Hi Guys,

Doing some decking in the next couple of weeks so I was wondering where is the best place to get hold of those recessed decking lights? Obviously cheaper would be best, but also don't want them blowing every weekend!

Also what is the best way of connecting them to mains power?

The house was rewired last year and we have power in the garage - do I need an electrician to connect it up or is it easy enough for me to do it myself?

Cheers

Richard

Sparky required in order to comply with Part P, unless you find some that have a 3 pin plug.

Screwfix, Wickes, B&Q plus tens of online sellers will supply them.

I just got a set of these:

GodfreysOnline.com - Micromark 30mm Deluxe Colour Changing LED Kit (10 Lights) MM70067 - Outdoor LED Lighting (http://www.godfreys-online.co.uk/pageview.php?page=show_product&ecommerce_stockcode=MM70067&ecommerce_category=Outdoor%20LED%20Lighting)

Comes with a 15m cable and a 3 pin plug so no regs to worry about. I buried conduit under the lawn to run my cables back to the garage.

I also got a set of the smaller 19mm lights to go with them.

They're small LED lights so won't light the place up but will be nice for effect. :)

Beware Micromark: their stuff (this sort anyway) is made in China, and they will take NO responsibility for it when it goes t*ts up.

Nor will the seller, unless you are lucky, they have stock left, and/or you keep the receipt.

Alcazar, (speaking from experience):(

i've got those micromark lights (the smaller ones though). they all link up like a daisy chain and then plug into the controller/timer and then the transformer. my power is all in an external IP rated box with remote control (and it's powered from sep board in the shed rather than directly from the mcb in the house).

bought them from BDC in Basildon

alcazar's comments explain why they never seem to have any in stock - i couldn;t undertstand why (i think BDC is owned by Mircomark) they never had any of these in and could never say when they would, when they are supposedly the manufacturers!

Rich,

Have they been fitted long and are they reliable?

I don't mind fitting them and getting a sparky to get it all integrated into the MCB in the garage. That way I won't be held up fitting the decking.

What's an external IP rated box? Remote control would be good too.....

they've been in almost a year now. the ip rated box is a weather proof box - i have fitted a switched double socket in mine - the transformer plugs into the remote thingy and the remote thingy [as you can tell, i'm an expert when it comes to electrics and gadgets!] plugs into the socket. simple.

all performing fine, but then i don't use them all the time. i fitted mine after i built the decking (make sure you screw the boards - don't nail them - them you can get underneath for cables routes etc).

remote bits were from simplyautomate.co.uk - "domia lite" although we've used all different types in show homes in the past - domia lite and x10 included
Simply Automate, UK Home Automation Dealer - X10, Home Automation Products and Solutions (http://www.simplyautomate.co.uk/search.asp?catid=375&cat2=375)

So the remote will operate the lights even though they are in the weatherproof box?

I guess something like this will do for the box
Waterproof Boxes (http://www.maplin.co.uk/search.aspx?MenuNo=55381&MenuName=IP+Rated+Enclosures&FromMenu=y&doy=25m4)

mine work in the box, although it's not quite as weatherproof as the maplin link you posted - mine is powder coated metal withouth a seal around the door - the door sits over the edges of the inside, if that makes sense - so is more likely to allow air in and out than the one you posted. having said that, i think the remotes just work on radio waves although i could be wrong