This tutorial focuses on installing outdoor lights and wiring up outdoor lighting. It covers the process of replacing an existing fixture with a Eufy integrated outdoor light and how to wire and fit outdoor lights for feature lighting or additional security. The size of conductors is determined by the maximum load needed, distance, and whether it is copper or aluminum.
To install outdoor lights, follow safe wiring practices and plan your installation. Secure the SWA to your house wall with SWA cable clips and use a junior hacksaw to cut through it. Connect the SWA to the main cable using wire nuts or provided wiring hardware.
When wiring exterior wall lights, use different color codes for phase and neutral wires and earthing is mandatory. Use proper wire specifications as per load and connect the fixture wires to the main cable. Connect the connector halves hanging from the bottom of the light fixture to the cable and pinch them.
If there is a switch in your fused connection unit, connect a 1mm² two-core-and-earth cable directly to the fixture. Use wire nuts or provided wiring hardware to connect white to white (common), black to black (hot), and green to green (ground).
In summary, this tutorial provides a step-by-step guide on installing outdoor lights and wiring up outdoor lighting. It covers the process of installing outdoor lights, including the use of SWA cable clips and proper wire specifications.
📹 Outdoor Light – Easy Installation without touching the house electrics
Watch me install a new, easy outdoor light that doesn’t even need wiring into the house electrics. Amazon links to the tools and …
How are house lights wired?
Lighting circuits are wired using junction-boxes or loop-in ceiling roses, with the loop-in system being more common. They are radial, running from the consumer unit to outlets before terminating at the last fitting. Most houses have at least two lighting circuits, usually upstairs and down. Electrical products must be installed according to local Building Regulations for safety. If unsure, consult a competent person registered with an electrical self-certification scheme. Safety precautions should be followed before starting any electrical work, and further information can be found online or from your local authority.
How is outdoor lighting powered?
Modern landscape lighting systems use low-voltage power, which is safer and more cost-effective than traditional 120-volt systems. These systems operate on 12 volts, stepped down from the home’s standard electrical supply using a transformer. This setup allows for greater flexibility in design and easier installation, enabling a wide range of lighting effects. Effective landscape lighting design requires careful planning and consideration of the property’s unique features, ensuring that lighting enhances architecture, highlights key landscape elements, and creates the desired ambiance.
Can you install an outdoor light without a ground wire?
Although it is technically possible to install an outdoor light without a ground wire, it is not recommended for safety reasons. Ground wires serve as a safe path for electrical current in case of a short circuit or other fault, reducing the risk of electrical shock or fire. Therefore, it is always best to include a ground wire in your outdoor lighting installation. If you are unsure about installing outdoor lighting or if your existing setup lacks a ground wire, it is recommended to seek professional help from Electricians Service Team.
Do I need to use armoured cable for outside lights?
Armoured cable is not necessary for all outdoor electrical installations due to its durability and protection against environmental hazards. It is ideal for areas exposed to mechanical damage or where additional protection is needed. Armoured cable is specifically designed for underground installations, protecting against moisture, soil corrosion, and physical damage. In the UK, installation of armoured cable must comply with the Wiring Regulations (BS 7671), which cover fixed cabling installation. Installations must be carried out by a competent person, with specific attention given to cable protection, depth of burying underground, and the use of appropriate glands and accessories.
Do I need an electrician to install outdoor lights?
Installing a light fixture may require a licensed electrician for simple tasks, but for electrical wiring, it’s recommended. Outdoor lights should be on a dedicated circuit to prevent overloading and improve efficiency. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) are necessary for hardwired outdoor lights to ensure safety. While it’s not always necessary, having outdoor lights on a dedicated circuit can improve efficiency.
What cable is best for outside lights?
Garden lights can be powered from a 5 amp fused connection unit and supplied outdoors via 1. 5mm² three-core steel-wire-armoured cable (SWA). It is important to use weatherproof lights suitable for outdoor use and the circuit is RCD-protected. The SWA cores are brown, black, and grey, and green/yellow sleeving should be placed over the black core at every connection to indicate its use as earth. SWA should be buried in a trench at least 450mm deep under a path or driveway, or 750mm deep below unpaved areas.
Electrical route marker tape should be run above the cable at a depth of about 150mm. SWA cable clips should be secured to the house wall with suitable plugs and screws, and the SWA cores should be connected to the 1. 5mm² two-core-and earth cable in a weatherproof adaptable box. The SWA must enter the box via a purpose-made weatherproof gland covered in a plastic gland shroud, and the correct fittings should be used to prevent corroding of the cable armouring. When connecting the cable to the lights, pay attention to earth connections and waterproof seals, as well as glands to protect the SWA as it enters the lights.
How do people power outdoor lights?
To guarantee the safety of individuals and prevent the occurrence of electrical shocks, it is advised that an outdoor outlet equipped with a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) be utilized when suspending outdoor Christmas lights.
Can I use 2.5 mm cable for outdoor lights?
While a 5 mm² cable may be a viable option, it may prove more costly and present difficulties in connecting thicker copper wires to light switch terminals.
What wire to use for outdoor lights?
The 12/2 cable gauge is commonly used for outdoor lighting, but thicker cables like 10/2 or 8/2 may be needed for longer distances or series lights to prevent voltage drop. Gauge wires connect outdoor landscape lights to the main electrical panel, often mounted on a pole or structure. They are also known as “outdoor wiring” and are typically installed alongside landscape lighting fixtures. A variety of gauge wires can be found at Direct Burial Wires.
How to wire in an outside light?
To install outdoor lighting in your home, drill a hole for the lights to go downhill towards the outside, line the hole with plastic conduit, feed the wires through, and connect the cable cores to the proper terminals inside the fixture or link the flex cores with strip connectors. Outdoor lighting enhances the façade of your home, brightens the pathway to your door, prevents tripping and slipping, and helps you see the person outside your doorway.
It also allows you to make the most of your backyard or patio during warm summer evenings. If you lack electrical background or are not confident in DIYing, consider hiring a professional for the mounting instead.
📹 How To Install And Wire Outdoor Light Fixtures – Easy Home DIY Project!
Hi Friends on this video I will be showing you how to install and wire outdoor light fixtures anywhere outside your home! This is a 2 …
Hi Stuart, as an Electrician that also has a YouTube website it’s clear that you take pride in your work. As an Electrician what I would’ve done differently is to not have the conduit on show within the house, I would possibly have taken the feed via the socket circuit and then onto a fused connection unit with nothing really being on show inside the house. You have the right idea in that as it’s a class 1 fitting you need to make sure that it has good Earth continuity. I would also have checked to see if the house has an RCD fitted as it’s an outside class 1 fitting. Also I would’ve fitted a 3A fuse. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, you will undoubtedly be able to do a lot more DIY work than I can. I would recommend to anyone that if they’re confused by this article to get an Electrician in to complete the work, you’re probably only looking at 1.5 hours labour to fit it as I just said.
I love the way your articles are aimed at the people who unknowingly might be fully capable of DIY but have been over cautious to try anything… . . . which is why I’m always amused by the “know-all” experts (on so many YT websites) who forever assert you SHOULD do it this way, or SHOULD have done that… 😉
I used lights with built in dusk to dawn photocell operation. Effective all year round and probably cheaper than a timer. Just needs an isolating switch. My problem is I am very close to the sea and many manufacturers say their lamps are not suitable. As they are all stainless steel I don’t know why. The problem is they are lacquer coated and the lacquer deteriorates.
Thank you for sharing. Wonder if you could spread your knowledge. I too have an upside down lamp, however i have a non metal touch switch. My issue is i can switch the light on internally however when switched off it should automatically detect motion(which it doesnt). How can i fix this? No earth wires connected.
What advantage was there to using 1.5mm twin and earth between the light and timer compared to running 1mm flex all the way through from the plug? That way you wouldn’t need to brake into the earth and make a join with the wago connector. It also means the earth is continuous between the plug and the light.
Another fantastic article Stuart, ideally published as I have bought a light identical to replace an old coach style light, after having my soffit lights installed… this article has come at a perfect time for me as the tips you offered were things I hadn’t given consideration (ie) the grease, the silicone, sharpie gaff, and the conduit tutorial…. Absolutely brilliant information and instructions as always, keep them coming I look forward to these articles every week…. Fab
It certainly is very important that the light fitting is earthed but how do you know it is earthed if you do not test to verify the continuity of the circuit protective conductor? When terminating fine stranded conductors into a plug top or for that matter any screwed connection ferrules should be used to ensure a good connection & to prevent damage to the conductors.
A diyer who knows what they are doing, makes a change. I’m trained industrial, commercial and domestic electrician. They extra terminal in the timeclock may be a loop terminal for the earth, but unless stated on supplied wiring diagram your way is better. I would suggest to anyone doing this to make sure and use a 5amp or 3amp fuse in their plug top and not 13amp to keep fusing correct for size of cable. Job well done, thanks for article.
I love the fact you include a parts list in your description this helps us know exactly what you have used. You have though not mentioned what you use for “grease”. The uplighter part always seems to me to be a waste of electricity and adds to what us astronomers call light pollution. Do you think it serves any purpose?
Thanks for the article, very thorough, clear and some great tips that I wouldn’t have thought of, like the right way up for the lights! I have some questions, and hope you can help. I have 12 outside lights to put up, to be powered from the garage, and having checked the light switch in the garage, it does not have an earth, so I will (presumably) have to go the same route as you did i.e., use a plug on the end connected to a garage socket. I have a couple of problems though – firstly, using your method, would I need to install a spur, or can I go directly from the plug socket, to the first light? I’m guessing no spur needed, but perhaps you could confirm? Secondly, 10 of the 12 lights are made of metal and have an earth connection accordingly, so they will need to be earthed (no problem, as the cable and T&E will cover that). However, two are plastic and do not have an earth. How can I wire them all up together? Would I simply bypass the earth connection on the two plastic lights (so just wiring up the live and neutral), and carry on to the 10 metal lights with all 3 wires (the earth bypassed from, and not connected to, the plastic light, and the live and neutral coming FROM the plastic light), or would it be better to have the two plastic lights at the end of the run, so terminate the earth connection at light no.10, with just the live and neutral continuing to the plastic lights? I wanted to start the run with the plastic lights as they will be on their own and are virtually the same as the other 10, but not exactly, hence I want them separate from the others so the difference isn’t noticeable.
Hi, great article and very helpful to me as I’m planning to install 3 outdoor lights to my garages! My question is … the lights I plan to install are remote control colour changing up down lights . So would the remote still turn them on and off while they are run through the timer which would be set for specific times?? Hope I’ve explained that ok
Good tips on this website for the clueless amongst us, myself having no tools and no DIY talent at all, I got lucky, didnt have to drillI, i noticed loose mortar by outside upstairs window sill, when poked it went right through, so i ran a new tv ariel through and bought a 8W Luceco prewired sensor lamp, they are fitted with enough lead to go through your wall, just put a plug on with a 3 amp fuse, and a tube of Stixall filled in the hole, to my amazement the light and tv ariel are still in place and working
Nice job, clean and tidy, But if you use silicone you should make sure it is suitable for the job as some types of silicone can have an adverse effect on Twin and earth cables. Also if you drilled out the drain off hole you will not montane the IP rating the the light fitting . And I would have replaced the connector block with a WAGO 221 as those the screws in the chok block will rust over time and course the copper conductors to coroad Otherwise it’s a nice little job very well done. 👍 oh and the plug should have a 3amp fuse .
But with you it’s different. You are a DIY expert. So you know exactly what you are doing. Very unfortunately I’m, not. Every time i start to do a DIY job; it gets botched up; as I’ve already done so… trying to fit my very compact kitchen. I’ve made a lot of mistakes; misjudgment’s ect; so, very unfortunately it stays botched. It’s not done right. But you do learn as you go along. But that’s not really good enough. To get some professional to come in to do the job… would set me back around 7 or 8K. A lot of money, to fit a tiny kitchen. i would imagine the same thing would happen trying to fit a light.. similar to the one you fitted. Actually i thought the light that you were fitting on the wall, was actually battery powered; as opposed to electric ⚡️ in which sounds even more difficult to fit. But to get an expert to fit a light on my wall.. would cost around £400 odd. Including VAT & labour. Quite expensive. 🤔 VERDICT. i think i would need to go to college to learn any kind of DIY; in which is just not for me. Everything stays botched up. So sad, in a way. Monday afternoon at 15:56H. 13th December 2021. U.K. Southampton.
Great article. The question of 4 connectors at 12:42. Without looking at the connection box properly, could it be that the 4th connector is there to do exactly what you’re using the WAGO type connector for? To be clear, I can’t see the connection box clearly and therefore I’m asking a question rather than giving advice. I would always recommend taking professional advice in such circumstances.
Probably could do with a 3a fuse. As a common sence diyer if the light decides to draw 13 amps due to a fault such as a short then the cable could take 13 amps befor the fuse blows. a .75 mm flex that an amature diyer uses isn’t capable of taking 13a. On the other hand what the differance in a .75mm flex prewired to a floodlight. Connected to a 4mm swa radial. There no fuse on that to protect the 0.75mm flex
Thanks for the article. I usually agree with you wholeheartedly on everything and learn several new tips and tricks in every article but I do sort of disagree with you on wiring the light into a socket. I can see why you’ve done it in your case but for most people it’s not convenient to lose a socket or have trunking round the room. I have a relatively new build so my walls are all hollow or dot and dab like yours and even as a relative amateur, doing this properly by running it to a fused connection unit spurred off the socket is incredibly easy.
Can you tell all the tw@s you install outside lights for to turn them off at night? External lights should have cowls focusing the light on to the property only. They should also have sensors if they are meant for security and only turn on when someone triggers them. They should not be left on all night illuminating the night sky and annoying neighbours and they should not be shining directly onto other people’s property or into windows. Why do the majority do this though?
This article was as well taped, edited, and the proper steps and equipment to use and how to install it as usual. That’s why I love your articles. Everything is done Proper! There is a guy here in the States that has a woodworking website but I refuse to watch it. Unlike you, where you explain and talk to the audience, this guy is so arrogant and full of himself and talks down to people. He is the opposite of you. Just for the record, give yourself a pat on the back for doing a bang up job with your website! 👍👍!
In my opinion this article is dangerous and should be removed immediately because it does not include information regarding the most important part of this installation and that is the fuse you install in the plug should be no more than 5 amps ( 3 amps preferred ) this is a very important safety notice because the plug top usually comes with a 13Amp fuse ( I would also advise you check the ring circuit for the socket you decide to use is RCD protected) because the light is external
Stuart I do have watched a lot of you tube articles. You have a method and skill which is well presented. I appreciate the time you take to make these articles – I am confident with most things but you never know it all or have the best method everything builds your knowledge etc. With respect to the comments from some trades here showing displeasure what I can say is I have seen work carried out by “qualified trades” which has seen my blood pressure rise and following trades ! Traders sometimes people use these articles just to help them understand or learn not all will just rip into the house. PS. Stuart can you show us how to make a height adjustable soap box 🙂
Can you please tell me how to replace a pir light with an ordinary light ? There`s six wires on the old pir light and only three on the new, ordinary light and four wires coming from the wall, blue, green/yellow and two browns . I`ve wired the new light up using three of the wires but it just stays on, I`ve wired the second brown into the live with the other brown but the light still stays on, any ideas would be appreciated, thanks.
So basically a way to fit an outside light but only if it is on a wall that you are happy running a cable up, you want a timer almost out of reach up the wall and you have a spare plug nearby! Most outside lights will be on the house wall and the garage probably not have power nearby. (If that is you then run the feed from the nearest existing light). The four terminals is probably that it is a double switch to turn off the neutral and the live as is needed on some fittings.
Very apt you have a timer in this article has your timing is perfect. I need an outside light and was wondering ehat was the best to go about it and now I know 👍. Finding your website has been one of my 2021 highlights! I’ve learnt so much off you this year please keep up the great content. I’m already counting down to next week’s upload lol
Well I never knew about there being male and female fittings on the lamp. Makes perfect sense now you’ve told us. And I can confirm that not greasing the threads causes problems later on. I’ve found that its always the up facing bulb that needs replacing most often, which surprises me as you’d have thought the heat in the downward bulb would cause failure first. Great article.
Great article, I liked the helpful hints about using the 15mm pipe through the wall, the use of silicone to fix the cable and pipe in place, and the orientation of the light and fitting. One observation I’d make is the necessity of an earthing sleeve on the bare earth wire. I look forward to future articles.
As an electrician who has been doing this job for a number of years spent thousands of pounds on training and test equipment just a couple of points. The assumption that its okay because I haven’t touched the wiring to the house is in my opinion a very dangerous attitude to take. Do you know if the socket you plugged into is earthed, does it have the correct polarity, is it a single pole or double pole socket Is the circuit protected by an RCD. Also no mention of the size of fuse in the plug top. All these are important questions which need to be considered. There are a lot of people going to do possibly a dangerous job, so perhaps not the best subject to do a DIY article about.
My man! I gotta say one of THE BEST instructional articles by an individual re the camera work and audio as well as step by step. YouTube has democratized the ability to help others and get help but it’s insane how folks who know their craft don’t know how to hold a camera still or in focus. It makes me want to physically hurt someone who is trying to help me! 😂 Unless someone has done something like this themselves, they have absolutely no idea the time and effort it takes to put a article like you’ve made together. I now feel confident enough to do this project myself. You have earned yourself a like and subscribe my friend. Mad props!