Coloured LED "filament" lamps for external use ?

Not sure about those, I have been involved in the installation of  a set of lights where after LED retrofit for old B22s, we were caught out by some where during a rainy day the plastic bulbs filled with water , which then boiled on switch on, and steam pressure then fired the coloured domes into the crowd below, luckily without any incident more serious than some nervous laughter, but it had potential to have been quite nasty.


A quick turn of self amalgamating tape to hold  the lamp in the socket when re-lamping seemed to do the trick.

So my advice is to see if the globe, which in our ones was purely cosmetic, and not glass at all, is actually watertight.

No idea - although I might suspect reasoning similar to when I asked by CH boiler manufacturer why it couldn't be used as part of an open-vented system - turned out the "no" was just due to them never having bothered testing it in that situation rather than having any reason to think it might not work properly (actually it does, perfectly well).


Maybe better just going for ones that do claim to be good for outdoors (e.g. - random google find - https://www.simplyled.co.uk/product/crompton-coloured-4w-led-harlequin-round-red/ )


-  Andy.

The Crompton lamps might in retrospect have been a better choice, but I already have the Bell ones.

I have left one out in the rain for 2 weeks (not lit) and hung another in the shower for the same time, also not lit. both worked fine. I am satisfied that the glass bulb is actual glass.


The Bell lamps are larger than the Crompton ones being full GLS size rather than golfball size, that IMHO is preferable as regards appearance.

sounds like you do not have the same problem as we did, or at least the sample ones you have tested are watertight.

unless it is being routed in reach of folk likely to take the bulbs out and put their fingers in, I'd not bother with the isolation transformer, personally, also  once you have the transformer, the RCD does not do a lot for you, as it can not detect secondary side damage.

Normally we'd just put 230V festoon straight onto the mains via RCD (or 2 equal lengths in series between 2 phases if no neutral is available, but that is not an official method)

This 'didn't test it so err on the side of caution' reminds me of the old days of BABT approval for telecommunications equipment.


Most fax machines sported a REN of 3... They actually didn't take much current at all from the line, but BABT's method of testing was to take a 4000 ohm bell (the canonical REN:1) and whack the devices in parallel on a simulated line, and wait till the bell stopped working (or they ran out of devices).


The brackets there hold the answer. Most fax machines were state of the art, so the company would only send one sample for testing...and given that a normal phone line was assumed to have a REN of 4... the fax machine or modem or whatever had to be classed as REN 3


Yes, i'm old

Even if they are watertight, it doesn't necessarily mean they are airtight.


I have a string of ELV lamps in my garden.  Various different coloured glass, with a cluster LEDs of in each to illuminate them.  Most now have water inside them.  Months of warming and cooling has drawn damp air into the lamps, and in cold weather, it condenses on the inside.

In general, if any part of the string of lights carries mains voltage then the rule is that it is suitable for indoor use only. If the string carries a maximum of a small fraction of mains voltage it is OK for outdoor use, subject to it being of such design that it will not be disaffected by damp conditions and that the mains plug and step-down transformer are kept indoors or within a rainproof enclosure.


The glass may not get hot enough for rain to cause it to shatter but glass can shatter from other causes, e.g. mechanical impact.


Even with indoor use of decoration light sets there can be concerns about possible electric shock. With the older style of lighting set, using MES or LES lamps, there was the slight risk that metal foil, such as a sliver of tinsel, could touch metal between the lamp and lamp-holder, making a substantial part of the decor live. This concern was addressed in later designs using capless lamps and keeping all live parts well enclosed.


I think that Broadgage is OK to use these lights in the manner described. The "belt and braces" precautions employed are beyond what the manufacturer would have envisaged in its instructions.

 

In general, if any part of the string of lights carries mains voltage then the rule is that it is suitable for indoor use only.

I'd disagree, especially for festoons of B22d lampholders  which are designed to go outdoors. The low wattage lamps were designed to be rained on, and I must have put km of it up over the years. Mains rated LED hose is one of many  new replacements.

The parameter to look at  is the maker's instructions.

wiring of any kind  really should not be accessible to anyone likely to do it a deliberate injury - the worklight kind of festoon can have little baskets fitted to the lamp holders where it gets near the ground. Even the centre earthed 110V thing is not mandatory - the idea is a good one  that 55-0-55 cannot deliver a lethal shock, or at least is very unlikely to do so, however  230V and RCD protection is seen as being equivalently safe, as although the current is lethal, the time is limited. That said,  in my personal book nothing beats being out of reach, so even if live parts were exposed it would require a second deliberate act involving  a step ladder or similar to create an actual danger.