Garden lighting

[chris day]

hello guys

I have a garden lighting install coming up,
Everything is decided apart from the type of cable to use.
We have bedding lighting on a 30ma RCD so I assume I can do away with SWA or if anyone has any suggestions?

 

[Hellmooth]

I tend to use H05 cable in conduit and copex, it's rated for outdoor use.

 

[westward10]

Is any of the cable buried.

 

[chris day]

Is any of the cable buried.

Yes sorry I should add a little more detail.
So we have a control box that will have the supply from the house in SWA run surface.
However my concern is that we will have flexible cable running from the control box the the final lighting positions.
I will be leaving the flexible cables on the flower bed not buried.

 

[chris day]

I tend to use H05 cable in conduit and copex, it's rated for outdoor use.

Ok thanks for the reply, if not buried and left on surface would flexible PVC conduit be classed as mechanical protection.
For some reason mechanical always feels like the need for metal.

 

[Hellmooth]

By flexible do you mean copex?

 

[Octopus]

What system or control box are you referring to?

 

[Andy78]

Flex trailed over a flower bed sounds like an absolute lash up. I wouldn't be trying to lessen the risk of impact on these cables through enhanced or additional protection, but thinking about redesigning the install so that trailing surface cables can be avoided. Section 714 also applies.

 

[FatAlan]

Just looked online at garden lighting kits. Appear to be plug and play kits that let you highlight what you want round the garden by plugging directly into a mains socket. No mention of cable fixing or protection.

 

[westward10]

Installing lighting on a flower beds will always be tricky. Bury the cables, even if protected there is a high chance of damage. Leave them trailing surface, unprotected, over time they may become concealed leaving a bigger hazard after all people become forgetful that they are there.

 

[chris day]

Flex trailed over a flower bed sounds like an absolute lash up. I wouldn't be trying to lessen the risk of impact on these cables through enhanced or additional protection, but thinking about redesigning the install so that trailing surface cables can be avoided. Section 714 also applies.

Lash up job... I think you miss understood the system I am using.

The control box has an swa supply, from this box are 2-5 meter hard wired pond flexes that are fixed solid into the ip 65 fittings so the only alternative I have would be flexible conduit which someone has suggested.

The term lash up is a little bit strong in my opinion.

 

[chris day]

By flexible do you mean copex?

Yes PVC copex

 

[LankyWill]

just bury some pvc conduit where they trail off into the beds, or place the lights in a location where you could clip them to something? It suggest NYY as its UV resistant and fairly tough against minor impacts, you will need a blowtorch to strip it though in this winter weather.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Or go for ELV http://www.thegardenlightingshop.co.uk/plug-play-lighting-system/what-is-plug-play-explained

 

[sparksburnout]

Flex trailed over a flower bed sounds like an absolute lash up. I wouldn't be trying to lessen the risk of impact on these cables through enhanced or additional protection, but thinking about redesigning the install so that trailing surface cables can be avoided. Section 714 also applies.

I agree, garden lighting is always a pain in the proverbial. Can't you drop the job and do a nice Couple of CU changes instead? Oops that sounded a bit sarcy, honestly, they are usually more trouble than they are worth.