Connecting up additional exterior lights

[Tudor]

Hi peeps.

I have installed 5 brick lights in my patio wall. They are wired up one after the other in a daisy chain manner, finishing at the last light. I now need to wire the first brick light in to my existing bulk head light on the house wall, which is operated by a switch just inside the back door, so that when I flick the switch all lights come on, a total of 6 lights.

When I took the cover off the bulk head light, there are 3 cables. All three red cores are spliced together and inserted in a small block connector. All three green/yellow cores go to the earth connector. Two black cores go to one connector on the bit that the bulb screws in to, the third black core goes to the other connector on the bit that the bulb screws in to.

So, where do I wire my twin & earth to. The Earth goes with the other three earths, the red core goes to the other three reds, where do I put the black one??? Does it go with the other two black ones, or does it go with the single black one.

Hope this makes sense.

Dan.

 

[jj4091]

I think you need to establish that the switch is capable of carrying the load first. What wattage lamps do you have in each fitting & what is the switch rated at?

 

[Tudor]

I have got 60w in all 6 lights.

Inside the light switch it says 5amps 250v.

So, that means I have 360w of lights, Is that over loaded then?

 

[jj4091]

You should be ok with that, connect your new cable to the output of the bulkhead light( the bulb) & earth, the 2 blacks are the switch wire & neutral & you need to establish which is the switch wire, if it does not have a piece of red or brown sleeving.

 

[Tudor]

Sorry, not quite with yer there!!

All 3 black wires go in to the bulb holder. Two in to one part, the other in to the other part. No red/brown wires go in to the bulb holder.

So, the red core, live, that I need to connect goes to where? One of the two connectors in the bulb holder? Or does it go with the other three reds in a small block connector?

The earth goes to the other earth connectors.

The black, neutral, goes to where? One of the two connectors in the bulb holder?

Sorry about this!

 

[bernardgreen]

So, where do I wire my twin & earth to. The Earth goes with the other three earths, the red core goes to the other three reds, where do I put the black one??? Does it go with the other two black ones, or does it go with the single black one.

Hope this makes sense.

Dan.

The three reds are permanent live, connect to them and the lights will be on all the time.

The new lights connect to the two connections to the bulk head lamp bulb.

Black to the two blacks ( which are permanent Neutral )

Red to the SINGLE black which is the switched live from the switch ( this black from the switch should have a red sleeve to show it is switched live.

 

[Steve]

How have you afforded mechanical protection to the twin and earth cable outdoors?

 

[Tudor]

Thanks bernardgreen & jj4091. I have now wired everything up and it works. 5 brick lights beaming away, connected to my bulk head light.

However, Crafty has got me worried about the earth thing.

Each brick light has a screw inside it for the earth to attach to, which is what I have done for each light. The bulk head light has the same earthing screw, which I used for the bit of twin & earth between it and the first brick light. However, there are 3 earths already attached to the bulkhead earth screw.

Is this OK? Or should I go and flick the fuse off?

Should the outside lights be earthed seperately from the house lighting ciruit?

 

[Steve]

sorry, i wasnt asking about earthing, i was asking about the mechanical protection you have given the cable. Where does it run, and how have you protected it to suit its environment?

The earthing sounds fine. As long as its continuous.

 

[Tudor]

Oh, with you now. The twin & earth leaves the bottom of the bulk head light via 22mm conduit which runs down the outside wall of the back of the house. The conduit carries on under the patio, with a few tonnes of hardcore on top, which is all cemented in with flag stones on top. The conduit then enters the foundations of the patio wall which has a void in it as it consists of an inner and outer wall. The conduit then stops, and the twin & earth is looped between each brick light, within the void in the wall. The top of the wall has copings on, which are cemented in place.

All in all, the most vunerable point, I think, would be the 22mm conduit running down the wall from the bulkhead light.

Trust this sounds OK Crafty? Can I relax and grab a beer????

 

[Steve]

I cant see anything glaringly wrong there. 22mm conduit - sounds like mini trunking. Is it flat square stuff with a clip on lid? If so its not ideal for underground, but its no better or worse, IMO, than round plastic conduit.

 

[Tudor]

I am most probably misleading you a bit, not knowing the correct terminology. The conduit is the round plastic stuff, pretty sure it is what electricians use for running electrics in. Bit late now for changing it, would have dig the patio up.

 

[Steve]

Thats fine then - go have a beer, you deserve it.

 

[Tudor]

Whhoooaaahhhh!!!!! Job's a good un!!

Think I will go and sit on a chair on the patio with a nice cold beer. Might need my sun glasses though, things seem to have got a bit bright!!

Thanks everyone for the help! Most appreciated.