Outside lights - SWA junction boxes

[rick]

I’ve just got a job to install some outside lights. The plan is to run SWA the length of the garden with five lights along the wall. I was going to run the SWA up to just under each light, then use an adaptable box and connect each light fitting up with rubber flex. But I think it might look neater to keep the SWA at low-level and connect the lights with the rubber flex in conduit, so the junction boxes are less visible.

What am I am not sure about is what boxes I could use in either scenario, and whether it’s OK to do the latter option (in effect how long can the flex of the light fitting be). Really appreciate some advice as this will be my first decent job in SWA and I’m unsure of the best ways to do the junctions.

 

[bugsy]

Install the swa at low level term in IP54 boxes , strip the armour with long enough tails to be installed within conduit up to the luminaire

 

[rick]

thanks Bugsy, but don't quite follow, as I will have three connections in the box - SWA in, SWA out and connection to light. Also what sort of box would allow me to connect the conduit to it, and presumably need some sort of "stop end" at the top of the conduit where the cable emerges (or use another adaptable box with closed grommet???)

 

[bugsy]

loop in and out of the luminaire but make off the armour ( glands ) at the low level adaptable box, run the conduit from the the adaptable box to the luminaire and run the stripped wire armour cables within the conduit to the luminaire ( what luminaires are you installing )

 

[rick]

luminaires will be floodlights so no easy way to connection the conduit to the fitting itself...

 

[bugsy]

Terminate in angle box using wago connectors, fit a femail adaptor to the bessa box , stuffing gland and flex to the luminaire, ( to save stripping the armour back as much you could make the termination in the adaptable box

 

[DiscoDave]

i'd have to say my preferred option when wiring lighting in swa is instead of an adaptable box use a master seal socket, make off your connections as if you were feeding a socket circuit, and wire the lights on to a 13A plug top.

This way allows individual lights to be isolated, or removed completely with out affecting the rest of the install, it also allows easier fault finding should a problem occur.

unfortunately it will add about £20 per point to the install cost.

 

[bugsy]

And look as rough as a badgers arse

 

[DiscoDave]

depends on how you do it i suppose.....

 

[DurhamSparky]

least you be able to plug ya lawnmower in and wonder why ya 6amp MCB keeps tripping lol

 

[nickblake]

use a galve y box armoured in and out then stuffing gland with flex to lights ,seals,lids etc, if worried about water getting in buy some resin fill the box water proof or get one of those new resin joints

 

[DiscoDave]

least you be able to plug ya lawnmower in and wonder why ya 6amp MCB keeps tripping lol

do much lawn mowing in the dark do you?

 

[NoSparks]

use a galve y box armoured in and out then stuffing gland with flex to lights ,seals,lids etc, if worried about water getting in buy some resin fill the box water proof or get one of those new resin joints

I'm about to do the same job and will be using nickblake's approach. I will leave the longest tails possible inside the box so that in future years the joint block can be cut off and a new joint made if necessary.

 

[rick]

thanks bugsy and nick, I think I've got it now, but one thing, would prefer to run plastic conduit from low-level besa box to the luminaire, to give the flex some protection, can I connect plastic conduit to the galv bessa box, and would a stuffing gland in the top of the conduit be OK or should I put an adaptable box there? final job would be something like this


| < flex to light
|
[ ] < box or stuffing gland
|
| < plastic conduit
|
|
besa-------------swa-----------

many thanks for help!

 

[bugsy]

You can but terminating wago's or crimps in a bessa box is going to be tight

 

[nickblake]

Problem you have with a conduit is water penetration you could use a bit of flexible YY cable , the one with the braide armour , its going to be tight but you can get em in just have to be very acurate with the snips

 

[Ashley Williams]

use a galve y box armoured in and out then stuffing gland with flex to lights ,seals,lids etc, if worried about water getting in buy some resin fill the box water proof or get one of those new resin joints

Ide do that personally if you can do it on the back of the wall even better and drill though.

A

 

[jeremy]

SWA to points around the garden, then black rubber flex off to lights. If the flex is above ground you've taken care not to leave it open to damage. And I'd recommend push fit connectors

 

[pennywise]

In the past I've installed 5amp round pin Lewden sockets and plugs looks very neat and tidy, as you can unstopper the top spout and have the cable running directly through the besa box. Alternatively a 3 way Prately box with both SWA terminated into it then a stuffing gland in the top spout with a bit of HI TUF to the Lewden socket

 

[chris gray]

20mm plastic black plastic pipe, thru box at each light (end box at last light).
gasket, 20mm small bore stuffer out the lid, black flex to each fitting.
job done.

 

[rick]

Thanks guys for all your advice!

 

[rallyandy]

hi
I do a fair bit of outside lighting and have to agree with nick blake, i run SWA into galv t boxes with lids , resin and seals then us FP cable as its weather proof and stays what shape you put it in with coated p clips and sealing gland into the t box

 

[cliffed]

i'd have to say my preferred option when wiring lighting in swa is instead of an adaptable box use a master seal socket, make off your connections as if you were feeding a socket circuit, and wire the lights on to a 13A plug top.

This way allows individual lights to be isolated, or removed completely with out affecting the rest of the install, it also allows easier fault finding should a problem occur.

unfortunately it will add about £20 per point to the install cost.

Most practical way of connection,shame these nice looking light fittings have no easy method of connecting swa's.

 

[Adam W]

Any specific reason for trying to resurrect this 6 year old thread like some kind of Frankenstein?
I would imagine the lights have already been installed.

 

[DiscoDave]

Hey Leave him alone, he agrees with me

 

[Darkwood]

Think we can lay this thread to rest as it is 6yrs old, a new thread can be started if any member wishes to which will be more up to date with options and products available.