The photoelectric sensor of street lamps and the SLIders

Street lamps are fitted with photoelectric cells to detect the dawn. The photoresistor is mounted on the top of the lamp and the aperture faces the sky. These sensors react to the level of light intensity. Generally, the sensor turns the lamp on when the light intensity drops around 15 lux and turns it off around 45 lux. In addition, the electronic circuit is designed to eliminate interference. A short-term increase in light intensity will not cause the street light to turn off. For that reason, we can eliminate the explanation of automobile headlights passing down a street and trigerring the photosensor. 

The SLI effect is also observed with halogen-type lamps in private homes. The operation of this type of lamp does not use a ballast. However, many have a light sensor to turn the lamp on automatically at the beginning  of the night. Some  hypothesize that the SLIders emit some kind of electromagnetic radiation which would be interpreted as light by the sensor. They would act not directly on the lamp, but on the light detector. Again, this explanation is problematic. The anti-interference circuit would prevent the lamp from shutting off immediately.

The photocell of street lamps does not seem to provide a satisfactory explanation for the strange phenomenon SLI (street lamp interference).