Bollard Lights & Ants

JamesMcBride · Mar 20, 2019

Got called out by a customer I had installed some bollard lights (Aluminium Bollard Black 750mm - 100w ES - https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/GLAB3.html) for a few years back to say they were getting random RCD trips, mainly at night when the outside lights were on.

Bollards were installed in what I would consider a fairly typical fashion, bolted to concrete pad, SWA loop in and out into a Y conduit box, with gasket & lid, wagos inside, TRS out to the lamp holder.

Started looking at the problem, IR tested the loop the bollards are on and it's around 0.08 meg. It seems that some of the bollards were completely full of soil and ants, to the point that some of the Y boxes were damp inside and some of the ES lamp holders were also full of soil. Cleaned them out, replaced the lamp holders, remade the connections and all is good again.

Any suggestions for how to keep the ants out of these things? I was considering a load of silicon around the inside of the base, but I'd rather keep that clear so that any water that does get in can drain. Other than filling the bottom of them with ant powder, I'm guessing some of you have come across something similar?

Andy78 · Mar 20, 2019

I've come across exactly that. Bollards half filled with fine soil as the ants moved it up into the cavity. Poor IR results down the whole circuit that was narrowed down to the lamp holders. The ants had only affected 2 bollards out of 10 but all lamp holders needed replacing, so maybe the two issues are not exclusively related.

As for an ant proof solution, no real clue as the owner had all the bollards taken out after they had been repaired.

JamesMcBride · Mar 20, 2019

I replaced all of the lamp holders out of course too, with heatshrink covering the terminals in the hope that it might help. My concern is that the ants will be back along with the issues they bring.
I have suggested an annual inspection and clean out of them, which may help, but keeping the ants out would be best!

westward10 · Mar 20, 2019

I doubt you will prevent infestations bollards are a pain in this respect.

bill01803 · Mar 20, 2019

I had exact same thing, we ended up disconnecting them.

Strima · Mar 20, 2019

Regular maintenance.

derek · Mar 20, 2019

You could fill the terminal box with a waterproof putty then put lid on, not sure what could be done to protect the ES lamp holder, I suppose that would require the bollard having a suitable ant proof enclosure.

Squid · Mar 20, 2019

Regular maintenance and a dusting of ant powder.

JamesMcBride · Mar 20, 2019

Thanks, I have shoved some waterproof putty around the cable entry points in the hope that will keep the junction box dry if it does get full of soil again and have suggested annual maintenance with a dusting of ant powder if / when they appear.