Fitting Outside Light

Andrewl · Post by **Andrewl** » Sat Apr 11, 2020 7:34 pm

Hi all. I’m new to the forum and already asking advice.

I am wanting to fit and external light to the rear of my house. I am only looking to fit a basic light that can be switched on and off internally from a light switch. No PIR etc.

I have got some advice and planned out what I want to do. I am wondering if what I am planning is ok and more so if it is something I am allowed to carry out myself. I have done numerous DIY tasks myself and feel competent to do this.

Where I plan to fit the external light there is an existing 2 gang light switch directly behind this on the internal wall in the kitchen. Luckily behind this light switch there is an Earth and also neutral wires which are terminated in a chocbloc. I am planning to replace the existing 2 gang switch with a 3 gang. Run 1.5mm t&e from the new external light, connect live to L1 on the new switch, connect neutral to the neutral on chocbloc and take a feed from com to com on the new light. There is RCD protection on the consumer unit.

Would this be acceptable?

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sat Apr 11, 2020 9:04 pm

How do you know the other wires are neutral? and that the Com is Live?

ericmark · Post by **ericmark** » Sat Apr 11, 2020 9:14 pm

In England no restrictions I know of, in Wales technically it required the LABC notifying, and their fee paying, scheme member electricians can do whole job and notify for less than the last time I looked the £100 plus vat LABC fee. In practice unless it may annoy a neighbour who could complain to LABC then often a blind eye is turned to the Part P laws which are no more than a tax.

Maximum size of tungsten outside light under planning rules without planning permission is 150W that is around 2250 lumen so with LED I would keep on the safe side and use no bigger than 35 W, only really matters if some one complains, but better not to do anything which is likely to raise a complaint. As far as I am aware the law states max watts, but often the guides to law convert for the user and don't actually say what the law says.

Andrewl · Post by **Andrewl** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:23 pm

someone-else wrote: ↑Sat Apr 11, 2020 9:04 pm How do you know the other wires are neutral? and that the Com is Live?

I checked the com with a Kewtech duo voltage detector which indicated it is live. The wires are blue on the neutral, but I accept I’m probably being slightly ignorant on that. We had wall lights fitted in a few rooms in the house a few years back and I remember the electrician mentioning that there were neutral on each light switch in the house and saying it wasn’t all that common. I had a look at the switches in the rooms we had wall lights fitted and he has fitted the wall lights in the same way I plan to fit the exterior light, by “looping” (if that’s the correct word lol) from the com in the switch.

Andrewl · Post by **Andrewl** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:30 pm

ericmark wrote: ↑Sat Apr 11, 2020 9:14 pm In England no restrictions I know of, in Wales technically it required the LABC notifying, and their fee paying, scheme member electricians can do whole job and notify for less than the last time I looked the £100 plus vat LABC fee. In practice unless it may annoy a neighbour who could complain to LABC then often a blind eye is turned to the Part P laws which are no more than a tax.

Maximum size of tungsten outside light under planning rules without planning permission is 150W that is around 2250 lumen so with LED I would keep on the safe side and use no bigger than 35 W, only really matters if some one complains, but better not to do anything which is likely to raise a complaint. As far as I am aware the law states max watts, but often the guides to law convert for the user and don't actually say what the law says.

Thanks for the reply. I am in Scotland and from what I can see the regulations seem to be different here. I plan on fitting the exterior light the same way my internal wall lights have been fitted by taking from the com on the switch. I am more concerned if there is anything else to be done, from a safety point of view, as this light will be outside. My friend fitted an exterior light by taking a feed from the back of a double socket, run to a fcu, then light. I liked that way as the light could be isolated separately but having a light switch already directly behind the light and having the light on the current downstairs circuit made more sense

ericmark · Post by **ericmark** » Mon Apr 13, 2020 10:49 am

Personally I try to use two pole switching for outside lights, the reason is if water gets in, want to be able to still use all other lights in the house. Before the lock down I would use LAP grid system from screw fix an double socket box can be made to hold switches, fuses, and other items so you can build the plate to do what you want, but with lock down it is down to what you can get.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Mon Apr 13, 2020 11:59 am

ericmark wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2020 10:49 am but with lock down it is down to what you can get.

Sorry, but that is not actually true.

I needed parts for my fountain. (See below)

: parts.jpg (74.56 KiB) Viewed 1546 times

I ordered on line from TLC direct and they were delivered two days later, which must have been about 2 weeks ago. (After lockdown started)
Also screwfix are open for collection only. I ordered a complete filling loop for the boiler as ours had seized, went there, they brought it out to me.