Wiring of PIR lights - is this correct?!

davver79 · Apr 28, 2015

Hi,

Firstly, I'm not an electrician, I am just here to look for advice from you friendly people.

We've just has some PIR lights fitted at the side of our house and a security floodlight at the back. We're really disappointed with the way the work looks.

We bought the lights and separate PIR's on the advice of the electrician. We also advised on the rough positioning. I knew there would be wiring on show, however, I did not realise the amount of cable that would be visible and it looks so messy. The electrician advised that we had to use this uv resistant cabling which was only available in white. As he's placed the PIR's right next to the lights I don't understand why he advised we buy them separately.

Please would you mind taking a look at the attached photo for me and letting me know what you think - is this correct or is there an easier/tidier way of doing this?

I will be talking to him when he comes back to finish/correct the job, but I would just like some second opinions that I can draw upon first.

Thanks in advance for your help

D

[ElectriciansForums.net] Wiring of PIR lights - is this correct?!

GMES · Apr 28, 2015

I have placed this thread in the main forum due to the fact that the op is only requesting opinions from you guys and not advice on how to do the job.

telectrix · Apr 28, 2015

i have only 2 comments:

1. was that installed by stevie wonder?

2. rough as a gorilla's arse.

GMES · Apr 28, 2015

Yeah Tel it's pretty rough mate.

telectrix · Apr 28, 2015

in fact, i'd go further and say that a plumber could have done a neater job. ( and you know my opinion of plumbers).

GMES · Apr 28, 2015

The thing that does me Tel is I personally couldn't walk away from that job and be proud of it, so it baffles me how anyone else could.

And I've just used my 4000th post to answer you, I've still got a couple of 00's to catch up with you though!!!!

Hellmooth · Apr 28, 2015

Shambolic, I hope you haven't paid yet!

telectrix · Apr 28, 2015

another Electrical Trainee leaves his blot on the landscape.

tazz · Apr 28, 2015

That is unbelievable.....for the sake of buying the correct cable, 3 core+E, or conduit with singles would have kept the install down to 1 cable or 1 tube per fitting.

Pete999 · Apr 28, 2015

Where did he park his horse? a proper cowboy job if ever I saw one like someone else said, hope you haven't paid him yet.

telectrix · Apr 28, 2015

thing is.... if that's the sort of standard he works to, what about the electrical side? has he fitted fused connection unit/s or just tapped off the neareset socket/cooker point/shower?

davver79 · Apr 28, 2015

Thanks for all the replies. Can anyone advise how this should have been done, so I can be ready for when he returns?

Connected together are:
1x 400w PIR Floodlight
2 x bulkhead lights
2 x PIR's connected to bulkheads

Does that junction box with all the wires need to be there?
Did he really need to use that thick uv resistant cable?
Is there a reason why he has gone down across and back up with the cable, instead of neatly going straight into the light?!

Thanks everyone.

telectrix · Apr 28, 2015

without seeing the job, it's hard to say, but i generally try to cable under the upstairs floor as much as possible and come out through the wall as close to a light or PIR as possible. and i'd have used 0.75mm or 1.0mm black flex.

Spoon · Apr 28, 2015

Hi davver79. A couple of questions:
Have you payed?
How much is this costing you?

Tel's description if how this should be wired is great and I couldn't expect anything different from the bloke, but the cost of doing it this way will most probably be more than what you have been quoted.

davver79 · Apr 28, 2015

Tel - thanks for your advice, that sounds like a much neater solution. Spoon - The original quote for labour was £310, however I have simplified the job quite a lot since, so I expect the work to cost a lot less. It goes without saying that I will not be paying until I am happy with the work.