Outdoor light post

[Baboontyme 2,839]

My parents house (built in probably mid 80s) has a detached light post in their yard. My understanding is that it doesn't work any longer - something to do with the wiring - and they want to fix/replace it. I was over there over the weekend and my dad had some electrical wire spools out and I'm like what the fuck is he doing, and my mom said he didn't want to pay someone. I told her to tell him to relax and let me look into some things because I'm pretty sure there would be some kind of solar option that would be a lot easier. If anyone has any recs, I'm all eyes and ears. I would prefer to not get some cheap crap from Hong Kong on Amazon that might only work for 23 days. I'm not sure what the alternative looks like - if it's something from Lowe's/HD and I have to have someone come install it, that's fine. Just not sure what my options are. 

[deadshank 24,653]

The old man is trying to save a buck?Sounds familiar.  The lamppost is most likely low- voltage.  
 

There are companies that specialize in low-voltage and natural gas powered lamppost repair / maintenance / replacement.   
 

Is the lamppost required by an HOA? If so, the HOA could have a list of service providers. 

Where is his house?

[Baboontyme 2,839]

No HOA. The house is in Michigan. I've found some stand alone solar powered ones on HD and Lowe's sites but was hoping someone had some personal experience, particularly with a non traditional electrical type of post. 

[TexasEd 8,145]

This place has higher end professional install stuff.  Posts are under specialty lighting.

https://www.voltlighting.com/

I found that the 12V options were way overpriced everywhere.  I ended up buying these 120V post lights and then using 12V LED bulbs in them wired to the 12V transformer. Fixtures and bulbs from Amazon.  Some of the fixtures had the post mount option.

Take a voltage meter to the wires.  If he has a low voltage system and puts a 120V bulb in there it would cause a problem and vice/versa

 

Edited November 29, 2021 by TexasEd

[Okie State 3,857]

This place has higher end professional install stuff.  Posts are under specialty lighting.
https://www.voltlighting.com/
I found that the 12V options were way overpriced everywhere.  I ended up buying these 120V post lights and then using 12V LED bulbs in them wired to the 12V transformer. Fixtures and bulbs from Amazon.  Some of the fixtures had the post mount option.
Take a voltage meter to the wires.  If he has a low voltage system and puts a 120V bulb in there it would cause a problem and vice/versa
 

The lights from that site are great. Solid brass and high quality. Running low voltage is easy to do yourself. I wouldn't mess with 120 myself though.

[EE2B 1,565]

My first bet outside of corrosion in the light fixture itself would be that a rodent has chewed the underground wire which was most likely not run in any type of conduit. You can buy a kit for about $50 that will help you located the broken wire. At that point you would just need to dig it up and splice it. This is much easier than running a whole new cable.

[RPM 26,429]

Michigan?

[Anastasis 23,506]

Is there an in line photocontrol switch, something like this, between the house and the post.  Might be an easy fix. 

 

[Jkwellborn 6,877]

My first bet outside of corrosion in the light fixture itself would be that a rodent has chewed the underground wire which was most likely not run in any type of conduit. You can buy a kit for about $50 that will help you located the broken wire. At that point you would just need to dig it up and splice it. This is much easier than running a whole new cable.

Yeah, but it’d be better to dig it up and at least put it in pvc if it was broken.