Outside Security Lighting

[spudcam]

I currently have a number of floodlights with separate pir's and bulkheads ( non pir ). They are all LED's. When the property was originally wired ( pre 2006 ) I had halogen floodlights ( built in pir's ) and standard bulbs in the bulkheads ( non pir's ).

How the system works is that if one of the floods detects movement all the lights come on. In addition I have a switch inside the property which I can turn on so that if required all outside lights come on. Now I have an issue where I need to change the floods as I want to have built in pir's plus one of the bulks need replacing. On the new floods they are pre wired as 3 core but in the incoming cable is 4 core..the extra ''yellow'' cable I guess acts as switched live. When i connect up do i connect the yellow to red...and the incoming feed ''red'' on a block. Also I have noticed when doing some research on the new bulkheads some appear to have a pre wired 2 core cable ..no earth. In that example what happens with the incoming cables...i.e do the earth and live go on a separate block ( in other words not connected to the lights ).

 

[Taylortwocities]

Your first problem will be to find integrated flood + PIR lights that give you access to he switched live connection.
Most (especially the cheap ones) do not.
Better,easier to have a stand alone PIR with standard slave floodlights..

 

[spudcam]

thanks..will decide what to do as changing some of the lights may be an issue.

 

[spudcam]

Should have added that I checked today on one of the current bulkheads. The incoming cable having 4 wires are on a connector. The yellow is on the block opposite the live from the unit. The incoming live is on its own. I then did a test on the lamp and got a reading on the red incoming without the lights being on. I then used the switch in the property to turn the lights on . The yellow was then confirmed as being live.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I then did a test on the lamp and got a reading on the red incoming without the lights being on. I then used the switch in the property to turn the lights on . The yellow was then confirmed as being live.

Sounds then that the red is the permanent live and the yellow is the over-ride.

 

[spudcam]

So going back to original problem. Once I remove the old light and I'm left with new pre wired 3 core cable "flood" with built in pir. The incoming 4 core cable with the yellow is wired how. If like the bulkhead the incoming red goes on a connector on its own and the yellow connects to the light live. I realize the suggestion is to have separate PIR's but I want to see how it works.. probably not long. Once resolved then it's over to the new bulkhead ( once purchased ) if it only has 2 pre wired . I guess incoming earth on connector and same principal for incoming red/ yellow.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Your first problem will be to find integrated flood + PIR lights that give you access to he switched live connection.
Most (especially the cheap ones) do not.
Better,easier to have a stand alone PIR with standard slave floodlights..

Separate is better anyway, as flood light need to be mounted high to get best cover and PIR's at a much lower level to pick up cross field of view motion.

I find remote control of such lights also useful. I used to have a wireless switch fitted, but recently swapped wireless for wifi, via a Smart Plug. Thus I can turn them on and off speaking to Alexa, or via my Iphone, long before I arrive home.