Moisture in garden lights

GAM · Jul 31, 2014

I'm having a lot of problems with a bunch of mains operated garden spike lights I've installed. There is moisture getting inside a lot of them causing the RCD to trip. This is in fact the second batch I've installed after the same thing happened. The brand is Saxby, which are supposed to be a good make. I disconnected five of them yesterday and connected three spares the were left over from the last install and they are working perfectly, so its definitely the lights. How do I keep the moisture out? Someone has suggested putting some wonder gel inside, which is rated to function at 200 degrees Celsius. I could also use some Vaseline around the lens cap. Another person suggested putting a little powered cement in the fitting, has anyone tried this?

There are about 40 spots, so I don't want this happening every 6 months. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Octopus · Aug 1, 2014

Buy a different (better) light and see how that compares?

40 Spots in a garden? Hope they are LED's

Spoon · Aug 1, 2014

I've never used it, but you could try something like this and see if it works.
MAGIC GEL - RAYTECH - MAGIC GEL - 1 LITRE PACK | CPC

Or this one may be easier.
WONDER GEL - RAYTECH - SINGLE COMPONENT GEL, WONDER GEL | CPC

Richard Burns · Aug 1, 2014

You need to know why the water is getting in (and possibly) why it is not draining away.
If the seals at the top of the lights are failing then get them replaced under warranty as they are not fit for purpose.
If it is condensation building up inside the lights then they should either be sealed when dry or a drain point should be available to let the condensation run out, without hitting the power supply.
What you should be aiming for is that no rain can enter the fitting and pass the supply cables, if water does get into the fitting then it must be able to escape safely.
Totally sealing the bottom of the fitting can just lead to a fitting that is full of water.
Silicon sealant works well for enhancing seals.
Magic gel is useful for protecting connections.