Garden Lighting

[uksparks]

Hi,

I just thought I would share with you what I have been doing in my garden.

I have put in 4x Saxby Equinox bollard lights with 23w CFL lamps.

and 5x 6w GU10 spots, three in the middle and one either side of the garden shining on the trees.

All controlled by the gubbins at the back, an enclosure, din rail, 4 timers and a contactor and 3 PIR's.

Basically all the lights are on when it gets dark, the photocell brings them on, the timer then kills them at half 10, but just before that another timer brings in the PIR's (which have been powered off until approx half 10 so they are not constantly triggering.

then if you go anywhere in the garden everything turns on as there's a few sensors.

I have also dotted about 4x weatherproof sockets suitable for adapters around the garden on another timer which is for Christmas lights.

I am now going to order some of the Click iNels RF modules so that it will trigger all the back wall and side lights and vise versa.

I am sure you will agree, the garden looks much better with lights.

 

[bigspark17]

Very smart uksparks. Thanks for sharing with all to see and giving a very descriptive write up to the wiring set up.

 

[ruston]

Hi,

I just thought I would share with you what I have been doing in my garden.

I have put in 4x Saxby Equinox bollard lights with 23w CFL lamps.

and 5x 6w GU10 spots, three in the middle and one either side of the garden shining on the trees.

All controlled by the gubbins at the back, an enclosure, din rail, 4 timers and a contactor and 3 PIR's.

Basically all the lights are on when it gets dark, the photocell brings them on, the timer then kills them at half 10, but just before that another timer brings in the PIR's (which have been powered off until approx half 10 so they are not constantly triggering.

then if you go anywhere in the garden everything turns on as there's a few sensors.

I have also dotted about 4x weatherproof sockets suitable for adapters around the garden on another timer which is for Christmas lights.

I am now going to order some of the Click iNels RF modules so that it will trigger all the back wall and side lights and vise versa.

I am sure you will agree, the garden looks much better with lights.

View attachment 32845

That is very nice UK, well done.
Well though out too.

 

[R G]

Should get a hot tub and invite all the local swingers as well....

 

[uksparks]

i could get a hot tub over to the left under the blue thing but im not into touching the neighbours up.

The spots are DELTECH DL-GL01 lights with Bell 6w Pro Warm White lamps in.

Im probably going to do something along the right hand edge just out of shot as have 12 bamboo plants against the fence that would look nice lit up.

 

[tomspark93]

Looks lovely mate, interesting read as well

 

[Octopus]

Out of interest don't the local cat population set them off?

I'm pondering about garden lighting but we have a cat, and our garden is a "run" for the local foxes and badgers so I can't sensibly have PIR lighting!

Been considering using a remote system like Easy Switch - my hesitation with this would be the fact that you can't terminate SWA directly into Easy Switch so additional connections are necessary!

 

[uksparks]

Out of interest don't the local cat population set them off?

I'm pondering about garden lighting but we have a cat, and our garden is a "run" for the local foxes and badgers so I can't sensibly have PIR lighting!

Been considering using a remote system like Easy Switch - my hesitation with this would be the fact that you can't terminate SWA directly into Easy Switch so additional connections are necessary!

I have never seen a cat n the garden so not too bothered about it, but it's a valid point.

you could do a beam brake thing maybe?

the click rf stuff is good, it's very small too, you could fit in in a small wiska box.

 

[leonard]

Nice set up but I would go for green spots for more natural light instead cold white lights.

 

[davesparks]

Nice set up but I would go for green spots for more natural light instead cold white lights.

Green on green is a terrible colour choice, it washes out and you loose so much of the depth and tone.
A decent warm shade looks a lot better, plus of course the angles of illumination have a massive impact.

 

[uksparks]

Its funny actually what you say Dave about the angles of the light. I had no intention of putting the spots where I did.

I tried them where I thought it would work and it just looked weird, then I moved three of them to the middle of the lawn on the edge of the patio and it just worked nicely.

The only thing I would like to find is an LED lamp thats long and thin and around the 100w equivalent mark as they will then come on instantly instead of having to warm up a for a minute or so.

 

[uksparks]

Nice set up but I would go for green spots for more natural light instead cold white lights.

The spots, you can get the casing in green, black or grey, but for the light, I think warm white is nice as it gives it more of a glow, as Dave says, it would be lost the green and think it wouldn't be very bright, plus it wouldn't bring out the colours very well.

 

[KWCFC]

It looks fantastic.

Wish I had the motivation to do something like that myself but the electrics in my own house always seem to be at the bottom of the list!

 

[uksparks]

It looks fantastic.

Wish I had the motivation to do something like that myself but the electrics in my own house always seem to be at the bottom of the list!

All I will say is, if you are going to, do what I did a run 7 core around the garden and make it so you can T into it easily, because then when you want to have some things on and others off, it makes it easier due to the spare switch wires.

 

[davesparks]

Its funny actually what you say Dave about the angles of the light. I had no intention of putting the spots where I did.

I've been variously involved in stage lighting/lighting design for longer than I've been sparkying. I think I've picked up a thing or two

 

[Leesparkykent]

Out of interest don't the local cat population set them off?

I'm pondering about garden lighting but we have a cat, and our garden is a "run" for the local foxes and badgers so I can't sensibly have PIR lighting!

Been considering using a remote system like Easy Switch - my hesitation with this would be the fact that you can't terminate SWA directly into Easy Switch so additional connections are necessary!

Just thinking out loud...What about an external burglar alarm pet immune PIR? you would just have to give it a power supply and use the normaly open contact to trigger a coil/contactor. http://www.dsc.com/index.php?n=products&o=view&id=1347

 

[Octopus]

Just thinking out loud...What about an external burglar alarm pet immune PIR? you would just have to give it a power supply and use the normaly open contact to trigger a coil/contactor. http://www.dsc.com/index.php?n=products&o=view&id=1347

Nice idea but the last thing I want is lots of lights coming on and off.

Remote or nothing IMHO - and that's when I've got any time, which looking at my diary isn't going to be for a while and I'm in my "quiet" summer period!

 

[Barry White]

Nice garden lighting and I spied a pizza oven. Looks the buisness:sunny:

 

[7029 dave]

Very nice UK.

 

[Leesparkykent]

http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2016/07/26/workers-sent-home-from-cardy-construction-sites/

Nice idea but the last thing I want is lots of lights coming on and off.

Remote or nothing IMHO - and that's when I've got any time, which looking at my diary isn't going to be for a while and I'm in my "quiet" summer period!

yeah it would obviously have to be a delay off relay or staircase timer and relay. Its good your really busy...I'm a little slow atm as was about to start a refurb on kent university but the builders gone in to administration leaving me with a 6 week gap in the diary.

 

[Lagentium]

I'm at the point of deciding what garden lighting I have before the paving and astroturf gets laid, I like the idea of bollards, but don't fancy my kids pulling them over onto themselves when they start toddling! Does anyone have any ideas or will I have to go for the standard inset spotlights?

 

[ruston]

Secure them on concrete bases , and maybe use ELV for extra safety.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I'm at the point of deciding what garden lighting I have before the paving and astroturf gets laid, I like the idea of bollards, but don't fancy my kids pulling them over onto themselves when they start toddling! Does anyone have any ideas or will I have to go for the standard inset spotlights?

With properly fixed bollards you shouldn't have a problem of kids pulling them over.

 

[sparksburnout]

Terrible light pollution, hope the neighbours are not into star gazing......

 

[uksparks]

Terrible light pollution, hope the neighbours are not into star gazing......

Quite honestly I couldn't give a damn.

 

[Octopus]

Quite honestly I couldn't give a damn.

not the attitude to endear you to your neighbours.......

 

[uksparks]

I don't speak to them anyway, they go off at night so it's no big deal, it's not like it is an eye saw

 

[Andy78]

You're not going to get invited to local hot tub swinger's nights with that outlook.

 

[Octopus]

You're not going to get invited to local hot tub swinger's nights with that outlook.

"like"

 

[sparksburnout]

I don't speak to them anyway, they go off at night so it's no big deal, it's not like it is an eye saw

Is that like a circular saw?