Outside light replacement

[stevem999]

Hi there, I would be really grateful for some advice please. I currently have a very old, very rusted, high wattage halogen floodlight on the rear of my house. It does not have a PIR and is switched from inside the house (as one of a 3-gang switch that also controls normal kitchen lighting). I want to change the outside halogen to a PIR LED fitting. I have seen a lot of information about switched live feeds and permanent live feeds because that is what the PIR actually needs to keep detecting but suspect I don't need to worry about switched live feed, because the switch is in the house (which will just be left turned 'on' for my new light).

Am I right in saying that my old light won't have a switched live to worry about because the switch is inside the house? Once I isolate the old light back at the circuit breakers, my intention was to unwire the current light and use a waterproof junction box to connect the wires coming from the house to the wires of my new light. Does that sound right? Somewhat oddly, my new light has come with a 3pin plug attached, which I will cut off, so assume I just have 3 cables in the wire - usual L, N & E? Am I likely to just have those three cables coming to my old light? I realise all this may be easier once I chop everything off but wanted to get a headstart on thoughts?
Thanks.

 

[chivers67]

If the light has a plug I'd be surprised if it's Ip rated or is the cable length really long attached to it - sounds odd. Have you a model number or link to your purchase?

 

[Iggifer]

I fitted an LED Hi-bay light last week that came with a plug attached to it. The other 12 we'd fitted in the warehouse were just pre-flexed, the last one had a plug fitted. Whether it had been a sample or in a branch somewhere who knows?

Almost all LED floodlights come pre-flexed anyway, so a wiska box or similar with stuffing gland will be required anyway.

Would be interesting to see some info on the fitting though

 

[stevem999]

Thanks for your responses so far. The fitting is this one, IP65 apparently. Seems very well-made and strong having unpacked it today. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01M30R0EI/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[chivers67]

Find out if the warranty is still valid if you cut the plug off first? Looks like it's designed to plug into an external socket

 

[ban-all-sheds]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01M30R0EI/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Oh dear....

 

[winston1]

It has been stated on these forums many times that they can't invalidate the warranty because you remove the plug.

 

[stevem999]

Find out if the warranty is still valid if you cut the plug off first? Looks like it's designed to plug into an external socket

Waiting for an answer from the seller, but other people have asked the question on Amazon and the seller has confirmed the warranty is valid.

Oh dear....

Yes, it's in China - not a great shock given that's where most electrical stuff comes from! The light is being fulfilled by Amazon so all warranty issues, returns etc will be dealt with by them, not some random in China.


So, now we've established that, does anyone have any guidance they can offer on my original questions please? Thanks

 

[stevem999]

Almost all LED floodlights come pre-flexed anyway, so a wiska box or similar with stuffing gland will be required anyway.

Yep, got a weatherproof junction box with stuffing glands, ready to connect it up.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The light is being fulfilled by Amazon so all warranty issues, returns etc will be dealt with by them, not some random in China.

Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) is a service Amazon offers sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's warehouses, and Amazon directly does the picking, packing, shipping and customer service on these items.​

So nothing, absolutely nothing about there being a UK or EU seller, bound by UK or EU laws, within the jurisdiction of UK or EU courts.

When you buy stuff directly from a Chinese seller on Amazon or eBay it isn't "warranty issues, returns etc" you need to worry about, it is electrical products carrying fake certification marks and so dangerously non-compliant that they could kill you.

 

[stevem999]

Fair enough, to a point. How do you know that any certification mark printed on a box or product is fake or real?

And perhaps 'oh dear....' might not have been the most useful response you could have given earlier on if there was a bigger point you wanted to make. Was that intended for others on the forum to have a sneer?

I can easily return the light fitting, so would you have any suggested non-fake 30w LED PIR exterior lights you would recommend at all please?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Fair enough, to a point. How do you know that any certification mark printed on a box or product is fake or real?

You can improve your chances a lot by buying reputable makes such as Philips, Thorn, Osram, Aurora..

And perhaps 'oh dear....' might not have been the most useful response you could have given earlier on if there was a bigger point you wanted to make. Was that intended for others on the forum to have a sneer?

Yes - sorry - rebuke accepted. It's a so-often-discussed problem here that I didn't think (should have ) that you might not have seen it.

I can easily return the light fitting, so would you have any suggested non-fake 30w LED PIR exterior lights you would recommend at all please?

As I said - buy a known make, and buy it from a seller who really is a UK business.

 

[Iggifer]

The Enlite range of floodlights are brilliant and reasonably priced. I think they're the best looking ones too without paying silly money. Super sleek

 

[stevem999]

Thanks, I'll have a look at those.