photocell advice please

[dba7108]

I need to add a photocell to this setup. If need be il get an electrician in but need to know before hand if it is possible.

I have 4 outside lights - see pics. I know the pictures are not great but there are 2 lights outside the garage and 2 additional ones were put in by the front door by previous owner which from looking at the wiring come off the 2 by the garage.
Can a single photocell be put in and would that turn all 4 lights on? and what point in the wiring would that go? Thank you.

[eliot]

Photocell (comes on and stays on all night) or a PIR (comes on with movement). Either way, you need to find the mains feed to all the lights and insert whichever you want into that line. Wiring doesn't look particularly good as it is right now.

[Spare tyre]

Are they led floodlights

If not might get a bit pricey to run

[dba7108]

the flood lights are separate - they are 30w led on PIR. The lanterns are 8w low energy. thanks

[Alucidnation]

eliot said:

Photocell (comes on and stays on all night) or a PIR (comes on with movement). Either way, you need to find the mains feed to all the lights and insert whichever you want into that line. Wiring doesn't look particularly good as it is right now.

This.


And i'd get shot of that ropey old Crabtree consumer unit while you are at it.


TBH, i would rewire most of it and tidy it up as it does look shabby.

A photocell can be used in conjunction with a timer so that they go off at midnight for eg.

Or, PIR which will detect movement and switch the lights on when triggered.

[megaphone]

dba7108 said:

the flood lights are separate - they are 30w led on PIR. The lanterns are 8w low energy. thanks

If they're on a PIR why do you want to add a photocell? There should be a 'light' setting on the PIR so they only trigger after dark.

[dba7108]

Just to confirm the flood are completely separate and turn on when you walk on the drive.
The lanterns will hopefully be on a photocell so the house isnt in complete darkness all the time.

thanks

[Buzz84]

I have a set lights on my porch with LED lamps, it is on a photcell with an inbuilt timer so it turns off after an amount of time, i have it set to about 6 hours so it turns off about midnight depending on the season

http://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-standalone-night-sen...

it works well and was simple enough to fit, (although you'll have to reroute some cables) the live supply goes to the unit and it then switches the output depending on the light level.

if you can identify the main supply to the lights ( do you have a light switch that controls them all?) then fit it in there.
As my supply and cables were indide, i placed this into a junction box and ran a 3 core cable out to the switch (Live, Neutral and a switched live return)

[dba7108]

the second wire running from the lights in the garage - it is a fair bit thinner than the other, would be a 2 core live and natural?

[herewego]

dba7108 said:

Just to confirm the flood are completely separate and turn on when you walk on the drive.
The lanterns will hopefully be on a photocell so the house isnt in complete darkness all the time.

thanks

I think you want a pir not a photocell. It makes no sense to have the lights on all night long.

[x 7usc]

herewego said:

I think you want a pir not a photocell. It makes no sense to have the lights on all night long.

You can get a Microprocessor control version of a photocell, it switches off around midnight and comes back on for the early morning when its still dark, very clever!
http://www.neweysonline.co.uk/newlec-photocell-sur...

[megaphone]

dba7108 said:

Just to confirm the flood are completely separate and turn on when you walk on the drive.
The lanterns will hopefully be on a photocell so the house isnt in complete darkness all the time.

thanks

Ah, so it's just the lanterns you want to control. Why mot use a simple time switch? You can set on/offs to suit.

[finlo]

Did Stevie Wonder do your wiring?

[finlo]

Did Stevie Wonder do your wiring?