Outdoor ground lights

5teves · 17 Jan 2021

Hello hope eveyone is safe and keeping well.

I am hoping today install my garden floor lights and need some advice please.

So currently i have a 1.5mm swa cable going from a switch indoors to outside garden ground level where id like to install the lights.

My question is, do i connect the cable directly to the ring of lights outside or should i have any safety mechanism inbetween such as a spur or alike?

Also the lights i have come with regular yime of wires and im not sure if laying them into the ground is safe at all, i was always told swa only into the ground, so was a bit suprised that these spike the cable on these spike lights looks to be just a ordinary make up to link them together.

Your help and advice is always much appreciated and i thankyou so much, I've managed to complete a good fair amount of jobs around the house with advice from here. Thank you

P.s the i instructions on these lights also mention i would need a dc 12v transformer.

chivers67 · 17 Jan 2021

The SWA will need a proper External Gland - terminated into a Wiska box or rotary Isolator and the Armour will need to be earthed. It should be buried minimum 12 Inches Deep and have Yellow Voltage Warning Tape above it . So the lights are Extra Low Volt - the Transformer will need to be inside some kind of enclosure or housing.

This type of work isn't really in the realms of most DIYers and does need proper Notification. Have you a link to show the lights?

5teves · 17 Jan 2021

Hi Chivers67

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0118XFM2I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_dHebGb6HBXYPC?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

This is the link to lights.

I was thinking i would need, swa into wiska box - ip67 transformer - daisy chained lights into transformer....

To be honest the area i want to install them is so small, about 3.5 meters by .5m strip along a wall, other than the flex from the 4 lights i dont anticipate much of the swa cable to even be buried as its so close to the wall that it will be affixed to.

I was unsure about the flex to use for daisy chaining the lights, and also you mention earthing, whats the best way to earth it please?

5teves · 17 Jan 2021

If anyone can advise further please, I'd appreciate very much

333rocky333 · 17 Jan 2021

How do you propose to earth the Gland and Armour, at the garden end by using a Wiska box, I dont think you can unless you buy the Gland plate separately as its not supplied with the box

flameport · 17 Jan 2021

SWA into an enclosure, mounted to a suitable wall or other structure above ground, which will contain the transformer / driver to convert to 12V DC.
Flex on the lights will need to be extended with similar size to what they already have, so that they can reach the enclosure.
SWA and the lighting cables will all need suitable glands installed into the lower edge of the enclosure.
The lights themselves do not need any earth connection.

Images on the amazon link show various connection options including a box to extend the cable and so on.

Ultimately you have purchased some very cheap and nasty lights which have flex that's far too short and that don't include any of the items required to actually install them.

5teves · 18 Jan 2021

Thanks guys, i really appreciate the help and guidance.

If time permits i would give this a go tomorrow.

Ive actually purchased a ip67 rated 12dc transformer too.

So my undertanding is,

1, Swa into wiska box

2, Wiska box has to have earthing glands installed

3, Transformer flex goes into second gland

4, both cables connected in side the terminals as follows
1, 2x neutral
2, 2x live
3, 2x earth

5, connect a new earth cable to gland on wiska box and join other end into same terminal where swa and tranformers earth are.

4, Daisy chain lights and connect to output of transformer

Have i missed anything?

333rocky333 said:
How do you propose to earth the Gland and Armour, at the garden end by using a Wiska box, I dont think you can unless you buy the Gland plate separately as its not supplied with the box

I think this should do the trick for earthing.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/tower-ru...Vx9myCh3fGgaZEAQYASABEgKoxPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

5teves · 18 Jan 2021

flameport said:
SWA into an enclosure, mounted to a suitable wall or other structure above ground, which will contain the transformer / driver to convert to 12V DC.
Flex on the lights will need to be extended with similar size to what they already have, so that they can reach the enclosure.
SWA and the lighting cables will all need suitable glands installed into the lower edge of the enclosure.
The lights themselves do not need any earth connection.

Images on the amazon link show various connection options including a box to extend the cable and so on.

Ultimately you have purchased some very cheap and nasty lights which have flex that's far too short and that don't include any of the items required to actually install them.

Hi Flameport, i agree, i think there must be better lights out there. I was sent this link from a friend who had them installed at his own place and said they looked great, hence came recommened.

Only time will tell

333rocky333 · 18 Jan 2021

333rocky333 · 18 Jan 2021

5teves said:
I think this should do the trick for earthing.

Are you putting the Transformer in a box, although ip67 im not sure it should be left exposed, should it?

Wiska boxes have threaded entry, so a banjos, as in your link is not ideal as it would need to fit external to the box, it would mean bolting through the plastic box to connect the Earths within.
Not sure if screwfix sell the correct thing, they should do if they sell the boxes
.
I would maybe have used a bigger box to house the Transformer and glanded direct into that,

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Outdoor ground lights

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