Outdoor lighting/power

[thesherriffs]

I want to connect two outdoor post lights in my garden (each one uses 1 20W energy saving bulb ?

I was planning to copy the idea I saw for some commercial outdoor power kits - basically, armoured cable running from the lights (it'll be under a patio), thru a wall to an indoor junction box - a lead from the junction box then simply plugs into an existing mains socket via an RCD plug.

My question is how do I connect the two lights - can both go to the same junction box and run off the same RCD plug ?

I understand that because this is classed as a temporary supply (I would only use it at certain times of the year), it wouldnt be subject to the electrical regs.

 

[Pensdown]

SWA cable under a patio I'm sorry to say is fixed wiring.

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[thesherriffs]

Fair enough - although I've seen a few other threads suggesting that because it can be unplugged it is not a permanent supply.

I'd love to do it properly, but at the moment the cost just makes it impossible - I thought this might be a way of doing a temporary job now - once I've got the cash, I could get an electrician to connect it all up properly.

If I did it the way I suggested, is it unsafe in any way ? The armoured cable will be buryed under a patio & connected to the mains via an RCD.

 

[breezer]

there is nothing so permanent as a temporary job

your other problem is geeting a spark to connect something he did not install.

best to save up then get job dome by pro, saves money in the long run

 

[Pensdown]

If I were doing the little project I would try and find a suitable socket in the house that was on an outside wall backing on to the garden.

I would drill through the back of the socket and mount a surface 30mA 6amp RCBO in a plastic weather proof enclosure on the other side.

The RCBO would be fed from socket in 1.5mm T&E cable. One end of the SWA cable would be glanded into the RCBO enclosure the other would run to the first light and loop onto the second light. The SWA would need to be 3core 1.5mm.

Thats one way of doing it properly.

The work is notifiable but its your choice.

PS. If your ground floor sockets are backed by a 30mA RCD you dont need the RCBO, a weather proof FCU would be fine

 

[thesherriffs]

Thanks for the advice - I'm convinced - but it gives me another problem. I may have to lay the cable myself tomorrow as I've got a builder coming in on Monday to lay the patio.

Is it safe to assume that if I aim to bring the cable indoors on a wall where there is already a double socket, plus an outdoor security light with an indoor switch, that the sparky will be able to connect the new lights up from there ?

Also, as per my original question - would I need separate cables going to each of the post lights, or do they need to be connected in series ?

PS - the moral of this story is dont give into your wife when she sees some "nice lights" in the shop without considering the cost of a sparky to connect them up !!

 

[thesherriffs]

Thanks Pensdown - my reply was to Breezer, but you've managed to answer my questions anyway.

Cheers

 

[breezer]

oh and by the way, the lights will be in paralel not series