I've bought an underwater pond light and couldn't believe it when I saw the cable was a mere 8" long so have to make a joint which will be submerged! I'm going to replace the cable for longer to avoid this but what colour is red and blue in China!? I presume live and neutral respectively, but just double checking...?
Chinese wiring colours for LED light
- Thread starter Deansplit
- Start date
It is far from easy to make a reliable and safe joint on a 230 volt cable that will be submerged.
The risk of the joint leaking water and thus leaking electricity into the water has to be considered. A leaky join in a 230 volt cable can make the water in a pond made with a plastic liner a lethal hazard to someone kneeling on the ground and putting a hand into the water.
The risk of the joint leaking water and thus leaking electricity into the water has to be considered. A leaky join in a 230 volt cable can make the water in a pond made with a plastic liner a lethal hazard to someone kneeling on the ground and putting a hand into the water.
After a while there becomes nothing that is unbelievable about cheap stuff made in China.
I suspect that given what Bernard says about the difficulties of making a reliable and safe joint, and that I doubt the light complies with BS EN 60598-2-18, it will be illegal for you to install it.
Throw it away, use it to learn the lesson not to buy cheap carp from China through eBay just because it's cheap, and go and buy something from a proper retailer.
Who said the luminaire was 230V and not SELV?
Probably, but we all know about 'assuming'! Given that we sometimes see L & N being described as 'positive and negative' here, I don't think there are any certainties!
Kind Regards, John
I would just chuck the thing away, put it down to experience, and buy a real one.
You will never get a reliable waterproof joint to submerge in water.
You will never get a reliable waterproof joint to submerge in water.
Given that he/she was unsure of that, he/she may well be unaware that an unearthed conductor cannot be a neutral conductor.
Precisely!
I'm not talking about making a joint to be fully submerged, that's what I'd need to do if keeping the original cable. I've already desolderd it and resoldered a longer cable in place. This is the unit: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=321458261943
The seals in all the unopenable parts are good, I already have a pump in the pond so it's the same principal as that.
The seals in all the unopenable parts are good, I already have a pump in the pond so it's the same principal as that.
I know. I posted it because sparkwright had suggested that you should throw out the light because you would never get a satisfactory submerged joint in the cable - so I re-posted a bit of your original post to remind him that you were not intending to do that.
Again, I know it was - see above.
Kind Regards, John
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
