Walkover paving lights - more hassle than it's worth?

[Brahman Naren]

Hi All

My first post here, and looking for advice on a full home renovation that is about to start. They are kicking off with some garden work whilst the builders knock down half the house, so I suspect this will be question 1 of many questions over the next year.

They are about to start the foundation for the paving and then lay down the paving slabs. So I am looking to install walkover lights in my garden paving to outline the paving edge.

The electrician said he can do it, however, he recommended that I do not go ahead with this and instead install small lighting posts on the various corners of the paving.

He said the walkover lights will break after a few years and are then difficult to replace. He said that water will eventually get in from beneath or above and break down the seal or find away into the fixture/cabling resulting in the fixture ultimately failing. Even with the gel and various protection methods he claimed it will ultimately fail faster than expected. Whilst the posts do not have the same risks and can also be easily replaced.

The walkover lights are more convenient, less intrusive and look better. However if they fail frequently, I won't be able to afford to replace them.

Is this true? I am not experienced with this, what should I do?

 

[Dranok]

@Brahman Naren I was just kidding, but if I was the electrician...and I am not! - just joshing you. But still if I was I might be a bit hurt at your not trusting me. But fair enough you have the right to check and should anyway.

...And I agree that if my electrician saw it, he would be hurt....

No idea why I was pointed to this ancient thread, but since I'm here...
Personally I wouldn't be offended because the OP was politely phrased as wanting a simple second opinion on a project that is personally important. If I knew my client were as savvy as to be lurking on the forums like this, I'd probably suggest he come here or one of the others specifically to confirm my recommendation or find other suggestions that I'm unaware of. There were two specific contrary recommendations for robust accessories to be installed, and I would have been happy to go with one of the two IP68 suggestions made if client insisted having read this most informative chat, assuming he had an appropriate space for me to install a driver box. (In this example I wouldn't go for the Collingwood as the OP sounded like he would have baulked at their price, but I generally trust TLC.)