Upgrading outside lights

RoyMi6

RoyMi6

RoyMi6

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9 Mar 2010
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I've currently got two outside lights. One at the back of the house and one at the front. Both are controlled by a switch at their respective doors.

The front of the house is where we have the most issues so I'm going to do that first. We've got steps right at our front gate and there's not enough light to see where you're going. To the point where even though I've lived there for 3 years I need to pause to let me eyes adjust to see the first step...

Once you get up the steps/hazard that's when the PIR kicks in on the light on the front corner of the house.

Then... you walk past the light and get to the front door. Because you've just been blinded by the light, and the light is now behind you, you create a stark shadow on the front door meaning you now can't see the keyhole...

First world problems 101.

HAyzGxI.png


This is a rough sketch with before (left) and what I've got planned (right).

Squares are switches, circles are lights, arrows are PIRs.

Question is...

How can I wire up the switch and the PIR's so that when I turn on the switch inside the lights are permanently on, and when I turn off the switch the PIRs take over?

I think I just need to make the switches and the PIRs in parallel, but would that mean running all the PIR cables from the switch inside the house or is there some jiggery pokery wiring cunning I can do from the external wiring coming out to the single outside light already?
 
RoyMi6 said:
*cough* *splutter* *cough*... £50...

Ehhhhhhhh I'll see if I can find a cheaper alternative with manual override as I was planning on having 3...
Click to expand...


Good luck. I got through 3 cheap ones (£10 each) in 3 years before giving up and buying one that was recommended.
Dont pay list price for it though, it does show up in deal from time to time, paid about half that (£25.90 delivered, from the no longer existing lightupuk.co.uk).

But yes... for what it costs you could buy 3+ pir floodlights from screwfix.
 
***THREAD HIJACK!***

I'm also installing more outside lights. I plan to spur off of an internal socket to an FCU (probably just use a 3A fuse) then cable to outside. Is this okay? I was contemplating an RCD spur but it's coming of the main socket ring which has an RCD.
 
Rossi~ said:
***THREAD HIJACK!***

I'm also installing more outside lights. I plan to spur off of an internal socket to an FCU (probably just use a 3A fuse) then cable to outside. Is this okay? I was contemplating an RCD spur but it's coming of the main socket ring which has an RCD.
Click to expand...

I mean, technically it will work. Dunno about regs...

Personally I'm not sure I'd want something outside (and thus more chance of shorting/grounding) connected to a main ring as if anything trips your RCD then you're whole ring goes off that you've spurred from.

@samcat from looking into it a little I think I could get away with one really good PIR that has the manual override but then have cheaper PIRs without it elsewhere. I'll give it a think, might also call my sparky...
 
RoyMi6 said:
I mean, technically it will work. Dunno about regs...

Personally I'm not sure I'd want something outside (and thus more chance of shorting/grounding) connected to a main ring as if anything trips your RCD then you're whole ring goes off that you've spurred from.
Click to expand...

Good point, whilst it should be fine and can flick the switch on the FCU if the main RCD trips, it'd be annoying.
I will go back to my RCD spur plan again.

Plug --> RCD Spur --> Switch (FSU or standard) --> Outside.
 
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