How to do this garden lighting circuit?

[ellal]

I'm just putting in a garden path, and want to have 'marker lights' along the length (approx 25m). Ideally I'd like to either have a timed PIR or timer switches (similar to hallways, but exterior) at both ends. Low voltage lighting would be preferable, and I've ruled out Solar due to their 'dim light'..Power is available at both ends of the garden, so I'm looking for the best way to do this..

cheers

 

[breezer]

buy a kit

I have seen a range where you choose what light fittings, cable and transformer you want also i believe they now have pirs too, available in most diy sheds

 

[ellal]

I've seen the 'build your own circuit' type in B&Q, but have been unable to see how to get the PIR/Timer at both ends...Some suggest a 'ring type' circuit to give even lighting, but the 2-way switching seems to be a problem..

 

[breezer]

prhaps that is because the kit can not do that, i have sen it on the shelf but not looked at it, what is wrong with putting the pir at one end?

 

[ellal]

I have my workshop at the bottom of the garden, and it would be nice to be able to light the path (via PIR or Timer) on the way there, and also on the way back. I also want to avoid a general 'wide angle' PIR because we have a lot of roaming foxes/cats which would set the lights off regularly

 

[breezer]

wind will also set off a pir so it does not really matter.

Or you could have 2 sets

one fed from each end and every other light on each set

you may be able to wire the pirs in paralell, i dont know, as i said i have observed the object, but not read about it

 

[ellal]

so is there no way to set up PIR's in a 'two way' switching type circuit?...doubling up on the lights seems to also double up on the cost!

 

[Spark123]

You can wire two PIR switches in parallel, for this you will need the switch live, a neutral and a permanent live for each PIR, unless you can buy it in in a pre-fabricated kit form it will end up being notifiable under part p (England+Wales).

 

[ellal]

so I'm assuming therefore that the parallel PIR's would be 240V to have that arrangement?

 

[Spark123]

Could be 240v, or could be any voltage you choose as long as they are suitable for outside use. They will need to have a suitable time delay to keep the lights on either incorporated or separate to them.

 

[ellal]

I've havn't seen anything in a kit form that does this... The easiest way would just be to have a switch at the house end that I switch on before going down the garden, and then turn off after coming back, but since I tend to often spend some time down there, I was hoping to avoid having the lights on for that whole time..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

unless you can buy it in in a pre-fabricated kit form it will end up being notifiable under part p (England+Wales).

It's notifiable anyway, whether it is a pre-fabricated kit or not.

It fails the following exemption:

2. Work which -

(b) does not involve work on a special installation, and

A special installation is (with my emphases):

an electric floor or ceiling
heating system, an outdoor lighting or electric power
installation, an electricity generator, or an extra-low
voltage lighting system which is not a pre-assembled
lighting set bearing the CE marking referred to in
regulation 9 of the Electrical Equipment (Safety)
Regulations 1994

So in other words, whether it is a pre-assembled ELV set or not, if it goes outside it is a special installation, and work on a special installation is notifiable..

 

[ellal]

Lucky it was installed in 2004 then....

Does this then mean that anything which involves actually making a connection (i.e not having pre-made moulded plugs etc) is notifiable because it happens to be in a garden?

 

[breezer]

I dissagree since your lights are selv (low voltage to you) since the kits we were mentioning are 12v and plugged in indoors, part p does not count.

I had a look at the kit we mentioned earlier tonight. (i actualy went for ONE lamp) they seem to connect to the transformer output first, so that would mean:

Transformer on 24/7

you would need to run a cable from the far end back to the house to fit the pir at the other end and @ £19 its worth buying one to see how good or bad it works, oh incidentaly it has several options.

dusk till dawn sensor

dusk till 3 hours*

dusk till 6 hours*

pir

* or close enough

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I dissagree since your lights are selv (low voltage to you) since the kits we were mentioning are 12v and plugged in indoors, part p does not count.

1) Part P applies to "Installation of fixed low or extra-low voltage electrical installations."
2) Please read the law again:

"special installation" means an electric floor or ceiling heating system, an outdoor lighting or electric power installation,

Not "an outdoor lighting installation except one that plugs in indoors", or "an outdoor lighting installation except an extra-low-voltage one"

If it's outdoors, and it is fixed, then it matters not if it is ELV, or plugged in - it is notifiable.