Wiring question - outdoor lights

Rikki

Rikki

Well-Known Forumite
Gramaisc said:
That was my first suggestion, but it wasn't tekky enough, apparently.
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Should of realised someone had already suggested that.

The wirless switches would be by far the easiest option if you could get some.

kitten.jpg
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Bloody hell! OK, thats a few options then. Could do switches, just thought PIR would be simpler and use less wiring. We have a power point mid garden, could just use that for it all? Although can't see where it comes from! House makes more sense, but saw an RCD in the garage I think controls it.

As for that floodlight Markerat, got one covering the outside of the garage already :D
Thinking a tad more subtle.....
 
Gramaisc

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
There is a theory that security lighting can sometimes make it easier for the crook. You try burgling a place in the pitch dark. The converse problem in modern-day Britain is that it never is pitch dark anywhere any more.
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Mine will blind the buggers! TBH front and back are lit anyway, the garden ones will just give more alert to people coming up the garden if we use PIRs. The layout inside means we can normally see the garden, so if the garden goes light we know someone is coming. Its just so we don't fall on our arses when trying to find the house!
 
Markerat

Markerat

I'm no gynaecologist...
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/22700/Lighting-Lamps/Outdoor-Lighting/Outdoor-Lighting-Sets/Energy-Saving-Stainless-Steel-Bollard-Light-620mm

a string of them down the path may be nice, like landing lights at heathrow. 11 watt energy efficient too. Subtle and charming just like my good lady wife.

+1 relationship point there i think.

instructions/destructions included

http://www.screwfix.com/sfd/i/cat/pdfs/84/p3801784.pdf

If there is a switch feed in the garden just work out where it enters the house and switch it from there if pir it too much work.
 
Markerat

Markerat

I'm no gynaecologist...
damn this one would be like the bat signal lol

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/76541/Lighting-Lamps/Floodlights/Commercial-Floodlights/Trac-Laser-3-Metal-Halide-250W-Asymmetric-Commercial-Floodlight

An eerie glow in the sky in the shape of Tek-Monkey signals a call to arms

"quick Gramaisc to the Monkey mobile, bugger it still wont start"
 
Catabatic

Catabatic

Well-Known Forumite
Tagged on to this a bit late but yep, we've had five brick lights working off two independant pir's for ages at Chateau Catabatic. Works a treat, no messing about with zappers, finding and operating w/proof switches in the dark etc. You're defo gonna need a length of 1.5mm 4 core swa down the garden tho.
 
Markerat

Markerat

I'm no gynaecologist...
Markerat said:
6243YH 1.0mm 3-Core & Earth Grey 50m
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/38160/Electrical-Supplies/Cable/3-Core-Earth/6243YH-1-0mm-3-Core-Earth-Grey-50m
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Not a problem, Will have to step up the width/cost of job dependent on how much wattage bulb total is. Fatter the wattage = Fatter the cable needed.
 
Rikki

Rikki

Well-Known Forumite
^ yes it would. You cant use normal pvc sheathed cable if your running it in the ground.

Also 1.5 mm should be fine as long as your on a 6 amp fuse and have no more than about 1300W (would get away with a bit more ) of lights on the circuit.
 
Gramaisc

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Rikki said:
^ yes it would. You cant use normal pvc sheathed cable if your running it in the ground.

Also 1.5 mm should be fine as long as your on a 6 amp fuse and have no more than about 1300W (would get away with a bit more ) of lights on the circuit.
Click to expand...
They do have bigger cross-sections as well, but you could run 8 X 150W halogens off that and he could light my garden up as well!

There can be practical problems about connecting it all up as many lamps only have one gland fitting. You can find the cost escalating with junction boxes and many more glands than you first expected.

I did once use shallow buried plain twin and earth to supply a distant lamp by transforming the 230v down to 30v for the cable run and then back up to 230v once we were safely inside the enclosure. By using low energy bulbs the resultant current in the low voltage cable was not excessive. It all worked and was quite safe, although I'm sure some clipboard maniac would have found reasons to condemn it.

There's a lot of 12v stuff out there now that can vastly reduce the amount of groundwork necessary to protect the cable.
 
shoes

shoes

Well-Known Forumite
Gramaisc said:
although I'm sure some clipboard maniac would have found reasons to condemn it.
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And even if they hadn't they'd have made something up instead!
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Looks like I am now considering a similar setup at Tek-monkey Towers II, shall have another read of this thread. When traversing the garden from the smokehouse back to the main site there is minimal visibility until rather near the pond, the security light then kicks in after a further few feet. Whilst this situation I am sure shall provide much hilarity, the safety of my fish has to come first.

EDIT: Forgot to add, the garden shed is now wired through a 2.5mm armoured cable so I have power at both ends of the garden. I would probably rather use the shed end though, as that way all garden electrics can easily be shut off from a single point. I have a spare trip switch in the box anyway, so its easy to wire in. This is def still just planning at the minute, as I need to afford the lamposts I want. I do want a decent and permanent solution though.
 
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