Wiring help please with security lights

[bobpants75]

Hi,

The ***!!! who previously owned the house wired 4 security lights through the lighting 5 amp main for downstairs. This therefore obviously keeps tripping the RCD as it is essentially overloaded.

They also wired all 4 of these lights through several interconnected switches. I have essentially 'pulled' all the wires from the switches and am going to wire them each separately via a mains plug each.

The wires I have though are red, blue, yellow and earth coming out of the wall from the lights. I guess the red is live and blue is neutral, but what would the yellow be for..a separate feed to the light or ? any ideas please...??

Thanks
Bob

 

[davy_owen_88]

An RCD does not trip due to overloads, so you are either using the wrong terminology or the problem is due to an earth fault (water getting into the outdoor fittings for example).

By interconnected do you mean each switch can turn on/off all the lights? Or do you mean the feed is looped between each of the switches and a single cable goes to the light but each light is independent?

Why would you want to connect the lights to plug-tops? That's a very poor way of doing things, especially as you already have switches and cables in place.

As you have 3 core and earth cable you might have a permanent live and a switched live going to each fitting to allow the PIR to switch the lights on and for you to have a switch to turn them on yourself.

If you can take some pictures, of explain what connections are at the outdoor lights then we can advise you further.

 

[breezer]

have to agree with above


as for

but what would the yellow be for..a separate feed to the light or ? any ideas please...??

its simple

why not look and find out

 

[bobpants75]

ok thanks - the 'electrician' said the circuit was overloaded as it was only a basic lighting circuit and these lights needed to come off - i take it he is right about this..?

i guess a fused spur from the mains to the switches would be a better idea..?

thanks again for your responses...

 

[breezer]

depends on the wattage, but yes, it could be, but as was said an rcd is not an mcb

 

[bobpants75]

sorry tripping out the mcb not the rcd - sorry guys !!!!

 

[breezer]

and waht rating is each? (lamps and mcb)

 

[davy_owen_88]

A 5A fused spur or a dedicated circuit from the CU is in order then. What are the ratings for each security light?

 

[breezer]

too slow

 

[bobpants75]

hi the mcb says B6? the lights are all 500w = 2kw... is a 5A spur enough for this..?

thansk again

 

[davy_owen_88]

Can I ask why you need 4x 500w security lights? I bet your neighbours love you when they kick in at night and light up the whole street.

But no, a 5A spur will not be sufficient since 2000w is nearly 9A @ 230V.

 

[bobpants75]

i know they were just already there when we moved in - actually satying that we have no street lighting so this is probably why...i guess a 13a spur then.....