Garden light connections

[CaptainJack88]

EvonStance,
Regarding your question "I've seen some T-junction style plugs/junction boxes on images, but I can't seem to find anything or anyway to connect the lights", when I put 12V lights into my garden I used and I am happy to recommend this type of "IP66 boxes":
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...x&_sop=12&clk_rvr_id=1182126218443&rmvSB=true

Also my Cable run providing the 12V was 22meters in total, so I was very conscious of Voltage drop with a website showing significant voltage drop for me when using 0.75mm2 cable. But I found that 1.5mm2 cable was difficult to get into the small connections of my 12V Power Supply/Driver, so I went with the 0.75mm2 cable. For me my LEDs worked perfectly okay and I am happy with the brightness, and I cannot visually tell if they get dimmer as they get down the cable. I used 0.75mm2 Black 'rubber' cable as more durable and less noticeable on fence (where I attached it).
http://www.screwfix.com/search?search=Tough+Flexible+Cable
http://www.screwfix.com/p/tower-co-axial-cable-clip-7-0mm-black-pack-of-100/14161

sfk

Thanks SFK. The answer I was looking for. All of my posts (in fact, it seems all posts in electrics) get derailed..

 

[SFK]

Evostance,
My pleasure. And note that I put more detail in an earlier similar post, so you might want to also look at https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/decking-lighting-advice.466740/
SFK

 

[FrodoOne]

Evostance,
My pleasure. And note that I put more detail in an earlier similar post, so you might want to also look at https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/decking-lighting-advice.466740/
SFK

I am surprised that the lights which the OP has do not come with connectors. Those that I have used here come with an Insulation Displacement connector (where prongs pierce the insulation to connect with the conductors), like this one (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Paradise-...796263?hash=item5b2cfce967:g:IC0AAOSwZVlXlycc) but of simpler/cheaper Clamp-On construction.

The cable generally used here, and what appears to be used with the above connector, is 2.1 mm² (which corresponds to #14 AWG - with a resistance of 0.008286 Ω/m for each conductor) https://www.bunnings.com.au/hpm-30m-garden-lighting-cable_p4384480

The layout you referred to in your earlier post would have had a 1.5 V drop at the final lamp - 22 m from the source. (Interpolating from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge, I calculate that 0.75 mm² cable would have a resistance of 0.023 Ohms/metre for each conductor (0.046 Ohms/metre for a pair.)

If you can plan a roughly circular layout you can obtain a lesser voltage drop at all lamps by completing the loop and making it into a Ring-Main.
In a linear set-up which you had this would entail another 22 m of cable, but that would have reduced the voltage drop to no more than 0.96 V at any lamp.
If one had a circular arrangement where the end could be supplied via a 4 m length of cable, no lamp would have more than 0.6 V drop.

 

[stem]

I bought a set of similar 12V LED lights about 5 or 6 years ago. Which came with a 500mm long fly lead. I purchased some 12V garden light cable, like this, and ran it around the garden adjacent to where I wanted the lights located. Then soldered the wires from each lamp to it, slid a sleeve over each soldered connection which I had filled with epoxy resin, and the when that had set, slid a sheath also filled with epoxy resin over the whole lot. Two of the joints are buried under rocks, but those that can be seen look neat, and they have worked fine ever since. The only problem I found was when I had to replace one of the lights, because the join had to be dismantled to do so.

There are 9 lights in total and the power supply is located in a shed which is fairly central in the cable run, 4 lights run to the left of it, and 5 to the right. I would imagine that the furthest light has 12 metres of cable between it and the power supply. There is no difference in the brightness between them, that I have noticed.

 

[CaptainJack88]

Finally got this all setup and power up. Looks great given the garden has no plants etc in it really.
The only issue is the sodding LED driver died after about an hour! It's a 60W driver which should be sufficient given I've only got 10 3.5W LEDS...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Does it have a minimum load?

What sort of driver is it?

 

[CaptainJack88]

Does it have a minimum load?

What sort of driver is it?

Not as far as I'm aware. Its a 12V 5A, 60W driver.
I'm not sure on any more specifics that that as I haven't got it in front of me.

Looks like I'll be sourcing another one.

Anyone have any good suggestions? Ideally could do with one I can wire into a fused spur

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The one the makers of the lights recommend would be a good start...

 

[CaptainJack88]

The one the makers of the lights recommend would be a good start...

They're not SMD LEDs, they take MR16 bulbs. Im using Philips Master Value 3.4 watt MR16's

 

[winston1]

Not as far as I'm aware. Its a 12V 5A, 60W driver.
I'm not sure on any more specifics that that as I haven't got it in front of me.

Looks like I'll be sourcing another one.

Anyone have any good suggestions? Ideally could do with one I can wire into a fused spur

Yes, take it back and ask for a replacement.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Not as far as I'm aware. Its a 12V 5A, 60W driver.
I'm not sure on any more specifics that that as I haven't got it in front of me.

It might be that 35W is too low a load.

One hears of flashing/flickering/instability in that situation - I've never heard of a supply permanently breaking because of it.

If you think about it, an ELV lighting supply could reasonably be expected to become under- or un-loaded due to lamp failure, so whilst shutting down would be acceptable in those scenarios, breaking would not be.

If it really has broken, Winston is almost right - return it, but not for a replacement - get a refund.

 

[333rocky333]

having a 5metre lead you would need a proper 12 volt powersource not one of the cheap electronic transformers

I initially assumed you would use halogen Mr16
From what I read, you are using cable length of over 10 metres, electronic transformers limit there lead length to 2 metres for EMI reasons, but in reality they also tend not to perform well over long distance, apparently due to the high operating frequency.
Since my initial post you have mentioned LED
Some of the electronic drivers tend to not have a limited lead length or minimum load and are used on 5 metre led strips often, but that seems to be the limit.
I wonder if thats what the problem is.
For large signs we use "MeanWell drivers, they are heavy so at a quess internally they are iron core transformers rather than a bunch of electronics.
Is the driver you have quite heavy for its size

 

[CaptainJack88]

Some of the electronic drivers tend to not have a limited lead length or minimum load and are used on 5 metre led strips often, but that seems to be the limit.
I wonder if thats what the problem is.
For large signs we use "MeanWell drivers, they are heavy so at a quess internally they are iron core transformers rather than a bunch of electronics.
Is the driver you have quite heavy for its size

The light units themselves came with 5m tails, using 2 x 0.75mm cable. I have used the same cable throughout. There are then 10 3.5W MR16 LED bulbs in each unit.
The driver has some weight to it, I'd say probably heavier than the power bricks on laptops, but about 1/4 of the size. It's only a 60W unit.

The lights were on for a good few hours before it failed and showed no signs of flickering etc. I'm trying to find a replacement driver at the moment, however would prefer the unit to come with sheathed cable so that I can wire it back into my JB's as I currently have.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What do you mean by "sheathed cable"? What sort of cable have you been using outside, where/how is it installed, and is it protected from damage as the Wiring Regulations require?

 

[CaptainJack88]

What do you mean by "sheathed cable"? What sort of cable have you been using outside, where/how is it installed, and is it protected from damage as the Wiring Regulations require?

Armoured cable is ran to the transformer, and then rubber 2 core from the transformer to the lights. What came with the transformer is the same. Essentially the same as "pond" cable but without the earth