How to wire an outside light

GreeBo

Hey,
weve noticed that it gets pretty hard to open the front door in the dark these days so its time for an outside light.
Have one purchased but now I have to go about fitting it.
The front of the house has a lean-to roof and the existing light switches (hall, landing) are just inside the door.
So my question is, how do I get the switch hooked up to the light?
The switches are on a partition wall with about 2-3 studs between the switch and the external wall I want the light on.
Do I need to get up under the roof and run a cable up the wall from the switch, across under the tiles and then back down the brick wall or what?
I guess I "could" chase out but Id prefer to keep it as "clean" as possible.

What does everyone else do, as all the other houses on the road have them...

Thanks!

johnnyrotten

Running a wire from the switch will only give you live and possibly earth. you will need to run a neutral from the nearest light fitting (presumably the hall)

GreeBo

Hmm true.
I havent had the switch off the wall yet, there might be a neutral there, right?

johnnyrotten

Very unlikely. Normally just Live feed, loop live feed (to next switch) and switch wires ( Live wires to lights) and earths of course

Gandhi

Your only chance would be if one of the switches was a timer switch, and there would be a neutral running to power the timing mechanism.

GreeBo

ok, so besides that how does anyone suggest I go about getting the wires from A-B?
How would you do it?

Steve

Is the CU nearby - could mount a switch beside it and wire to lighting MCB then straight out through the wall.
Get a light with a PIR / daylight sensor built in and leave it switched on all the time. Only need the switch when changing a bulb then.

GreeBo

Nah the CU (if CU stands for Fuse/CB Box!) Unit is on the opposite wall to the switch, 90 degrees from the outside wall and has the front door between itself and where we want the light.

Steve

CU is consumer unit (fuse box)
How far from the front wall is it? is there coving above, this would be hollow and (although it's bad practice) can used to fish the wire through.

OK, its the wrong side of the door but a wire tacked over a door is a better option that one inside (I'm assuming you dont want to re-decorate)

Other option is 20mm plastic trunking on the surface?

If re-decorating's not an issue, use a 100mm hole saw to drill between studs, long flat bit to drill the studs - glue back the blanks the hole saw cut out 2mm below surface - fill, sand and paint

charlesanto

stevec wrote:

If re-decorating's not an issue, use a 100mm hole saw to drill between studs, long flat bit to drill the studs - glue back the blanks the hole saw cut out 2mm below surface - fill, sand and paint

Liking that idea,

GreeBo

stevec wrote:

CU is consumer unit (fuse box)
How far from the front wall is it? is there coving above, this would be hollow and (although it's bad practice) can used to fish the wire through.

OK, its the wrong side of the door but a wire tacked over a door is a better option that one inside (I'm assuming you dont want to re-decorate)

Other option is 20mm plastic trunking on the surface?

If re-decorating's not an issue, use a 100mm hole saw to drill between studs, long flat bit to drill the studs - glue back the blanks the hole saw cut out 2mm below surface - fill, sand and paint

There is coving, butI dont want wires running behind it, decorating will be done (recently moved in so whole house is getting "done up") so I guess Im going to have to go the hole-saw route...
ahwell, I was hoping there was another, magical, way that I hadnt thought of.


cheers for your help.