Garden Driveway Lighting

[aberdeenpaul]

Hi,
Currently in the process renovating the garden.
I have a couple of areas where i am going to put in LED ground lighting which will be set in concrete driveways and a patio area.
For this i have run 2 3cx1.5mm sq. armoured cables which will go to a waterproof junction box.
Here these will house the LED drivers and anything else, photocells, maybea timer etc.
From these junction boxes can i just come straight out of these with rubber flex cables (due to LEDs just being low voltage) and run tracks underneath to the light fittings, the cabling will be covered with concrete so i am presuming that i do not need armoured cabling to the actual fittings.

any one else done something similar?

 

[wingcoax]

Sorry to rain on your parade,BUT this work(in uk at any rate) falls under "part P" your leds are extra low voltage by the way. 240v is classed as low voltage.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

aberdeenpaul

Joined: 24 Mar 2008
Posts: 35
Location: Aberdeen,
United Kingdom
Thanked: 0 times

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The only underground enclosure I would use and guarantee is a resin cast joint.

I read it that the waterproof enclosure is going to be above ground, on account of it containing a photocell - they tend not to work too well when buried....

i.e. SWA to the enclosure, cables from there back into the ground and off to the lights...?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi,
Currently in the process renovating the garden.
I have a couple of areas where i am going to put in LED ground lighting which will be set in concrete driveways and a patio area.

Do you mean lights which are set flush into the ground, i.e. like horizontally mounted brick lights, or bollards/posts which are anchored there but the lamps are above ground?

If the former, do they come with captive cables or do you have to connect your own?

For this i have run 2 3cx1.5mm sq. armoured cables

Supplied from where? What rating fuse/MCB? Are they on an RCD? Are they buried at a sensible depth and with warning tape above? How/where have you glanded them? Have you done a proper continuity test on the conductors and the armour? Have you done an insulation resistance test?

which will go to a waterproof junction box.

Am I right that that's above ground?

From these junction boxes can i just come straight out of these with rubber flex cables (due to LEDs just being low voltage) and run tracks underneath to the light fittings, the cabling will be covered with concrete so i am presuming that i do not need armoured cabling to the actual fittings.

As per holmslaw - don't bury the cables directly in concrete.

Actually - your Q about not needing SWA maybe answers mine - these lights come without cables attached?

If they don't have integral cables, and if their electrical connections are going to be buried then don't be surprised if they have a short life due to water ingress. Best bet is always to keep joints and connections above ground.

 

[aberdeenpaul]

Many thanks for the replies.

The light fittings are recessed into the ground and will be housed in a protective case.
The waterproof enclosure is going to be housed above the ground. (Allowing maintenance of LED drivers, etc.)
I really need to bury these cables as the area is going to be concreted over.I know i just have to hope that the cable is going to be fine for numerous years doing this. The cable will be glanded at the light fittings also

I did read below saying that you can bury rubber cables directly below concrete as you cannot access cabling anyway.


http://www.voltimum.co.uk/news/11610/cm/q---a-of-the-day---what-cable-for-exterior-uplighters-.html


The SWA are protected from dedicated RCBOs at the consumer unit within the house, and also have marker tape indicating the route they have taken.
They have been glanded with brass armoured glands into the consumer unit and also they will be glanded at the junction boxes also.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I really need to bury these cables as the area is going to be concreted over.

Nobody is saying that they can't be buried, just that you shouldn't have them directly in the concrete.

I know i just have to hope that the cable is going to be fine for numerous years doing this.

And if it's not?

The cable will be glanded at the light fittings also

And when water leaks in through the glands? Because it will...

I did read below saying that you can bury rubber cables directly below concrete as you cannot access cabling anyway.


http://www.voltimum.co.uk/news/1161...t-cable-for-exterior-uplighters-.html[/QUOTE]
Hmm - what you read (with my emphasis) was

"If the lights are mounted in areas where digging is not likely, such as in concrete or a pathway, it might be argued that this is sufficient protection from digging."

What you seem to have not read:

"Buried cables should have mechanical protection such as SWA or conduit."

"Rubber sheathed cable, such as H05RN-F, is a rugged type of flexible cable suitable for outdoor use, but it offers only limited mechanical protection against digging."

"Manufacturers of ground-mounted or buried electrical products, such as exterior uplighters, should preferably provide the ability to properly terminate SWA cables so that earth continuity is maintained. If the terminations cannot be made effectively (electrically and waterproof), then either an alternative light should be used, or other methods of protection of cables used (such as steel conduit)."