Wiring For Outdoor Wall Lights

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Bobbya82

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Hi,

I am converting my garage and while the door is being bricked up for a window I want to add cabling for 2 external wall lights either side of the window as per the diagram attached.

Looking at lights similar to this: https://www.diy.com/departments/blo...outdoor-wall-light-760lm/3663602893752_BQ.prd

I have 2 questions,

1, is 1.5mm cabling ok to use?
2, should I run 1 cable to each of the lights or 1 to 1 and then daisy chain onto the other

Many thanks for your help
 

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Hi Bobbya82,

You can use 1mm if you want, but 1.5mm is fine too. If you want the lights to operate from the same switch you can daisy chain them.

Thanks,
Huggybear.
 
1.0 mm is all that is required. Why have got lights that light up the sky? Get ones that shine down only.
 
Thanks both, I read somewhere that 1.5mm is better for longer runs?

what would buiding regs sepcify? Would 1.5mm be passed by regs?

Thanks again
 
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Bobbya82 said:
Thanks both, I read somewhere that 1.5mm is better for longer runs?

what would buiding regs sepcify? Would 1.5mm be passed by regs?

Thanks again
Click to expand...

Nothing to do with building regs. Yes it would pass electrical regs, but absolutely no point and a waste of copper and money. Use 1.0 mm which can safely carry up to 16 amps so no problem.
 
Thanks Winston,

It was only that I read this:

Lighting circuits are generally run in 1mm2 two-core-and-earth cable, but particularly long circuits can use 1.5mm2 cable to compensate for the drop in voltage experienced on long cable runs.

And wondered what is classed as a long cable run?

Thanks for your advice
 
Long is meaningless without knowing the load. LED lights are a very small load any anyway LED lights are not worried about voltage drop so don't worry about it and use 1.0 mm cable.
 
It may be easier for you to run one cable to each fitting, depending on the wiring space.

If you are wiring these lights from scratch, then run each cable back to the switch box and have the joint in there. Use a 25mm box.
 
When you say switch box, do you just mean switch itself and the back box?

Does that mean there would be 3 cables going to it?

Many thanks for all your help
 
Sorry just to double check is it preferable to run 1 cable or 2 and then connect them in the switch which seems to have been suggested as well.

Many thanks
 
Thanks for coming back to me.

What would a professional normally do?

Thanks
 
It depends on the situation and position of the fittings.

Presumably you have an existing light.

Does the supply cable run to the light with a switch cable then down to the switch, or
does the supply cable run to the switch with another cable to the light, and

will you want the switch for the new lights in the same place as the existing switch, and
might you want a PIR sensor for your new lights?
 
Hi

This will be a new setup, there isn’t an existing outside light. However there is an existing light inside the garage, just wanted to put the cables in while it was being bricked up. Switch will be at the over end of the converted garage.

No sensor, just normal on and off lights

Thanks again, appreciate you help.
 
Last edited:
Sorry guys,

Has anyone got any further advise regarding my last post.

Many thanks
 
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