Outside Lights

[NewhouseOldhouse]

Hi

I currently have 2 outside light on front of my bungalow, 1 at front door in soffit and other a corner on wooden board. Both lights are switched on & off using a single switch.

I am looking to take these away and install up & downer lights like these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/2x-Stainle...Outdoor-LED-Lamp/11020246367?iid=173178656290

I want to install them on front of house in 5 locations half way up the wall, can I just run cables from existing wiring? I also am want to install one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079HV6...t=&hvlocphy=1007283&hvtargid=pla-532047188381

to enable me to control via my phone.

is this a viable project?

any advice would be great.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I am looking to take these away and install up & downer lights like these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/2x-Stainle...Outdoor-LED-Lamp/11020246367?iid=173178656290

Probably a better idea to buy a known make from a lighting seller rather than a who-knows-what make from an eBay Arthur Daley.

I want to install them on front of house in 5 locations half way up the wall, can I just run cables from existing wiring?

Where would you run the cables?

I also am want to install one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079HV6...t=&hvlocphy=1007283&hvtargid=pla-532047188381

to enable me to control via my phone.

Firstly that requires a neutral - do you know if you've got one at your switch position?

Secondly I would strongly advise not buying that product from that seller anyway:

The problem is that Chinese manufacturers, and Chinese sellers, are outside the jurisdiction of the UK/EU, and far too many of them are making and selling dangerous and illegal products, lying about standards compliance, and so on.

Buying from a UK seller, who is importing from China, and who is bound by UK laws, or buying products from companies who have them made in China, but are bound by UK/EU laws, etc, is one thing, but going direct carries too many risks.

But why do you need to control lights with a phone?

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

Probably a better idea to buy a known make from a lighting seller rather than a who-knows-what make from an eBay Arthur Daley.

Ok will take that on board

Where would you run the cables?

Under and along the soffit down the wall to the light fitting.

Firstly that requires a neutral - do you know if you've got one at your switch position?

Secondly I would strongly advise not buying that product from that seller anyway:

Yes I am aware of that and have to check, if not will just keep switch.

View attachment 160496

The problem is that Chinese manufacturers, and Chinese sellers, are outside the jurisdiction of the UK/EU, and far too many of them are making and selling dangerous and illegal products, lying about standards compliance, and so on.

Buying from a UK seller, who is importing from China, and who is bound by UK laws, or buying products from companies who have them made in China, but are bound by UK/EU laws, etc, is one thing, but going direct carries too many risks.

But why do you need to control lights with a phone?

OK fair point with the light fittings, and just control for handiness as in I can switch light on and off when I am not at home.

 

[winston1]

Why up down lights? No point in lighting up the sky.

 

[winston1]

Hi

I currently have 2 outside light on front of my bungalow, 1 at front door in soffit and other a corner on wooden board. Both lights are switched on & off using a single switch.

I am looking to take these away and install up & downer lights like these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/2x-Stainle...Outdoor-LED-Lamp/11020246367?iid=173178656290

I want to install them on front of house in 5 locations half way up the wall, can I just run cables from existing wiring? I also am want to install one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079HV6...t=&hvlocphy=1007283&hvtargid=pla-532047188381

to enable me to control via my phone.

is this a viable project?

any advice would be great.

Probably a better idea to buy a known make from a lighting seller rather than a who-knows-what make from an eBay Arthur Daley.



Where would you run the cables?



Firstly that requires a neutral - do you know if you've got one at your switch position?

Secondly I would strongly advise not buying that product from that seller anyway:

View attachment 160496

The problem is that Chinese manufacturers, and Chinese sellers, are outside the jurisdiction of the UK/EU, and far too many of them are making and selling dangerous and illegal products, lying about standards compliance, and so on.

Buying from a UK seller, who is importing from China, and who is bound by UK laws, or buying products from companies who have them made in China, but are bound by UK/EU laws, etc, is one thing, but going direct carries too many risks.

But why do you need to control lights with a phone?

Your pick
£17.95
Free postage

• Get it by Sat, 9 Mar - Mon, 11 Mar from london, United Kingdom

It is being sold from London. Surely it is bound by UK laws.

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

Up&Down

• NewhouseOldhouse
• 8 Mar 2019

Why up down lights? No point in lighting up the sky.

Something like the above, sure it will shine up to the soffits anyway, just nice looking

 

[flameport]

It is being sold from London. Surely it is bound by UK laws.

No.

There might be a warehouse with the items in, but that is most likely just a place where items are removed from a larger container and shoved in the mail. No checking, no oversight, nothing at all.
If too many complaints arrive, the contents of the warehouse and those within disappear.

The other method is that a large box of a product is sent to students at their rented accommodation, and they get paid some minimal fee to just stick a label on an item and post it. Repeat 500 times with 500 students, and there is your unauthorised, untaxed and invisible UK distribution network. Send your complaints to a disposable mailing address in China.

Selling on Amazon is even easier. Just send a big box of barcode labelled things to Amazon, and they will do the fulfilment for you. Amazon do not check or verify any of those products, and complaints go directly to the seller. Too many complaints could theoretically mean the seller account is closed - but these people have multiple accounts so it changes nothing.

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

so Screwfix it is!

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-charcoal-grey-led-up-down-outdoor-wall-light-2-x-350lm-5-3w/4732x

 

[bernardgreen]

From the technical information about the switch

▶NEUTRAL WIRE REQUIRED: Sonoff light switch requir neutral, Load and Live wire to install as other wifi light switch do. If you are unsure, please check how many wires you got in your wall box or consult a qualified electrician before purchasing. It will not work if there is no Neutral wire in your house. Our wifi light switch is CE approved for safety and quality assurance, safe in use. Any problem, please feel free to contact with us.

Neither would any other mains powered electrical equipment if there was no Neutral in your house.

The English looks like a poor translation of some information originally written in a different language. No attention to the quality of the language used could suggest little attention paid to the quality of the items being sold.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

just nice looking

But you won't always be there to admire them - you want to be able to turn them on and off when you aren't there.

control for handiness as in I can switch light on and off when I am not at home.

If you aren't at home, why do you want the lights to be on?

 

[JohnW2]

If you aren't at home, why do you want the lights to be on?

Maybe because if the lights were never on when the OP wasn't at home, that would be a good indicator to a third party of when the house was probably unoccupied?

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

Maybe because if the lights were never on when the OP wasn't at home, that would be a good indicator to a third party of when the house was probably unoccupied?

Thats my thinking too

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So where will you be when you decide to turn your lights on? Or off?

How often will you do it?

Will you turn other lights on/off in the house, or will you have a house in darkness with just the outside lights going on/off at various times?

Have you done research into how effective a burglar deterrent this scheme will be?

 

[fluorescence]

Why up down lights? No point in lighting up the sky.

This! I know everyone's taste is different, but I cannot understand why anyone would want to light upwards? It's just a waste of energy and creates unnecessary light pollution

 

[JohnW2]

This! I know everyone's taste is different, but I cannot understand why anyone would want to light upwards? It's just a waste of energy and creates unnecessary light pollution

If it were literally 'upwards into the sky', I would totally agree. However, if the situation is anything like that in the photo in post #6, then it looks as if relatively little energy is being wasted, and little light pollution caused - since most of the light (upwards and downwards is illuminating the wall, and reflecting into the surrounding area where illumination is presumable desired).

Kind Regards, John