Outside lights

[fatgreeny09]

Hi, I've put some under ground lights in a restaurant with outside seating. The lights are in the ground but there is a kirb all the way around then some shale then a wall. I have come from armoured cable into a weather proof box. into a light sensor. then into a galvonised t box. this first t box is in the shale along with the rest of the wiring. from the t box with stuffing gland which goes to a ground light with flex which is fixed to the ground light. then also from the t box to another t box with armoured and then continues in the same pattern. Each t box has gasket and lid and is also filled with electricians silicone giving it ip68 compliance. I know there is a hundred opions about other ways it can be done BUT is there anything wrong with this way as this is the way I was taught and I don't believe it goes against any regs ? reason being is some other company has gone in and told them they need it all ripping out as it wrong

 

[The Ghost]

What is to stop anyone penetrating the cables buried in the shale? Any pics? What voltage are the lights. How are the lights fixed in the ground???? Flex doesnt sound too good in public place and presumably buried?? Must say there are a lot of questions on this one, from what you say it does not sound safe but hard to tell. Oh yea what is shale.

 

[fatgreeny09]

What is to stop anyone penetrating the cables buried in the shale? Any pics? What voltage are the lights. How are the lights fixed in the ground????

There is shale over the cables. the flex comes supplied with the light so there is no way to terminate the armoured to it. and they are 100% ground lights. but in short they won't walked over nor dug out.. they are 230v and may have a pic il have a look. the lights are placed in the ground with shale around. where they are place is raised by about 3 inch.

 

[fatgreeny09]

There is shale over the cables. the flex comes supplied with the light so there is no way to terminate the armoured to it. and they are 100% ground lights. but in short they won't walked over nor dug out.. they are 230v and may have a pic il have a look. the lights are placed in the ground with shale around. where they are place is raised by about 3 inch.

 

[fatgreeny09]

View attachment 34442

That's a pic before they got put in the ground

 

[snowhead]

That's a pic before they got put in the ground

There placed in the drainage gulley to the right of the picture?
Block paving slopes from left to right of the picture, towards the gulley that was or is now filled with shale and lights.
Or are the lights now in the block paving?

 

[westward10]

What is to stop anyone penetrating the cables buried in the shale? Any pics? What voltage are the lights. How are the lights fixed in the ground???? Flex doesnt sound too good in public place and presumably buried?? Must say there are a lot of questions on this one, from what you say it does not sound safe but hard to tell. Oh yea what is shale.

Shale is a small whale.

 

[fatgreeny09]

There placed in the drainage gulley?
Block paving slopes from left to right of the picture, towards the gulley that was or is now filled with shale and lights.
Or are the lights now in the block paving?

builder built the Gulley purposely for the lights

 

[fatgreeny09]

builder built the Gulley purposely for the lights

Also the shale has been put back everywhere else. the lights are also at the back and left hand side

 

[Wilko]

builder built the Gulley purposely for the lights

Sorry to say, but to me it's just a hard surface to grind up the cable. The combination of concrete base, flex, shale and pedestrian traffic doesn't seem like a good idea?

 

[fatgreeny09]

Sorry to say, but to me it's just a hard surface to grind up the cable. The combination of concrete base, flex, shale and pedestrian traffic doesn't seem like a good idea?

There is a walk way at the bottom of the pic where the cones are for pedestrians to walk but how would you have terminated them as they come fixed with flex if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Wilko]

For me the problem is that the flex cables are hidden but not protected in the current design. Maybe I'm wrong?

 

[westward10]

What type of flex is it, rubber or pvc.

 

[fatgreeny09]

What type of flex is it, rubber or pvc.

Rubber

 

[fatgreeny09]

For me the problem is that the flex cables are hidden but not protected in the current design. Maybe I'm wrong?

That's what the other person said but I really can't see what else can be done as it supplied with that.

 

[The Ghost]

I hope the light are IPX7 as it looks like water is going to collect in the gullies. I think I would have used conduit possibly Steel terminate them in with a stuffing gland. They could have used post lights or put the lighting on the walls around it all. But you would still need to mark buried cable with warning tape underground. And at the prescribed depth it may be subject to vandals and people who have had one too many. It is a high risk as is. I can see why someone would have said it wont do. Sorry if that sounds hard I am not knocking you but instinct alone would say this is not right.

 

[westward10]

Rubber

I can't see how you can guarantee nobody will tread the shale and damage the cables.

 

[fatgreeny09]

I hope the light are IPX7 as it looks like water is going to collect in the gullies. I think I would have used conduit possibly Steel terminate them in with a stuffing gland. They could have used post lights or put the lighting on the walls around it all. But you would still need to mark buried cable with warning tape underground. And at the prescribed depth it may be subject to vandals and people who have had one too many. It is a high risk as is. I can see why someone would have said it wont do. Sorry if that sounds hard I am not knocking you but instinct alone would say this is not right.

No by all means. il take it on board and do go by what you've said in the future

 

[westward10]

Could they not resin bond a lower section of the shale to cover the cables with loose shale on top. I know this poses future maintenance problems but it would protect the cables.

 

[fatgreeny09]

Could they not resin bond a lower section of the shale to cover the cables with loose shale on top. I know this poses future maintenance problems but it would protect the cables.

Well they could have done but didn't think this at the time. somebody else has gone in and changed it to flex or fp on the wall bare with no protection and just clipped about 6 inch above the shale which in my opinion is worse as the cable could get damaged and touched!