Help with pir lights...please!

[wolfie11]

Hello..

Your help would be much appreciated. Its obviously quite simple but I'd like some help!


Ok...I've a feed from a switch inside the house. Currently a halogen floodlight there which works on the switch.

Ok..I'm going to replace this with a PIR bulkhead, 60w...easy.

What I'm a bit stuck with is.........adding another PIR, exactly the same type, to the first one.

The first one will have twin/earth from the switch, and I've got a length of twin/earth for the second light.

Inside the PIR is obviously L, N, Earth and a *. Its a four terminal block. I'm guessing the * is the switch?

When wiring the second PIR to the first light, I'm confused as to where the Live goes. On the incoming cable from the slave unit, do i wire L to L, or do I wire L to the *???


I know its probably a doddle for you guys, but would appreciate your help.


Thanks in advance, and Merry Xmas



PS It will be checked over and certified!

 

[goldie]

the terminal you are unsure of is an overide which connects directly to the lamp, The other l terminal is to work on pir sensor. Hope this helps.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

You'll need an extra core I think! The 2nd PIR will need Line, Neutral, Earth... And then a means of activating the light n'est pas?

I could say "get someone in to do it"....

 

[goldie]

If your wanting the sensors to work independently twin and earth is ok but if your wanting either sensor to bring both lights on u need a 3 core and cpc.

 

[wolfie11]

Independently is absolutely fine for me, so twin and earth it is.

So, wiring the second light. L to L, N to N and earth to earth? Ignore the *???

 

[wolfie11]

You'll need an extra core I think! The 2nd PIR will need Line, Neutral, Earth... And then a means of activating the light n'est pas?

I could say "get someone in to do it"....

Can i not do it with twin and earth at all? Even to work independently as the other poster has said?

 

[goldie]

Yes ignore the *??? this is simply just to manually bring the light on or to interlink with another light.

 

[Richard Burns]

Twin and earth is not recommended for use outside but will be OK for some time. Black rubber sheathed cable is advised.

To operate each light separately with their own internal sensors then you are just extending the circuit in parallel and the L-L, N-N, E-E will work.

 

[wolfie11]

Twin and earth is not recommended for use outside but will be OK for some time. Black rubber sheathed cable is advised.

To operate each light separately with their own internal sensors then you are just extending the circuit in parallel and the L-L, N-N, E-E will work.

I've since found the installation instructions and the diagram for adding a slave unit doesn't show the L-L. It shows a feed from the * to the new light?!

But as you and goldie say, paralell is ok to do?

Sorry to confuse!

 

[Richard Burns]

The instructions for adding a slave unit are different for the requirements for having them independent.

If you can state how you want the system to work then we can let you know which wiring system to use.

You are using two bulkhead lights with internal PIR sensors.
You can have each one work from its own internal sensor only. (as explained above)
You can have one light coming on from either sensor and the other light coming on from only its own sensor.
You can have either light come on from either sensor.

Each one will require different wiring.

 

[wolfie11]

Ok...each light coming on idependently would actually suit better. The second light will be positioned on a side entrance which has the neighbours very close to it. I dont want that going off everytime my dogs trigger the PIR on the back wall in the garden. The second PIR is just for light when I use the side entrance. Hope that makes sense?!


So that would be L-L, N-N, and E-E in parallel?

Also, can I use the same cable entry point through the one grommet, or not advised?

Thanks in advance

 

[Richard Burns]

cable entry points are usually designed for one piece of round flex so you will find that they may not seal well with T&E anyway. Depending on the size of the cable entry you may be able to get 2x t&E through it but you would need to ensure that the entry is sealed perhaps packing the gland with silicone sealant before closing it up. Not ideal but should suffice.

You can get some twin cable entry grommets but I am not sure where i last saw them and they are still designed for round flex.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

I assumed you wanted the extra "PIR" to operate one light, so have mis-read. Although it said "PIR" not "PIR and light" :freak:

Yeah no need for extra cores in that case.

I read up on external cable once (as regs do state BLACK flex outside). There is a big difference in the chemical makeup of black flex believe it or not and it does resist the ravages of the sun better and longer than, say, T+E or ... white flex. Which has a fundamentally different chemical construction.


It was a right rivetting read!

I always thought white would be better as taught white reflects heat. But not with external cables!

 

[wolfie11]

cable entry points are usually designed for one piece of round flex so you will find that they may not seal well with T&E anyway. Depending on the size of the cable entry you may be able to get 2x t&E through it but you would need to ensure that the entry is sealed perhaps packing the gland with silicone sealant before closing it up. Not ideal but should suffice.

You can get some twin cable entry grommets but I am not sure where i last saw them and they are still designed for round flex.

Thanks.

So I'm ok to go L-L, N-N and E-E for the second light for them to work independently off their own sensors?

 

[wolfie11]

I assumed you wanted the extra "PIR" to operate one light, so have mis-read. Although it said "PIR" not "PIR and light" :freak:

Yeah no need for extra cores in that case.

I read up on external cable once (as regs do state BLACK flex outside). There is a big difference in the chemical makeup of black flex believe it or not and it does resist the ravages of the sun better and longer than, say, T+E or ... white flex. Which has a fundamentally different chemical construction.


It was a right rivetting read!

I always thought white would be better as taught white reflects heat. But not with external cables!

Yep, inbuilt PIR bulkheads. Its a north facing wall that gets very little sun that the lights are going on. Maybe conduit would be a good idea though?