Recommended timers and energy saving outdoor lights

[curium]

Hi

I'm looking to have 2 lights fitted to the outside of my house. One will illuminate the garden and the other will illuminate the side of the house.

Our cul-de-sac has not been adopted by the council and so has no streetlights.

I would like the lights to be able to be switched on independently and I would like the ability to have them on a timer rather than be motion activated using a PIR.

I would like the lights to use energy saving bulbs. Do these work okay with timers?

Ideally I would like to have the side light come on from around 6pm to 11pm every day and be able to turn the garden light on as and when needed but also on a timer if we are away.

I had an electrician have a look when he was doing some work down the road but he would be unable to do it until end of Feb at the earliest.

He said he would take power from a plug socket in an upstairs bedroom that is mounted on an external wall. Would this allow the lights to come on independently of each other?

Can anyone advise on timer products and energy saving outdoor lights that will work well together?

I have seen some complaints on Amazon about some of the electronic wall switch timers sold. Is there anything in particular I should look out for?

Does this kind of work require any 'notification'?

Thanks for any help

 

[plugwash]

The trouble with wall switch timers is they are designed to replace light switches and therefore are designed to work without a neutral.

But timers designed to work without a neutral don't get on well with low energy bulbs.

 

[curium]

The trouble with wall switch timers is they are designed to replace light switches and therefore are designed to work without a neutral.

But timers designed to work without a neutral don't get on well with low energy bulbs.

Is it not possible to have low energy bulbs (CFL or LED) on a timer then? Or is the problem that the power is coming from the plug socket?

I'm sure security lights on a timer is a common occurrence so how do people normally deal with this?

Thanks

 

[plugwash]

It's possible, you just have to make sure you find a timer that uses a neutral connection rather than one that does clever tricks to try and avoid having a neutral connection.

Where you get the power from is irrelevent to the operation of the time.

 

[AndyPRK]

Yes you can get timers to work with energy efficient bulbs, but they tend to be bigger in size. (but not more expensive)


Sounds like the garden light would be fine for a PIR.
I wouldn't worry about a timer for when you are away with this light

 

[AndyPRK]

something like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Immersion...ls_Supplies_Electrical_ET&hash=item58aae51bd8

NICE SIZED ONE:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Green-Bro...al_Electrical_Fittings_MJ&hash=item3f2fc1571f


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/24-HOUR-M...arden_Hearing_Cooling_Air&hash=item3f09c88631

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/24-HOUR-S...arden_Hearing_Cooling_Air&hash=item1c35102fb9

 

[curium]

It's possible, you just have to make sure you find a timer that uses a neutral connection rather than one that does clever tricks to try and avoid having a neutral connection.

Where you get the power from is irrelevent to the operation of the time.

I was under the impression that energy saving bulbs didn't last long with PIRs. Also I want to use the light when sat out in the garden or fixing my bike so prefer an always on light

 

[Diyisfun]

Use an LED PIR flood, Ive got one very good.
I also had an outside light wired up to a dusk till dawn sensor using a cfl bulb & I also have standard lanterns with pir & you can flick the switch & they will stay on, they were supposed to work with cfl, but they didn't. The supplier said some do.

 

[ricicle]

If you do use CFLs in conjunction with a PIR then it really needs to be set for it's max. operating time (usually 20 mins) otherwise the lamps will fail prematurely.

 

[curium]

Cheers guys.

Nobody has clarified whether this type of work is subject to any type of regulations - does anybody know?

 

[Diyisfun]

Cheers guys.

Nobody has clarified whether this type of work is subject to any type of regulations - does anybody know?

You cant fart these days unless have you done all the necessary checks..