Garden lighting installation advice needed

[dazzystar]

Hi All,

I want to install around 6 x mains GU10 spike lights each side of my garden. One side, I have power around half way down the flower bed from an old floodlight in a waterproof junction box and then buried armoured cable up to the house where there is a separate switch mounted on the wall to turn that as well as four pillar patio lights on and off. The other side of the garden doesn't have any power but I was thinking about tapping into the power from one of the patio lights for that side.
The GU10 spike lights have around 1.2m of rubber flex which isn't going to be long enough so the question I have is what is the best method of powering these lights rather than having a large junction box per light fitting?
Thanks
Daz

 

[dazzystar]

I should add I don't mind if they're low voltage instead of mains GU10

 

[phatboy]

I would use LED fittings, and run low voltage around the garden. In the waterproof junction box you have, fit a socket for the transformer to connect to.

A lot of outdoor lighting transformers are IP66 rated, so it could sit next to the box.

This approach seems safer, and its what I have done, and it looks fine

 

[dazzystar]

Thanks. Aren't LED's too dim and expensive in comparison to halogen? I don't want to spend a small fortune. Any brands or sites you can recommend would be fabulous.

 

[phatboy]

LED's are just as bright as halogen, if you buy the right wattage (9w led seems to be the accepted equivalent to 50w halogen)

And the LED's should not fail, and produce a lot less heat.

Can't recommend any brands, mine were eBay specials so unbranded, but they are fine 1 year on

 

[dazzystar]

I was going to go for 20w halogen's. Is that too dim? What did you pay?

 

[phatboy]

It depends what you want them for really. To light up a flowerbed 20w halogen is probably bright enough. For lighting up an area you want to walk through I would go for 35w, or 50w depending on spacing.

... Or the equivilent in LED!

I paid about £20 per LED spiked fitting

 

[dazzystar]

what would the equiv LED be, you see so many differing figures?

 

[Porque223]

The halogens would give something less than 16 Lumens/watt and you can see what LEDs will do (5 to 150 L/w) from the table halfway through this link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_efficacy

But LEDs may be more like a spotlight than a floodlight.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I would use LED fittings, and run low voltage around the garden. In the waterproof junction box you have, fit a socket for the transformer to connect to.

What's the transformer for if you're using low voltage lighting?

 

[bernardgreen]

What's the transformer for if you're using low voltage lighting?

Not everyone knows that 230 volts is classed as low voltage and 12 volts is classed as Extra low voltage. BAS does

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No, but,

Advice

People giving advice should know....

 

[phatboy]

What's the transformer for if you're using low voltage lighting?

Not everyone knows that 230 volts is classed as low voltage and 12 volts is classed as Extra low voltage. BAS does

Well unlike most people, when BAS cannot contribute something meaningful and helpful to a thread, instead of contributing nothing he prefers to contribute bull****, and try to make himself look clever.

Everybody, lets applaud the little boy. You've made your little point, so you can go away now. There is no need for you to post any further to this thread. Do you think you can be grown up enough to not post anything else little BAS?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well unlike most people, when BAS cannot contribute something meaningful and helpful to a thread, instead of contributing nothing he prefers to contribute bull****, and try to make himself look clever.

Everybody, lets applaud the little boy. You've made your little point, so you can go away now. There is no need for you to post any further to this thread. Do you think you can be grown up enough to not post anything else little BAS?

Oh dear.

You really don't like your ignorance being highlighted, do you.

Tell you what - if you don't like being criticised for being sloppy and inaccurate with your advice, go away and don't post any more until you know what you're talking about.