Have just fitted a pair of 500w lights and a separate PIR to control them. I went to B&Q to get a few feet of conduit and some junction boxes, but no luck. Also the stuff in Screwfix doesnt seem to be for exterior work...

What should I use guys? I have to protect the 1.0mm Twin and Earth with something - or is there a good exterior cable to buy somewhere?

Cheers

I got my conduit from B & Q, you can also get it from RS Components (http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/browse/Module.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0211622310.1046184441@ @@@&BV_EngineID=cccdadchjdddglhcfngcfkmdgkldfhl.0&3223637356=3223637356&catoid=-83930611
)

These are the main one's we use at work.
C.E.F (http://www.cef.co.uk/index1.cfm)
Edmundson's (http://www.edmundson-electrical.co.uk/open.html)

Tim.

RS are good, but you pay top whack for anything from there..

why do you need to protect the cable? vandals maybe?

personally i would look at routing the cable internally and coming through the wall at the same level as your ground floor ceiling, or just above if you get my drift.

Alternativeley, if the lights are at high level why not drop out from under theaeves and tap into the upstairs lighting circuit.

as for cable, twin and earth is fine just clipped to the wall, but if youre hell bent on steel conduit, drop me a note with your whereabouts and i will find you a local electrical wholesaler that will do a cash sale.

cheers,

mike.

ETS- tim just pipped me to it.

[Edited by mj - 2/25/2003 3:57:56 PM]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Had a good look for wholesalers near me in Thompsons and on the web, but no luck - had to drive to Fulham in the end (got 4 x 50w LV in lamps, track and transformers for £50 - happy boy). I wont have to now!

If you say I dont need to shield what I though was internal use T&E cable, then I can rawlplug the normal nail clips to the wall. Wall is white cable is white... Pref the cable on the outside wall, as lamps are best fitted half way up the house (OK I dont have a huge ladder ;))

CHEERS!

at my old house i wired my light in bare pyrotenax - copper sheath and copper cores insulated with a mineral powder. if you can get some of this it looks the biz when its up and the copper has dulled, you would need a sparky though to terminate the ends as they are a bit tricky and require special glanding kits.

It depends how old the house is, my last house was 150yrs old, so I didnt want to b@stardize it with twin and earth.

Personaly I would not conect it into the upstairs lighting ring as IIRC it's about 1500 watts max on 6amps"it's to late to work it out without a plastic brain" Just tap into a ring main and take a 2.5mm spur off with a switched fused spur(5amp fuse)to 1.0mm to the lamps


Huxley

Hux,

He says a pair of 500w, thats approx 4A.
But you are quite right, thats probly loading up the lighting circuit a bit too much.



Mental note to self - Read the fcukin question/post before replying.

I never wired them into an upstairs lighting ring! Where did you get that from?

I pinched the supply to the wall mounted fan - this is a fused spur off the kitchen socket ring. Fan ancient and no longer needed as a 1200mm chimney hood is arriving - hope it doesnt suck the dog up ;)

[bloody lights kept going on during the past few nights - was about to send the 'dodgy' PIR back to Screwfix... Seems I need to offer up Sherry and call up the fat businesmen in red jackets ;)]

Diesel,

I never said you did wire them into the upstairs lighting, it was a suggestion . As hux has correctly pointed out it may be a bit much on the lighting circuit.

cheers,

mike.

Mike - and I never said that you said that i'd said I'd stuck em on the lighting circuit ;)

A = V / W so 1000w / 240 = 4.1 amps. Heavy; most lighting rings have a 5amp fuse under the stairs. Perfectly valid point :)

6amp if a RCB;)


Huxley