Outside lights

[rick]

Went to have a look at a job today where the garden has 4 lights on the wall wired together (in series) with "pyrolyon" clipped to the fence which I've not come accross before but Google suggests it's a fire-rated cable. End two of the lights don't work as a "previous electrician" removed the cable to them and then "never came back". The chap wants these two lights re-instated and a third flood light fitted on the side of his shed.

Am I right in thinking that this pyrolyon isn't the right thing at all ?

I am inclined to suggest that the whole thing should be re-run in SWA with RCD protection. But the chap is elderly and quite frail and hence may not want that option - if not, would you be inclined to walk away or just put back what's there as a maintenance job.

Also re. the light on the shed, just by the shed there is an IP56 JB which would be easy to connect a floodlight into. If the lack of SWA on the ground is an absolute no-no, how acceptable would it be to connect the flood into this JB as it will at least be off the floor at the side of the shed.

Sorry if these questions should be obvious but I am still gaining experience and have done very little outside work so far....

 

[acvc]

HI Rick.

Full test of the circuit first. R1/R2, InsRes, Zs, volt-drop.

If the tests on that cable/circuit is ok then fine, but it would be much better run it in pvc conduit, or re-wire with 6242Y in the conduit, some might say arctic flex in the pvc conduit.

30mA RCD additional protection is a must.

Be aware of cable csa, current carrying capacity, installation method(s), and the load expected for the circuit, and the circuit protection back at the c/u. Remember, any circuit you work on has to be left in compliance with BS7671.

The removal of the two light-fittings should raise questions in your head .... might be worth pursuing.

Good luck with the old chap!

 

[wattsup]

If the lights are wired in series, there prob is a fused lamp in circuit. You mention 4-lights, but 2 others. If it's a 6 lamp circut each lamp would be 40v, if its a 4 lamp circuit each lamp would be 60v. Must admit the numbers are not normal.

I ain't seen it before, only garden lighting I've seen comes in multiples of 10

outside lights do not need to be rcd protected, you can do so of course if you want, but I would give a dedicated circuit

 

[wattsup]

nothing wrong with the cable, but seems over the top

 

[rick]

ACVC – Thanks, prior tests is a good idea, but can I / should I be charging for this prior to putting in a quote ? I’ve tried putting in quotes with “subject to unforeseen issues” but people don’t like it.

Wattsup – I was wrong in describing the lights as “in series” (like the ones on a string you buy in a garden centre) what I meant was that the cable goes into one luminaire and then on to the next, my mistake, sorry.

Re. RCD, the CU is yonks old with no spare ways anyway, so running back to the CU not easy. From what I saw today it looks like a spur off a downstairs circuit, so how about a 30ma RCD powerbreaker style before it heads outside ?

Re. cable, from the house for the first 20 feet is a pain in the backside as it’s festooned behind the shed and all manner of other carp. If I put the two other lights back (looks like nothing but knackered luminaires to me from visual inspection) do I therefore take responsibility for the lot and hence should sort the cable properly…

And if I do the latter, is T&E (or singles) in conduit OK rather than SWA? The conduit would be fixed to a fence (the current cable is just dangling at the bottom of the fence)

Appreciate your help mates, and sorry if these are simple questions, but I just want to do things right, which was why I got registered up with Elecsa in the first place, but finding increasingly that quoting to do things properly, people say “I can’t believe all that fuss just to do X Y Z” and then some other bugg3r gets the job by doing a bodge!e

If people are too mean to pay for a proper job then tough and I’m not interested, but in this case I feel sorry for the old guy, can’t really walk and needs to get into the garden to exercise his dogs. And of course I’d rather he had a safe installation at a reasonable price than a bodge.

Thanks again guys for your help, it’s much appreciated.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

30mA RCD additional protection is a must.
!

There is no requirement to RCD fixed equipment outdoors in the BRB ,although some may consider it worthwhile.