Wall Switch Timer

[rkinsella]

Hi folks,

I put up a 2 low-energy 9W external lights at the front of my house, I live in the middle of nowhere and I like the idea of having lights running all the time when its (very) dark outside - for safety and security.

These are wired through to a wall switch in the hallway. No sooner where they up than the wife start complaining of the lights being too bright and stopping her from sleeping.

So I want to put a timer switch on them, switch them off around 11pm. The switch below looks like a pretty good candidate ...

http://www.greenbrook.co.uk/eshop/files/files/Wall-Switch-Technical-Product-sheet.pdf

Problem is that the spec says ....

Lamp: 40-400W - GLS lamps & most low energy lamps 17W & above (not suitable for LED lighting)

Here is the question - because I am running two lights off the switch, that is 18W in the aggregate - am I safe to use the Greenbrook switch?

Thanks,

Ray K

 

[EFLImpudence]

It won't work.

You must have a minimum total of 40W and
if you use low energy they must be a minimum of 17W each, so that means you would need three.


You do realise that with outside lights on all night, intruders won't need to use torches.

 

[JohnD]

I've used those greenbrook switches, and if you are willing to take the responsibility for failure to obey the instructions, I've used them with single 12W CFLs, they lasted for years are were still going when I moved out.

They're only on/off, not dimmers.

You can shade your windows by painting the inside of the globe on that side, if you want.

 

[EFLImpudence]

They do say "most" low energy lamps.

It is the lack of a Neutral which necessitates the limits. How would you know which lamps would work?

 

[JohnD]

at the price, I'd give it a try.

You could fit incandescant lamps if you can still find them, though they will need changing more often.

The switch seems to pick up enough current to run its circuit from even a low-power CFL. I've used both types.

I've also used photocell lanterns with CFLs in flagrant disregard of the instructions. My hard luck if they fail, but they don't.

At the moment I'm using a 3.5W LED lantern in my porch. No timer, no photocell. The running cost is so low that it's not worth paying for automation. And it seems just as bright as the old 8W tube.

 

[securespark]

Can you still get Hi-Lo PIR's?

On all the time low (again you'd need tungsten filaments) and brighter when the PIR is activated.

First glance looks like you can only get them incorporated into luminaires.

 

[rkinsella]

'Curiouser and curiouser!' cried Alice

So there is a light switch in the hallway, that switches on the two external lights at the front of the house.
The external lights did have old rotten fittings on them, the electrician took these down, put terminator blocks on the wires and tapped them up.
This was two years ago.

I connected the first of these the other day, and found four wires in the terminator block - all the same colour - red.
These come out of the fascia board in two pairs of wires ....

With my multi-meter I found which was the live one, and concluded the other in the pair was neutral.
I also assumed that the other two wires connected to the other external light fitting.

Yesterday, I went to hook up the other light fitting and found three wires, again all the same colour - red.
So this left me completely confused - I found the live one, and assumed that the others must be neutral and ground.

I took the face off the switch, found that three wires in there - one in the bottom and two wound together in the top.

Its all working fine, but all the wires being the same color I can't tell if I have connected neutral to the actual neutral or to earth.

Switch = 1 in bottom, 2 out top.

Light 1 = 4 red cables.
Light 2 = 3 red cables.

Any clues as to what is going on?
Is there any trick to figure other which is earth and neutral?

Ray K

 

[securespark]

You need to isolate your work from mains voltage and trace the wiring to find out which wire is which.

Chances are you have connected a live wire to the casing of the appliance.

And you could have mixed up neutral and earth.

 

[securespark]

Any clues as to what is going on?

Not a chance, without in-depth pictures.

 

[rkinsella]

You need to isolate your work from mains voltage and trace the wiring to find out which wire is which.

Chances are you have connected a live wire to the casing of the appliance.

Both are possibility - but I am still none the wiser about how I tell Earth from Neutral?

 

[securespark]

Not a chance, without in-depth pictures.

You will need to trace the red wires to where they connect to the supply.

 

[rkinsella]

You will need to trace the red wires to where they connect to the supply.

I was afraid you would say that ...
I was hoping I could do this with a multi-meter somehow.

 

[rkinsella]

Switch works like a charm, still scratching my head abit on the wiring.

 

[stillp]

I was afraid you would say that ...
I was hoping I could do this with a multi-meter somehow.

You can - with the power isolated, using your mm on resistance, with a long lead.