How to Install Outdoor Lighting

How To Install Outdoor Lighting

Whether you’re installing garden lighting or security lighting, there are a myriad of ways you can use light on the outside of your home. To fit exterior lighting, you must have knowledge of electrical equipment, but it is not a difficult job overall. If you have purchased a light fitting from a store, then you must follow the instructions provided to prevent any mistakes. You should also check that you don’t need planning permission or to have the work certified after you have installed it.

Tools you may need:

• Hammer drill
• Wood drill bits
• Screwdrivers
• Insulated pliers
• Insulated wire strippers
• Continuity tester
• Electrical tape
• Craft knife
• Spirit level
• Filling knife
• Rawl plugs
• Exterior sealant

You may need to change several of these tools, depending on what you’re fixing the fitting to. However, you should already know that you should use insulated tools when dealing with electrical wires. You can find many of the items that you may need for light fitting from CLE Electrical Wholesalers.

Switch Off The Power Supply

Safety first, and when working with electrical equipment you should always switch off the power supply at the fuse box before you begin any work. You can do one of two thing; either, switch off the mini circuit breaker for the particular circuit that you’re working on and tape it down, or turn off the main switch, remove the circuit fuse and turn on the power for the rest of the house.

Extend an upstairs circuit rather than a downstairs on, as they are easier to access. Using a downstairs circuit will mean that you will have to life your floorboards to get to it.

Installing the Outdoor Light to Your Exterior Wall

Using a heavy duty drill and masonry bit, drill through the outside wall in your chosen spot. Direct the drill upwards slightly to prevent water getting in. Feed the electrical cable through the wall to the inside. Connect the light to the junction box using a rubber sheathed 3-core flexible cable. Inside, route the cable to the connection point.

If you’re connecting to an indoor lighting circuit, make sure the power is off and cut the circuit cable. Strip the end of the cable so it is ready to connect to a four-terminal junction box. Run a new length of twin and earth cable from the junction box to the new switch and connect the four cables to the junction box.

If you’re connecting to a ring main spur, then fit a fused connection unit or FCU close to a socket on your chosen ring main. Fit the junction box in the ceiling void and connect the spur and switch cables. Run a new length of twin and earth cable from the junction box to the fused connection unit and connect it. Connect the fused connection unit to the socket outlet terminals and fit a fuse.

Then, to install the light fitting, mark the screw positions of the fitting by holding it over the cable on the outside wall. Drill the holes, insert rawl plugs and fix to the wall. Connect the cable to the light according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Switch the power back on and test the light.

Garden Lights

If you’re installing garden lights, then you’ll need to create an individual circuit run from a fuse box. The cables must be run at least 750mm underground and have to be protected by a high sensitivity residual current device controlled with a double pole isolating switch.

This is a partner post. The content was not written by me.

Originally posted 2013-05-26 08:00:13.