Help with Security Light?

mantrabooks · 01-12-2005, 13:42

Anybody know anything about electrics - cos I dont, and I need to fit a security light in my back yard. Can any one help and earn a few bob.

Cheers
Craig

MUMMIBOO · 01-12-2005, 13:54

all you need to do is what we did and wire a plug on to it and plug it in hey presto a working security light and you dont need to mess with the electrics.

mantrabooks · 01-12-2005, 15:46

Thanks for that I will get on with the Job

Len · 01-12-2005, 18:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by MUMMIBOO

all you need to do is what we did and wire a plug on to it and plug it in hey presto a working security light and you dont need to mess with the electrics.

I did the same. I fixed the lamp to the outside wall, drilled through the wall and passed the wire through it. I then attached a 3 pin plug to the wire.
All I had to do then is plug it into a timer which I already had plugged into a socket in my back bed room.
Before I fixed the lamp to the wall, I connected a length of wire to the lamp that I knew would reach the inside socket.

Tip:
Make sure the wire runs below the lamp and runs up to the hole as shown in the diagram.
The reason for this is that if any rain water gets on the wire the water will run to the bottom of the wire and drip off rather than it entering the lamp or the wall.

mantrabooks · 01-12-2005, 18:31

Thanks Len thats an excellent diagram and explanation. I have seen these lights with the cable running up the wall and thought that a good idea - especially to stop anybody cutting the cable. But on second thoughts and reflecting on your idea about the rain getting into the lamp I think its a good idea to have the cable running a little below the lamp.

Cheers all

Less · 01-12-2005, 18:41

A really good lot of help that lot of information was!

I know everyone meant well but actually if the light is of any quality at all, it will have come with instructions stating:-

If in doubt get a qualified electrician to fit it!

Please follow those instructions too many people end up with disasters just because they follow friendly advice rather than having it installed properly.

Madhatter · 01-01-2006, 22:38

Make sure you put a 3 amp fuse in the plug if your going to connect it to a socket using a normal 3 pin plug. Most have 13amp fuses fitted, which is stronger than the wire, the fuse is meant to be the weakest link, weaker than the the cable(flex), so that if anything goes wrong the fuse blows(melts), and not the cable (flex). Also don't try to use flat grey cable with a plug, thats the stiff stuff, get flexible stuff like on your vacumme cleaner, or kettle. 3 amp is up to 690 watt. 5 amp is 1150 watt. 13 amp is up to 2990watt

mantrabooks · 04-01-2006, 12:57

urmm ok.... this just goes to show why I submitted the post in the first place.... because I used a 13amp fuse also I have use the grey stiff cable (which was given to me). So should i change the fuse to 3 amp....
thanks

Madhatter · 04-01-2006, 16:56

At the very least change the fuse to a 3 amp. most security lights are 500w and 3 amp goes up to 690 watt. There's lots of things can go wrong with a security light, or it can get vandalised or sabotaged, if it shorts out with a 13 amp fuse, the wiring will melt and may catch fire before the fuse blows. The main reason for not using grey cable (which is also available in white) is that its not flexible. When a plugs pulled out, the cable bends and eventually will break, but still connect, which will cause arcing and could cause a fire. The cable bits up to you to decide, do you unplug it very often.
Not relevant to your situation but household grey cable for fixed wiring has also changed it colour coding, It used to be red-live Black-Nuetral Green/yellow -earth, It's changed to Brown-live blue-nuetral Green/yellow-earth. Grey Black and Brown are live on three phase 415volt supplies, they used to be red blue and yellow. Also worth pointing out is that that grey cable shouldnt be used as extensions to connect christmas lights outside, It can go brittle over time in freezing temperatures, you should use blue coloured arctic flex for christmas lights.

Neil · 04-01-2006, 20:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

If in doubt get a qualified electrician to fit it!

Spot on Less.
Listen to Less's advice. If you don't know what you are doing leave it alone. Or the next thing you know we will be reading in the Observer about your house burning down with your kiddies in it.
I don't know which I think is more dangerous. Someone who admits to knowing nothing about electrical wiring or someone who thinks he does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madhatter

Make sure you put a 3 amp fuse in the plug if your going to connect it to a socket using a normal 3 pin plug. Most have 13amp fuses fitted, which is stronger than the wire

How can you make that comment when you don't know what size of cable he has used?

Madhatter · 04-01-2006, 20:39

Because the minimum uk size of grey'stiff'cable is 1mm , which is adequate for a 500 watt security flood, and the correct fuse for and grey fixed wiring cable with a 500 watt flood or less attached is 3 amp.
The stronger than the wire comment has nothing to do with what cable the above person has used, it's to do with the light fittings intenal connections between the terminal block, pir sensor, relay, and lamp connections. there is no way on earth a manufacturer is going to use 2.5mm unless the fitting is meant to run slave fittings. 500w works out at 2.17 amp

Madhatter · 04-01-2006, 20:43

The fact that a 13 amp fuse was fitted makes less's advise scarily correct.Non of the above thought about that when saying fit a plug.

Neil · 04-01-2006, 20:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

If you don't know what you are doing leave it alone. Or the next thing you know we will be reading in the Observer about your house burning down with your kiddies in it.

I think I said enough in my last post.

Madhatter · 04-01-2006, 21:25

Makes me wonder how safe all those houses smothered in christmas lights really are. Most of those people have kids. how do they connect them all up. bearing in mind that all plugs and sockets should be protected to at least splashproof ip44 ratings.

Len · 04-01-2006, 22:21

I suppose the trouble these days is that people do attempt Basic DIY such as Electrical wiring, car maintenance, Plumbing, building and construction and I suppose even cooking and I’ve no doubt all of the above, plus others could be potentially life threatening if not done by qualified people. Yet people do insist on doing things them selves.
So what do you do? Do you help if asked or just sit back and watch them set fire to their homes potentially killing everyone inside knowing that if only they had fitted a different fuse for instance, things would have turned out differently.