Low voltage outside lights

[lorveney]

Hiya all,

Am wanting to install some low voltage deck lighting outside.

Have currently taken a spur off a mains socket (which is 30mA RCD protected) using 1.5mm T&E to a 3amp FCU and from that using 1mm T&E to a light switch. I currently have same 1mm T&E running through outside wall to nothing (no fuse in FCU at moment so no problem)! I was planning to run cable under deck through 20mm conduit to a transformer which is designed for outside use and house it in waterproof box or whatever making sure all joints are sealed. However, I'm not sure I should be using 1mm flat T&E outside (all waterproof cable connectors seemed to be designed for round cable).

Am open to suggestions for a better setup, but:

- want to use the inside light switch to switch low voltage lights on and off

- could replace the 1mm flat T&E running from outside to light switch with something different if necessary as it is running through conduit buried into plaster

- would prefer to keep transformer outside.


Help please! Ta

 

[breezer]

first thing change the 1.5mm T&E to a 3amp FCU to 2.5mm T & E

What gave you the idea you can use 1.5 T & E?

while you are at it change the fcu to a switched fcu, and use arctic blue flex to feed your external transformer

 

[lorveney]

Yeah, apologies breezer.

Had just been reading a posting debating the pros and cons of 1.5mm against 1.0mm cable and put 1.5mm T&E by mistake. I have in fact used 2.5mm.

Does this artic blue flex still want to be run in plastic conduit?

Thanks for the quick reply!

 

[lorveney]

Followed breezers advice and bought some arctic blue cable - could only get 1.5mm though.

Will it be a problem running 1.0mm T&E from the (switched!) FCU to the light switch and then 1.5mm arctic blue from the light switch to outside?

Also, will it be a problem running the cables to and from the light switch in the same conduit (assuming I can get the arctic blue fed through without knocking the wall about).

Once its outside, does the arctic blue cable need to be in conduit (its running underneath decking)?

 

[breezer]

so long as the fcu is FED by a 2.5mm cable you will be ok.

arctic blue is specially designed to go outside, but conduit is recomended only where it is liable to get hit (or bitten by vermin)

 

[lorveney]

OK thanks for that breezer