Coupling external security lights

[Roger465]

As I look with increasing desperation for tasks to keep me occupied during lockdown, my eye is drawn to the ancient PIR lights around my bungalow. They’ve probably been here since the place was built in 1994 – I only moved in a couple of years ago, and never bothered with the fact that they don’t work.

Anyway, as well as the mains feed, they have an extra wire, which I suspect allows any one of them to switch all three on if triggered. They might even work if they had bulbs in them, but I want to replace them anyway as they’re grotty… could anybody please point me at suitable replacements in Screwfix?

I don’t know how to tell if any of the ones they sell have this extra switching connection to couple them all together…

Thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

I am only guessing, but one cable is probably the supply cable, and the other is the cable off to the other lights.
Second guess: are the other lights just floodlights with no PIR?

You challenge is that most of the combined PIR+flood offerings do not now provide a facility to connect additional lights.
Your best option would be to buy a stand alone PIR and three slave flood lights.

Let us know in a bit more detail, especially how you want them to work, and perhaps we can create a shopping list.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

First job is find out exactly what the extra wire is for, how many cores, where they go, what they do, how they're terminated at the moment

Second job is see if the PIR detectors still work- if they do then you can usually reuse them (if they have internal relays rather than SCRs) with modern LED floods and it is very useful having the PIR separate from the lamp. (Do all the units have PIRs or just this one)

Third job- maybe look further afield than Screwfix or the like (try Amazon or CPC). I bought some 10w LED floods back in Feb (from CPC) for $2 (sorry about dollar sign, Windows is having an Issue)

 

[Roger465]

Why did I know it wouldn't be as simple as I thought... OK thanks chaps, will investigate the wiring further

 

[flameport]

Your best option would be to buy a stand alone PIR and three slave flood lights.

Definitely.

Also allows the PIR and the lights to be positioned properly, which is usually impossible where both are in the same unit.