Outdoor lighting confusion

Chris Lawrence · 4 Oct 2015

Hey guys,

I just recently moved into a new house, and the yard has no light. I saw a tucked away 3-wire wire, with a switch, which i presumed was for an outside light. I checked it with my multi-meter and it read having nearly 13 amps, but almost no volts. I didn't know if that was good or bad. SO I bought a light, hooked it up, and yep... you guessed it... i got nada!

I checked the connection into the light with the multi-meter, and got the same reading: 13 amps, and a few mV. I'm trying to light a 12 amp bulb, so i presumed that should be enough. The fuse isn't tripping, i'm just not getting anything. Anyone any idea why?

Cheers!

Lectrician · 4 Oct 2015

A 12amp light bulb? Umm. Lets have a link to what you have bought.

You CANNOT measure current in the way you think you are. And you cannot have a current flow without any volts.

You don't seem to be grasping the very basics here, and just messing "trying to get it going" is not that way it should be done.

The cable sounds to be dead, it needs reconnecting once it has been established as safe and compliant to use.

AndyPRK · 4 Oct 2015

Rather worrying practice. (and I don't say that often)

I don't know how you think you have measured 13A, but however you are doing that it wrong. Maybe you could explain what you are doing to get a reading of 13A ?

Chris Lawrence · 4 Oct 2015

hey guys, sorry, i realised how stupid i am, after i posted this (lack of coffee for the day!):

so it's 13v AC and nada DC. So does that mean its a low-voltage wire designed for low voltage lights? is there a transformer or something i need to get to get my normal outdoor light working

Chris Lawrence · 4 Oct 2015

i must admit, electrics isn't really my thing. But i figured attached 3 wires to 3 wires and you should get something going. Which is how it went with the other outdoor light. However this one requires some knowledge that i just don't have. I can't really afford an electrician, so if there's something i can do myself i will, i just need to know why it's only reading 13V.

Lectrician · 4 Oct 2015

The 13v is likely just induced voltage on the disconnected cable.

Chris Lawrence · 4 Oct 2015

Lectrician said:
The 13v is likely just induced voltage on the disconnected cable.

Hey, thanks for the reply. I checked behind the switch and got the same reading. Do you think the wire is disconnected somewhere?

AndyPRK · 4 Oct 2015

pictures of the cable and switch can sometimes give us clues

ban-all-sheds · 6 Oct 2015

And also a much better description of what you measured between, and whether the light you're trying to connect is 12V or not.

winston1 · 6 Oct 2015

Chris Lawrence said:
However this one requires some knowledge that i just don't have. I can't really afford an electrician, so if there's something i can do myself i will, i just need to know why it's only reading 13V.

Electricity is dangerous in the wrong hands. If you can't afford an electrician and don't know what you are doing DON'T do it.
Can your next of kin really afford a funeral?

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Outdoor lighting confusion

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