Outdoor lights to mains socket?

[sp1dey99]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie on the forum and not a clue about electrics so be gentle

I have done a search but thought I'd post to get an up to date answer. I want to add some outdoor lighting mainly for security purposes to both sides of my home.

What I'd really like to do is have these outdoor lights plug into mains sockets inside the house and garage. Reason being my home security system AlertMe has what they call SmartPlugs that can turn on and off what ever you plug into them based on other events.

First side: Has the attached garage on it that has the fuse box in and has 2 sockets on the inside of the external walls (sockets on rear wall...fusebox on side wall).
So I'd like to attach an outdoor light to this external side wall, its cable through the wall and with a normal 3 pin plug, plug this into my AlertMe SmartPlug which will be plugged into the existing garage socket.

So is this safe and would I need a particular type of cable as I want to attach a plug to it.


Second side: More awkward.....I think Kicthen/Utility side of the house. The Utility/Kitchen door is the area I want lit up. On one side of the door inside we have the gas bolier and the other we have Kitchen fridge what I would call hardwired in(no plug) and then counter surface with two sockets on the external wall further to the right is the gas hob.
So whats the best & safest option here.....could an electrician add a third socket here?

Rear: The rear of the house has a security light the builders put in and it runs to the swtich on the dining Room wall. Unfortunately they went and planted a great big tree in front of it so the PIR gets set off all the time when its windy.
Is it possible to change the switch to be a socket? So take the cable off the swtich and attached a plug and so I can use it with one of my smartplugs.

Sorry for the long post and probably silly questions I appreciate you taking the time to read it and look forward to your thoughts.

Cheers,
Mark.

 

[Steve]

do alertme also do hardwired solutions? many manufacturers do.

and what is wrong with PIRs? Think about it, you're walking past one of these lights and its pitch black. they aint gonna come on, they'll be useless. You'r wanting these lights activated when something completely irrelevant is happening somewhere else . . . its bonkers and illogical.

Fit three PIR lamps and have done with it. Buy those with adjustable sensitivity so they wont be triggered by cats and trees.

And yes you can plug them into a normal plug. You can also run the cables as long as you wish around the house untl you find a socket. But plugging something permenant in is rough, they would be better off wired to an FCU like your fridge is.

This work is notifiable.

As an aside, you could have both PIR and an override (alertme), which would power up the light regardless of the PIR status. Depends if alertme do hardwired solutions though!

 

[sp1dey99]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Alertme don't do hardwired solution yet.

You'r wanting these lights activated when something completely irrelevant is happening somewhere else . . . its bonkers and illogical.

Sorry I didn't explain it very well....Alertme do PIRs & door/window contacts which I have. With the use of the AlertMe Smartplugs I can have AlertMe to do many things....like if we open the utility door(AlertMe door sensor is activated) AlertMe will turn power onto the Smartplug for the outdoor light to come on for say X mins(programmable) or if any of my PIR are activated I could have it turn power onto the Smartplug for the outdoor lights. So I would disagree its bonker and illogical AlertMe can even email/text or call me to tell me a light has been turned on if Im at home or away.

Thanks for letting me know its notifiable.

 

[Steve]

What about hard wired accessories? A reciever swich that instead of being inside a plug adaptor, sits in the permenant wiring?

 

[sp1dey99]

What about hard wired accessories? A reciever swich that instead of being inside a plug adaptor, sits in the permenant wiring?

That's a great idea....if you don't mind I'll suggest that to them!

 

[Steve]

Go for it. You never know they might come back with a compatible product.

Soemthing like this is what I'm talking about
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/LMESR1.html

It recieves a signal wirelessly and contains a set of contacts to turn on and off a load (exactly the same as your smartplugs do).

It is probably not compatible with your system. (Although it does state it can learn up to 16 transmitters - so its possible it might be compatible, maybe forward this product link to alertme and ask them, if they dont come up with anything)