Home Security Lighting

[curium]

Hi

I'm looking into the possibility of having security lights installed on the exterior of my property as we have had a few shed and car break-ins.

Primarily this would be to illuminate my garden as I often work nights and my partner is home alone and often gets worried despite the home burgulary alarm.

I've had a quick google and arrived at the home-office crime reduction site which recommends high efficiency lighting controlled by a photo-electric cell that would be on permanently through the night.

They actively discourage the use of PIR controlled tungsten halogen systems.

Can anyone add any further advice? The area to be lit is approx 10 metres long by 5 metre wide.

Are there any British Standards I should be aware of?

Can these systems connect to the power via the light circuits accessible in my loft-space?

Cheers for any helpful advice

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Are there any British Standards I should be aware of?

BS 7671

 

[curium]

Are there any British Standards I should be aware of?

BS 7671

Will decent products display this standard or does it relate to the quality of the installation?

Cheers

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

The latter.

 

[curium]

The latter.

I'm not going to be installing this myself so I would think that's a matter for the electrician.

I'm more after advice on what I need to buy (and telling the difference between tat and quality items hence the request for British Standards info) so I can price it up and get a reasonable budget together.

Cheers

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yeah - sorry...

I don't think there are any BS for external lights, photocells etc, and if there were they'd be about safety, not quality of construction.

With all lighting, and it seems particularly with outside lighting, it's hard to find a sensible middle ground between products made out of bacofoil and cardboard to a standard which allows no more than 50% of them to survive the lorry from the factory, and ones made out of weapons-grade titanium by military aerospace contractors seeking higher than usual profits.

As a general rule I'd say avoid anything sold in the sheds, and look at products from proper manufacturers like Thorn.

Google for architectural lighting manufacturers.

Also avoid products with integrated photocells - harder to replace one part if it goes wrong, and probably a good chance if you have more than one light of them coming on at different times. No idea of makes for those - MK do a Masterseal one, which is probably reliable.

 

[Stoday]

That government leaflet is good advice.

My set up, which I've found to be 100% satisfactory since I built my house 3 years ago comprises: A street light column with a 70W metal halide lamp for the drive/parking area; Six 9W CFLs in totally enclosed external light fittings around the house. These are controlled by a photocell that operates a controller in my consumer unit (Hager EE100)

 

[Steve]

I'd definitely go for low energy fittings. About 15 years ago, they threw up a new estate at the back of us, and every single house (over 300) had a low energy dusk to dawn light on the back of it.

Course, most have been replaced now, or the bulb failed and they didnt know where to source them

I wouldn't buy a fitting with a built in photocell though. Have the photocell seperately.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/DNTWSW.html

Then fit a couple of these as required:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/GLSFB26.html

I would wire it all in black flex (preferably hituff) - it is easier to get into fittings than twin and earth, and is more suitable for use outdoors than twin and earth (which will degrade under UV light <the sun>)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

(preferably hituff)

Unfriendly stuff.

Tough Rubber Sheathed would do, and would be much easier to work with.

 

[Steve]

(preferably hituff)

Unfriendly stuff.

Tough Rubber Sheathed would do, and would be much easier to work with.

Oh good, thats what I have just used to wire up my shed outdoor lights

 

[RF Lighting]

(preferably hituff)

Unfriendly stuff.

Tough Rubber Sheathed would do, and would be much easier to work with.

Oh good, thats what I have just used to wire up my shed outdoor lights

Surely that would have been an ideal project to hone your pyro skills on?

 

[Steve]

Hmmm maybe, but my way was easier.