Wire 2nd security light to run as slave / outdoor cable

[emjayess]

Hi,

I have an odd-shaped garden and I want to install 2 LED security lights.

Light 1 has a PIR and is the main light. Light 2 does not have a PIR and should be activated by the PIR on light 1.

I have L,N, E and switched live (from the PIR) in light 1, and I believe that if I wired light 1 as per normal, then run a cable from the switched live, N, E to L, N, E on light 2, that it will do as I want.

However, there is no cable with the lights. Do I need special outdoor cable? I don't think the cable hole in light 1 is big enough for 2 cables so I am trying to find an alternative solution - any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[OwainDIYer]

You need cable suitable for the environment. That depends on whether it is clipped to a wall (and at what height) or buried.

If the light fitting won't take multiple cables, use a junction box.

 

[emjayess]

As a starting point, I was wondering about trying to get a 4-core outdoor cable, the idea being to use LNE to Light 1 as normal and then use the 4th wire to bring the switched live back from light 1. I could then then run NE to light 2 from the same supply as to light 1, and L from the returned switched live. However, it is outside of my knowledge to know what implications there would be in doing this.

 

[emjayess]

Thanks.

The light will be head height, cable fed back through hole in the wall to FCU inside (so total cable length for light 1 will only be about 15-20cm).

Then whatever I have to run to light 2 will run inside until the point in the wall where I mount light 2 (light 2 already has a outdoor cable so no worries there)