Duct Prep for garden lights

hesker

I've dug up my patio to lay new paving. Before putting down new paving it seems like a good idea to put down some duct work to facilitate later putting in garden lights. Have no definite plans at the minute.

At the back door of the house I have an outside light and a single switch just inside the door. It's the last light on a radial circuit protected by 10A MCB. Cable is 1.5mm.

Is this a suitable switch to change to a double and extend a lighting circuit into the garden. Future cable run in garden could be about 20-30 metres around a perimeter.

I'd like to core through into the cavity from outside low down, put down the duct pipe and then leave lengths of cord as needed to pull cable through whenever lights are fitted. I'd have to fish these cords into position when placing the duct pipe and leave for when needed.

So if I had one length of cord running from the light switch down into the duct pipe to serve for switched live + earth feed and another cord from the light down into the duct pipe to serve for neutral return would this do it.

Cheers

paddy147

hesker wrote: »

I've dug up my patio to lay new paving. Before putting down new paving it seems like a good idea to put down some duct work to facilitate later putting in garden lights. Have no definite plans at the minute.



I'd like to core through into the cavity from outside low down, put down the duct pipe and then leave lengths of cord as needed to pull cable through whenever lights are fitted. I'd have to fish these cords into position when placing the duct pipe and leave for when needed.

Cheers

Exactly what I did for power to my garage.

Drill down through the cavity at an angle so water does not get in from the outside,then use Tech 7 fire rated expanding foam to seal back up.A 600mm x 20mm masonary bit and an SDS hammer drill is the man for the job here.

I used 50mm Hydrodare heavy guage pipe as ducting and my 3 core 10 sqwuare SWA is inside that.

I also ran several ducts down with alarm cables,co ax cables and outdoor cat5e cables too.Oh,and mains water too.

15 meter fish wire sent down 1st,and then as the cables were pulled along through the ducting,I attached a length of builders twine to the cables,as a 2nd fish wire,for any future cable pulling.;):)


PS-Dont forget to fill the ducting over with around 4 inches of sand,so if you have to dig the trench back up in the future,then the sand can be an indicator as to how close you are to the ducting depth.Also get a roll of electrial warning tape and wrap the ducting in it too (safety feature).

Bruthal

If you have 230v lights in the garden, it will need an RCD on the circuit.

hesker

Thanks guys...

ShamFeen

robbie7730 wrote: »

If you have 230v lights in the garden, it will need an RCD on the circuit.

Hi Robbie, just wondering where have you heard of this about an RCD on outside lights? I've heard conflicting reports myself. Some say no and others say yes for any lights that aren't on the wall of a property. Thanks!

Bruthal

ShamFeen wrote: »

Hi Robbie, just wondering where have you heard of this about an RCD on outside lights? I've heard conflicting reports myself. Some say no and others say yes for any lights that aren't on the wall of a property. Thanks!

Yea its any lights not attached to the building itself as far as i know. But either way, i wouldnt need that confirmed in my own case, i would just have any 230v garden lights RCD`d even if no rule required it.

I have sometimes done them from a socket circuit, via a double pole switch as well, so they can be isolated and RCD reset if they cause any tripping.

M cebee

i think it's in there somewhere regarding lighting

but anyway -anything in the garden goes on an rcd in my book

re: cable joints,leakage and fittings thermselves

unless you're were bringing 12volt from an indoor traffo



rcd spurs could be handy sometimes-but i've never used them

M cebee

there's a section on outdoor lighting installations(714)

i think maybe that's where the rule comes from

ShamFeen

Yeah I've studied both Irish and English regs but hadn't seen this put into practice anywhere until recently. RECI said it's not necessary. Good for safety but will cause a lot of nuisance tripping in places when water enters fittings.

M cebee

there shouldnt be water entering fittings

Bruthal

ShamFeen wrote: »

Yeah I've studied both Irish and English regs but hadn't seen this put into practice anywhere until recently. RECI said it's not necessary. Good for safety but will cause a lot of nuisance tripping in places when water enters fittings.

That wouldnt really be nuisance tripping though, apart from the fact all unintended tripping can be a nuisance, that would be what you want, tripping because water got in.