# Light problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 2, 2017, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-problem/800455 "2017-11-02T01:49:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ajhamby1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@Ajhamby1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ajhamby1)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-problem/800455/1 "2017-11-02T01:49:25Z")
I have an outdoor light that onlys works sometimes. If u forget to turn switch off it will just come on sometimes and yhen go off. Sometimes in minutes. Sometimes hours. When it is on switch operates light as it should. When it is off switch does not work. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-problem/800455/2 "2017-11-02T02:11:42Z")
I’m sorry, but your post makes no sense as written. Try again. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-problem/800455/3 "2017-11-02T02:13:05Z")
Wha?!!? ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-problem/800455/4 "2017-11-02T14:03:50Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Wha?!!? U turn switch but light goes off yhen goes on. Most likely needs a nu switch. ---
**Author:** ![Ajhamby1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@Ajhamby1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ajhamby1)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-problem/800455/5 "2017-11-02T16:21:35Z")
with switch in on position bulb works sometimes and does not at other times. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-problem/800455/6 "2017-11-02T16:32:55Z")
Is it a motion-sensor light? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-problem/800455/7 "2017-11-02T17:02:22Z")
If I am understanding **Ajhamby1** correctly, if the light switch is on, then sometimes the light works and sometimes it doesn’t. Based on this description alone, it sounds to me like there is a bad connection somewhere. Since the light is outdoors, I think it is most likely a corroded connection or corroded wire in the light fixture. You need to have someone who knows about electrical stuff to look at this as soon as possible. Intermittent connections generally make a fair amount of heat and the worst case scenario of this is that it catches your house on fire and burns down your house and kills people. So get this looked at by a professional NOW. It’s also possible that you have a faulty switch, but again, this is the same sort of thing that can burn your house down. Get it fixed ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2017, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-problem/800455/8 "2017-11-02T17:47:25Z")
You have a loose wire on the light fixture or the switch, or a bad light fixture or bad switch. The wire between fixture and switch rarely go bad so your issue is on one end or the other. Probably. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-problem/800455/9 "2017-11-03T21:59:48Z")
First thog to do is to check that the light bulb is screwed in tightly. Outdoor lamps have a tendency to get loos in their sockets. Wind, heat/cool cycles, etc. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-problem/800455/10 "2017-11-03T22:05:25Z")
Is it an incandescent, LED, halogen, flourescent light? Or some type of HID (I doubt this type) like metal halide, mercury vapor, or low pressure sodium. Bad / old bulbs of this type will sometimes cycle. Also older ones took longer to cool before they’d re-ignite.