garden lights

[rich77]

my dad wants me to install 3 glass bulb 230v lights around his garden but i've never fitted outside lighting before and i'm not sure of how to go about this. what is the easiest, safest way of doing this. does all outside wiring have to be swa cable? also, the garden is patioed, so i don't really want to bury the cable.

he wants them up as soon as, and wants me to just put a plug on some flex cable and power it from an inside socket but i want to do it the correct way.

can anyone help?

 

[rumrunner]

hi ,
the correct way is indeed to use swa and bury it ,also should have an rcd ,however as long as the job is tempory ,ie unplugged when not in use ,i cant see anything wrong in using a powerbreaker like on lawnmowers ,also make sure the socket you plug into is earthed,and avoid going thro doors and windows,and the flex is out of the way m,but not hidden.
i must stress this is only my opinion ,it is not in accordance with the regs

please wait and see what others say all the best

 

[Grae79]

if you can fix the cables in places where they're not likely to be damaged then i personally wouldn't bother with the SWA; just an added expense. pls don't use twin & earth tho, bad practise and looks awful too.

plugging them into a socket's a bit rough really; just install a switched fused-down spur next to said socket, if possible.

oh, and you don't need an RCD for outside lighting.

 

[rumrunner]

if you can fix the cables in places where they're not likely to be damaged then i personally wouldn't bother with the SWA; just an added expense. pls don't use twin & earth tho, bad practise and looks awful too.

plugging them into a socket's a bit rough really; just install a switched fused-down spur next to said socket, if possible.

I agree its a bit rough ,but if you use a fused spur ,does that not make it a perminent job ?.
and if it is perminent do the cables not nead protection?

i dont know exactly what the regs are

 

[LukeScotty]

I thought the cables had to be mechically protected if they wasnt swa??, like using conduit or that coax stuff...

 

[rich77]

if you can fix the cables in places where they're not likely to be damaged then i personally wouldn't bother with the SWA; just an added expense. pls don't use twin & earth tho, bad practise and looks awful too.

plugging them into a socket's a bit rough really; just install a switched fused-down spur next to said socket, if possible.

oh, and you don't need an RCD for outside lighting.

what cable would you recommend using?

i also thought cable had to be mechanically protected. if i used normal flex, wouldn't the great british weather eventually damage the cable?

 

[Shakey]

If you put the wjhole arrangement on a 13A plug, it is not part of the fixed installation, and does not come under the regs

 

[ian.settle1]

As it is the garden is it not also a special location and notifiable under the dreaded Part P?

 

[Shakey]

As it is the garden is it not also a special location and notifiable under the dreaded Part P?

Yes it does Ian, that' s why i suggested the 13A plug option, then it doesnt come under Part P

Just done some decking lights, the transformer has a built in 13A plug, so i knocked up a little board with a 13A socketoutlet, spent 8 quid on a remote control light switch, and used that to switch the socket outlet, put a short flex on it with a BS1363 plug, and downrated the fuse to a 3A

Perfectly safe, doesnt come under Part P, doesnt come under the regs, and I can still switch it on and off using the remote control

job done

 

[rumrunner]

If you put the wjhole arrangement on a 13A plug, it is not part of the fixed installation, and does not come under the regs

yes thats what i thought and said in the first post ,on this subject here it is again

hi ,
the correct way is indeed to use swa and bury it ,also should have an rcd ,however as long as the job is tempory ,ie unplugged when not in use ,i cant see anything wrong in using a powerbreaker like on lawnmowers ,also make sure the socket you plug into is earthed,and avoid going thro doors and windows,and the flex is out of the way m,but not hidden.
i must stress this is only my opinion ,it is not in accordance with the regs

 

[rich77]

cheers, lads.

 

[bahco]

just to carry this on a little further, say you had a pattio in the back garden and you wanted to fit those walk over lights around the patio would it be possible to connect all the lights with flex then a plug top on the end then just plug into a rcd protected outside socket?

the problem i could see is that the flex linking all the lights would be underground and would need some kind of mechanical protection?

what do you think?

matt

 

[The Electrical Connection]

If you do it - do it properly - if it's temporary and all above ground and mechanically protected - use 6242Y 1.5 cable or ditto 3 core flex - house in 20m conduit and plug in to an rcd 30mA protected rcd socket.
If it's permanent - ditto into a 30mA fused spur downrated to a 3A or 5A fuse as appropriate.
Prefer to use leds or at most low energy lamps here.....use halogen lams and someone looses skin due to the heat.
Hope that helps.

just to carry this on a little further, say you had a pattio in the back garden and you wanted to fit those walk over lights around the patio would it be possible to connect all the lights with flex then a plug top on the end then just plug into a rcd protected outside socket?

the problem i could see is that the flex linking all the lights would be underground and would need some kind of mechanical protection?

what do you think?

matt

Please !! no unprotected underground flex without mechanical protection !