeled “Circuit #1 Common 300 w Max” and the other probe on the voltage Tap labeled “Low Volt Hot 11 volt”. Repeat this test on the 12 volt, 13 volt and 14 volt Taps and also on Circuit #2 and #3 if applicable. If your readings are 11volts +/- .5 of a volt, 12 volts +/- .5, etc, you will have determined that the Transformer and all switching devices are operating properly.
If your Low Voltage Taps are getting power and your lights still don’t work, most likely there is a problem with the circuit cable (cut cable), a problem with the lamps or a problem with the wire connectors.
If you’ve determined that the transformer is getting proper voltage from the Electrical Panel to the receptacle on the face of the Transformer and your system still isn’t working, we will next test to see if your Timer (4) has malfunctioned. To test the Timer, you must have a Volt Meter.
First remove the two screws located on each end of the clear terminal block face plate.
Raise the face plate up and place one Volt Meter probe on the Voltage Tap labeled “120v Common White” and one on the Tap labeled “Photocell Hot Black”. Make sure the Timer is switched to the “on” position by rotating the small knob on the top of the Timer counterclockwise. If your reading is approx 120 volts, you know the timer is working.
If you get no reading, remove the Timer, reinsert the plug into the Timer receptacle and test the two Taps again. If your VM is reading approx 120 volts, you’ve determined that the Timer has malfunctioned. Install a new Timer.
If the VM reading is 0 when performing this test, something has come loose inside the Transformer and it will need to be returned to the factory for repair. This is, however, a very rare occurrence.
Note: if your Transformer includes a PhotoCell (PC) you must cover the photo eye with the Black Bootie or electrical tape in order to assimilate night time. Removing the timer but not covering the PhotoCell will not provide an accurate test as the power path will stop at the Photocell.
PHOTOCELL
“The Timer is working properly, but the system still doesn’t work! Now what do I do?”
Remove the Timer (if applicable) and place the Black Bootie over the PhotoCell. Wait 2 minutes, then perform a voltage test by placing one of your volt Meter probes on the 120 Volt Common and the other on the PC Hot Tap. If you read 120 volts (+/- 5 volts), the PC is operating fine!
If, on the other hand, you get a 0 reading, remove the PC from the Transformer, install a jumper wire between the PC black and PC Hot Taps and retest with your Volt Meter. If you get a reading of 120 volts (+/- 5 volts), the PC is bad! Solution: Replace the PhotoCell!
If you have performed the above Troubleshooting techniques and still cannot detect the nature of the problem, please give us a call at 800-688-1269 and a Technical Services Representative will quickly address your problem.
the Timer (if applicable) and place the Black Bootie over the PhotoCell. Wait 2 minutes, then perform a voltage test by placing one of your volt Meter probes on the 120 Volt Common and the other on the PC Hot Tap. If you read 120 volts (+/- 5 volts), the PC is operating fine!
