Installing garden spike light

[Steve T]

Hi

I’ve bought a 230v garden spike light from Screwfix, and it comes with 5 metres of HO5RN-F 3 core flex pre installed. There is already some garden lighting installed outside. I’d like to install it in the garden, but the flex would have to run along the ground for about 2 metres before it would reach a brick wall, where I could install a junction box. Along the length that the cable would run, there is a wooden fence, but it isn’t very sturdy, so I don’t think I should install a junction box on it.

I had an idea to put the flex in some corrugated conduit, and then run it along the ground, slightly buried to hide it, but only a few cm deep.
I also could clip the corrugated conduit to the fence.
What do you think is the best way to go about this?

Thanks!

 

[Pete999]

Get an electrician in to do the job properly.

 

[suffolkspark]

I wouldnt bury it a few cm a trowel into a 230v flex wont be pleasant, you could try to get some metal flexi conduit ala kopex into it perhaps

 

[Steve T]

Would it be better to put a junction box on a stake right next to the spike light, and run SWA cable to the junction box, then a very short length of flex to the light?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

This is always a dilemma, to bury or not to bury, the spike lights i fitted last week only had 40cm of flex on them and manufacturers leaflet said leave on top of soil. other times I have put the H07 in flexi conduit, again ontop the soil, as its usually concealed with plants etc.. I wouldnt be burying 5 metres of the stuff though! H07 is meant to eb a trailing cable for outdoor use and not best suited to being buried, you could get an electrician in to install some buried SWA then using a junction box have the bare minimum of H07 on the surface to the light

 

[Steve T]

I wouldnt bury it a few cm a trowel into a 230v flex wont be pleasant, you could try to get some metal flexi conduit ala kopex into it perhaps

This is always a dilemma, to bury or not to bury, the spike lights i fitted last week only had 40cm of flex on them and manufacturers leaflet said leave on top of soil. other times I have put the H07 in flexi conduit, again ontop the soil, as its usually concealed with plants etc.. I wouldnt be burying 5 metres of the stuff though! H07 is meant to eb a trailing cable for outdoor use and not best suited to being buried, you could get an electrician in to install some buried SWA then using a junction box have the bare minimum of H07 on the surface to the light

Thanks, I will not bury the flexi conduit at all. I think I will go ahead with your idea, install a buried SWA to a close by junction box then a short length of flexi conduit.

 

[Strima]

And how is the SWA terminated at the supply end?

 

[Darkwood]

@Steve T

Can you give us an idea of your electrical knowledge/background please, your profile is empty on this area. We need to tailor our advice accordingly, someone with electrical background who is just out of their usual field of work will get very different advice to that of a say DIYer.
Garden electrics are really pushing the boundaries of DIY as there are added risks and a definite understanding of the current regulations and safety concerns are a must thus post 2 would be the best advice in that case, ignorance of these extra safety precautions can leave you with a potentially lethal installation.

 

[Steve T]

And how is the SWA terminated at the supply end?

It’s terminated with external SWA glands into a Wiska box with a Wiska earthing bar inside, which has a crimped fly lead to the earth terminal.

 

[Steve T]

@Steve T

Can you give us an idea of your electrical knowledge/background please, your profile is empty on this area. We need to tailor our advice accordingly, someone with electrical background who is just out of their usual field of work will get very different advice to that of a say DIYer.
Garden electrics are really pushing the boundaries of DIY as there are added risks and a definite understanding of the current regulations and safety concerns are a must thus post 2 would be the best advice in that case, ignorance of these extra safety precautions can leave you with a potentially lethal installation.

I’m a DIYer, and I will fill in my profile accordingly. I try to do a good, safe job when I do basic DIY electrical work, but I understand I can’t do all electrical work, and I will take up the advice in post 2 and this post and use an electrician when I’m out of my comfort zone and when the job is more complicated.
Thanks

 

[NEB Electrical]

Can't say I agree with a DIY person doing any electrical work whatsoever to be quite honest with you. Not to mention installing garden lighting.

The sooner they make practicing electrical install work illegal the better.

You would not touch a gas pipe. So why touch electricity ? Just as deadly when you do not know what you are doing.

Nick

 

[DPG]

Can't say I agree with a DIY person doing any electrical work whatsoever to be quite honest with you. Not to mention installing garden lighting.

The sooner they make practicing electrical install work illegal the better.

You would not touch a gas pipe. So why touch electricity ? Just as deadly when you do not know what you are doing.

Nick

The basics can be done by a competent DIYer, much in the same way as I replace the brake pads on my car without a mechanic telling me I shouldn't.

It's more about knowing your limits.

 

[NEB Electrical]

The basics can be done by a competent DIYer, much in the same way as I replace the brake pads on my car without a mechanic telling me I shouldn't.

It's more about knowing your limits.

Yeah i get that. But the issue is where do you draw the line with it. Someone changing a socket or a light. Yeah fine its not hard. But its varied.

A light with 1 x cable at it. A light with loop in connection. A socket with 3 cables already connected to the one point.

What i am saying is sometimes its not as simple as taking wires out and putting them back in where they were. There is a degree of skill required even just to get the correct tightness and tidyness of connections.

It cant be something you dabble with as there is so many contibuting factors. Just my opinion from coming across ALOT of DIY electrics and it just irritates me as its the pro who has to spend hours trying to follow a trail of badly installed wiring.

On one occasion i done and EICR. The customer proudlt told me he changed all the switches and sockets himself. EVERY SINGLE connection was loose.

 

[Zerax]

...On one occasion i done and EICR. The customer proudlt told me he changed all the switches and sockets himself. EVERY SINGLE connection was loose.

I was on a job last week... re-wired about 2 years ago... professional job, fully certificated... and about 90% of all socket plates were cracked ! Over-tightened screws, which I guess was down to using a cordless/electric screwdriver on them...

 

[Midwest]

Yeah i get that. But the issue is where do you draw the line with it. Someone changing a socket or a light. Yeah fine its not hard. But its varied.

A light with 1 x cable at it. A light with loop in connection. A socket with 3 cables already connected to the one point.

What i am saying is sometimes its not as simple as taking wires out and putting them back in where they were. There is a degree of skill required even just to get the correct tightness and tidyness of connections.

It cant be something you dabble with as there is so many contibuting factors. Just my opinion from coming across ALOT of DIY electrics and it just irritates me as its the pro who has to spend hours trying to follow a trail of badly installed wiring.

On one occasion i done and EICR. The customer proudlt told me he changed all the switches and sockets himself. EVERY SINGLE connection was loose.

I tend to agree, although there is a fine line between what you say and what @DPG says.

 

[NEB Electrical]

I was on a job last week... re-wired about 2 years ago... professional job, fully certificated... and about 90% of all socket plates were cracked ! Over-tightened screws, which I guess was down to using a cordless/electric screwdriver on them...

Yes well unfortunatley there is the cowboy spark which are most likely worse than some competant DIYer.

I am hoping one day it becomes mandatory to be with a registered body such as NICEIC/ELECSA to help prevent this type of rogue.

 

[peterhyper]

Can't say I agree with a DIY person doing any electrical work whatsoever to be quite honest with you. Not to mention installing garden lighting.

The sooner they make practicing electrical install work illegal the better.

You would not touch a gas pipe. So why touch electricity ? Just as deadly when you do not know what you are doing.

Nick

It's been illegal for many years now for unregistered people to do certain types of electrical work, but unfortunately few take much notice and just do unsafe/un certificated work all the time (DIYERs and builders etc).

I got criticised on here by some for not issuing a minor works certificate for replacing a plastic light switch, and then advice is given to a DIYER how to run electrical cables in the garden (I wonder what certificate he's issuing after testing the installation with his recently calibrated test gear).