Up & Down lights on solid wall

[dazj90]

I'm looking at putting up & down lights onto a solid brick wall (1900 semi detached house)
What's best way practically and aesthetically to install?
Mounting each light on a junction box or making a small notch in the top of the light and running flex either clipped direct or trunking from above?
Any other methods will be taken on board

 

[davesparks]

The best way is to bring the cable down the opposite side of the wall and drill through, any surface wiring will just be highlighted by the light and look ugly.

If it is going to be surface wiring then avoid taking the cable through the top surface of any enclosure as this will also allow rain to get into it.

 

[Dustydazzler]

As Dave says, surface wiring never really looks very nice and certainly don't be bringing in cables via the top of the light as you are just asking for rain water to get into your connections.
IF I had to do surface wiring I could come across horizontal in conduit and mount the lights on a besa box or conduit box with suitable gasket

 

[dazj90]

Thank you for the replies.
I'll probably go the conduit route if I go ahead with this, as running the cables internally isn't an option, although the conduit won't be able to run horizontally due to the windows

 

[MJPD29]

Thank you for the replies.
I'll probably go the conduit route if I go ahead with this, as running the cables internally isn't an option, although the conduit won't be able to run horizontally due to the windows

If you’re using conduit then steel. PVC would look absolutely horrendous, steel bad but not as bad plus pvc will look even worse after a year of 2 out in the weather

 

[Pretty Mouth]

On occasion I have installed these using black 0.75mm2 H05rnf clipped to the brickwork. The cable is arguably non-compliant, being under 1mm2, but I haven't really found anything else that works without it having way too much of a visual impact.

I position the luminaire so the rear cable entry is lined up with a horizontal brick joint, and remove a little mortar from the joint, allowing room for the cable to sneak in from behind. Routing the cable out of the way of the light beams, it doesn't look too bad.

 

[DPG]

Word of advice - make sure the brickwork is nicec and straight. Up/down lights don't half show up poor brickwork!

 

[Dustydazzler]

Can you fish some 1mm flex inside the fashia and sofit void ??

 

[littlespark]

Solar lights?

Sunday night waffling. Take no notice

 

[DefyG]

The Grey NYY looks just like a mortar joint from a distance.

 

[dazj90]

Apologies, a photo in original post should've been attached.
I was thinking of installing 3 between windows and back door via photocell, more than likely will clip cable and removing mortar for cable entry (Thanks Pretty Mouth)
Floodlights will be redone and mini trunking removed at the same time.
Mainly wanting some light on this part of the patio.

 

[Dustydazzler]

It does make we chuckle about people saying conduit / surface wiring looks a bit ugly but on the same wall you have gutter pipes , down pipes, 6 inch stack pipes, waste water pipes all screwed on the wall... oh and the sky dish with all its wiring clipped up aswell...

Like a bit of 20mm white conduit would make it look any worse

 

[ipf]

One of those jobs that cries out for a nice bit of pyro......... a few years back, for sure.

 

[Dustydazzler]

One of those jobs that cries out for a nice bit of pyro......... a few years back, for sure.

There is a coffee shop near me that has used 15mm copper pipe to run on the outside wall its outside sign lights. Looks beautiful

 

[DPG]

There is a coffee shop near me that has used 15mm copper pipe to run on the outside wall its outside sign lights. Looks beautiful

If they also used it for their cold water feed it would provide cooling for the cables

 

[Dustydazzler]

If they also used it for their cold water feed it would provide cooling for the cables.

no, just the cables for the bronze lights over the new signage. to be fair it looks really nice and over time will develope some lovely patina