I installed a photocell upgrade in my yardlight, a Tork 2007A instant-response photocell - the same kind that my village uses. However, my light comes on much later than the local streetlights do - over a half hour later. Is there a threshold setting that I can adjust to make the light come on earlier?

Could be the way the photocell is...if they are only using one photocell for all the lights, then that would explain why they all come on at the same time!

I guess your one is new, so suffice with lower light level to stay OFF.
This use to be the behavior of CdS based photocells. The CdS electrical conductivity is direct proportional to illumination, but it degrade over time (mainly by strong light exposure, so that's why they should face North).
And i guess the ones on public lights have some years of use...

And on some types is simple movable shield, that allow to set the sensitivity, so look into yours, if there isn't anything like this.

And on some types is simple movable shield, that allow to set the sensitivity, so look into yours, if there isn't anything like this.

Looking through the clear window there is a grate-type shield. Not sure how I would get into the photocell to adjust it.

But is it really a problem, then your light come ON a bit later? Or it is really too dark at that time?
Because after some years of use the sensitivity will degrade, so it will come ON earlier over time and it may then end in the state, then it will not switch OFF at cloudy day...

But is it really a problem, then your light come ON a bit later? Or it is really too dark at that time?
Because after some years of use the sensitivity will degrade, so it will come ON earlier over time and it may then end in the state, then it will not switch OFF at cloudy day...

It does start getting pretty dark before it goes on, but probably not worth the effort to figure out how to adjust the photocell. If there was some easy way to do it, then I would.

I ask, because as I understood, sensitivity setting mean opening the photocell, what could be risky to damage it (e.g. it's water sealing) and then it would need readjustment later on...

I ask, because as I understood, sensitivity setting mean opening the photocell, what could be risky to damage it (e.g. it's water sealing) and then it would need readjustment later on...

Yeah, I'd rather just leave it the way it is than risk damaging the photocell.

Does it have a lux rating on it? Some are designed to switch on a lower/higher light levels than others and are not adjustable. You might have picked up one that is set to switch on at lower light level than the ones you're comparing it to.

For example you might have a row of lighting columns, some of which are installed under trees. You'd probably want to use photocells that switch on at a lower light level for the ones under the trees. If you didn't then the ones installed under the trees would switch on far too early.

The only way to have consistency without tedious calibration process is to use a sensor that has a real time calender/clock and your coordinates.  There are GPS based ones, but GPS isn't really necessary.

You just need the coordinates & clock programmed at the time of install, then sunrise/sunset can be calculated from clock & coordinates.

If you use the power line as the timebase, it will keep time very well and the only way it will lose time is if there is an outage. 

I've seen systems using the photocell to synchronize the clock, the light was then controlled by the time programming. These were intended for use with power reduction in "quiet" hours, as they generate necessary signal s for the transformer.
But if the light is not subjected to some other illumination and/or below the tree, i doubt such complex thing is necessary for simple ON and OFF control.
Some time ago i bought quite expensive photo control unit (the only one i find with the delay function), what had two ranges 0.3..10 and 30..1000lx, but then i find out, then only the range is important (the lower one was suitable), the turn ON time and the visibility was similar across most range of the potentiometer (so i kept it on the 1 lx mark).

The only way to have consistency without tedious calibration process is to use a sensor that has a real time calender/clock and your coordinates.  There are GPS based ones, but GPS isn't really necessary.

You just need the coordinates & clock programmed at the time of install, then sunrise/sunset can be calculated from clock & coordinates.

If you use the power line as the timebase, it will keep time very well and the only way it will lose time is if there is an outage. 

Very interesting! I'm not sure what the Lux rating is on the photocell. Any ideas where I could find it?

Simplest is to shade the photocell slightly, either with a small piece of black tape partly across the window for CDS cells ( the cell will have a visible window there in front of it) or with some plastic from a yellow plastic carrier bag stretched across the top of the photocell if it uses a photodiode. This will reduce the amount of light to the cell, making it switch on earlier and off later.

It does start getting pretty dark before it goes on, but probably not worth the effort to figure out how to adjust the photocell. If there was some easy way to do it, then I would.
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The easiest way to correct the problem would to change the direction the photoeye (inside clear window) is facing. (1.) Take out the photocell by twisting it counter-clockwise. The receptacle should be adjustable if it's twistlock. (2.) Loosen the screw(s) on the receptacle, DONOT remove them, and turn the receptacle to the desired direction. If you want it to turn on earlier, face the biggest prong on the receptacle just past EAST. If you want to have it on later and off later, face it WEST. (3.) After the desired direction of the photocell/receptacle is achevied, tighten the loosened screws. (4.) Install photocell.   

The easiest way to correct the problem would to change the direction the photoeye (inside clear window) is facing. (1.) Take out the photocell by twisting it counter-clockwise. The receptacle should be adjustable if it's twistlock. (2.) Loosen the screw(s) on the receptacle, DONOT remove them, and turn the receptacle to the desired direction. If you want it to turn on earlier, face the biggest prong on the receptacle just past EAST. If you want to have it on later and off later, face it WEST. (3.) After the desired direction of the photocell/receptacle is achevied, tighten the loosened screws. (4.) Install photocell.   

I did that, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference.