Electrics for garden lighting?

[Fleety]

Hi there,

I'd like to wire up my garden so I can have garden lights and possibly a water feature. However, I've no idea where to start with this! Do I need an extension cable from an internal socket? (My nearest socket is in my bedroom, which backs onto the garden). Does the external wire need special casing or trunking, to protect it from knawing animals and the weather?! Where would the external cable run to?

I appreciate I need an electrician for this job, but would like to have a good idea first as to what should be done, so I know a little bit what I'm talking about!

Many thanks,
Caroline

 

[Knobhead]

Sold! To the lady glued to the television!

 

[telectrix]

make sure any remote equipment is radio wave, not infra-red. as with infra -red, it won't work through walls or glass so you could miss a vital part where something actually happens (but don't hold your breath)

 

[La Poste]

Are these switching units dimmable?

It would be nice to have a garden set up with colour changing LED's that are dimmable all controlled via a remote control although I don't know how much all this would cost.

If not colour changing LED's then sets of different coloured LED's that you can control individually to change the mood of the garden, mix the red green and blue to suit your own tastes.

This is what I would like to do but have not researched it much yet.

The other way I guess is just to hard wire from the house with a set of dimmers controlling each group of coloured lights you know three individual supply cables wired to dimmers at the house and run down the garden to an enclosed weatherproof box containing transformers which then lead to each light.

Volt drop might be an issue on low voltage lighting if the low voltage supply cables to each light are quite long, depending on how much power each light will use IE what current it will draw.

I like that Mr resistor website very much but it is a bit pricey.

 

[ackbarthestar]

Wisebox is one of the better remote rf controllers. You could use 'easyswitch' which about a 3rd of the price but does not have the range.
Better still, use the controller to fire up a contactor then you will be able to control just about anything from lights, sockets, water features and you would only need one channel

 

[La Poste]

Better still, use the controller to fire up a contactor then you will be able to control just about anything from lights, sockets, water features and you would only need one channel

But not individually right, I mean with one channel how would you control all these features individually?
Could you explain a bit more about how this would work?
Thanks

 

[Knobhead]

Better still, use the controller to fire up a contactor then you will be able to control just about anything from lights, sockets, water features and you would only need one channel

If you do it that way you may as well have just a switch in the house for the whole shooting match!

 

[La Poste]

And also looking at these remote control units they don't seem to be able to control many lights at once not without being really expensive.




Edit:http://www.moonlightdesign.co.uk/acatalog/Wise_Box_Dimming_Kit2.html


http://www.mr-resistor.co.uk/item.aspx?&t=466&r=385&i=3499


http://www.mr-resistor.co.uk/item.aspx?&t=466&r=668&i=5787

 

[La Poste]

Wise box have a wise dim box which consists of four channels.
Each channel can be switched or dimmed so you could have one channel to switch a water feature on and three channels for lights, red, green and blue.
You could sit in your chair and mix the colours in your garden. The output of the wise dim is 230V

They also do a chameleon which is a remote colour mixing box but this has to be attached to colour mixed LED's. You can sit in your chair and adjust the colours but there is no dimming function. I am guessing because LED's use such a small amount of current they are very difficult to dim. The output of the chameleon is 12/24V

It all looks really good and doesn't cost too much but I'm still reading about it.

 

[Engineer54]

It all looks really good and doesn't cost too much but I'm still reading about it.

Then read on, ....i don't think 316 quid +VAT comes under the heading ''Doesn't Cost Much''. ...lol!!!

 

[La Poste]

Well if you want colour changing remote controlled garden lights what would you do?
How would you do it cheaper?

 

[Engineer54]

Using a few of Tel's remote controled IP socket outlets at 20 quid a shot!! lol!!

EDIT:
Or better still, spend a relaxing weekend making your own control box. Everything you need is quite freely available on the high street, including the remote controllers. Now a 4 way dimmable panel, wouldn't i'm sure, cost anything like 316 quid + VAT !! In fact you could while your at it, build the unit to suit your specific needs and add a couple of extras into the pot for good measure, and itwill still cost a fraction of that over priced unit!!

 

[La Poste]

What with colour changing LED spots, how will that work?
I mean how are you going to gently mix the colours together?

 

[telectrix]

aerosols from halfords.

 

[telectrix]

Using a few of Tel's remote controled IP socket outlets at 20 quid a shot!! lol!!

they work quite well. these 2 have been in for 2 years. ain't even managed to trip the RCD yet.LOL.

 

[La Poste]

aerosols from halfords.