12 volt outside light recommendations.

most larger sized mains light fittings support this or can have a joint inside the enclosure, not so sure of the 12v ones. What sort of thing do you have in mind?

How do you propose to terminate the conduit underground without connecting into a junction box?

Personally I would use 1.5mm2 SWA and loop into conduit 'U' through boxes, then mount the lamps on them.

Or as a quick fix you could clip the cable to the wall and loop in at the lights

However, I did use some rather expensive CW ELV LED lamps buried in 1.1/4" (32mm) plastic drainage pipe buried through a stone garden wall and wired at the back in 2-core rubber cable.

Legh

Depending on the fittings, you may be able to use them to cover over a junction box sunk into the wall behind.

You need to decide on the fittings before you go too far down this route.

Hi. Thanks for the reply. Sorry I didn't reply sooner but for some reason I didn't get notified of the replies to the post. We just want to put some downward facing wall lights on the brick wall really. The low voltage transformer etc will be in the loft and then a bit of trunking with rubber cable running down the outside wall into trunking in the ground to the lights. 


Thanks for your reply and advice

Hi and thanks for your reply. Sorry for getting back to rather late. I was not notified of your reply to the post. 


I have ran the conduit up the wall to the position of where I want the lights. From looking online none of the ELV lights let you run cable into them. They are all prepared so there would be a need for a junction box under each light on the wall.


Regards Lee

Some do - e.g.  https://www.lightingforgardens.com/outdoor-wall-lights/wall-downlights/12v-wall-downlights/compact-wall-downlight-black-12v-mr16

(just a random Google find, not a recommendation) but might not be the kind of thing you're looking for.


The "kit" types usually come pre-wired for a number of reasons - obviously easier for the DIYer, with the old building regulations it avoided having to notify (ELV lighting was notifiable unless a complete kit), and it gives the manufacturer some control over the lengths and size of cables used. ELV lighting systems are notorious for being badly designed - usually voltage drop considerations are overlooked - and that can demand a far thicker cable than most people would imagine.


  - Andy.

Far less complicated with mains lights.  Transformer in a loft seems like a long cable run to me.  Also pretty much all external 12v i have seen are pre wired.  Conduit will fill up with water if it's in the ground unless you are very careful. I wouldn't recommend it.



Gary

Hi. Thanks for your reply.


Strange. For some reason from my research I came to the conclusion that ELV was the best option from reading manufactures info. Then looking into lights to buy I see the options are limited. 


Regards Lee

Hi


Thanks for the reply and link. That light would be ideal if it was a different style. Amazed how you found a light so quick that isn't pre wired. What did you type I wonder as I typed lots of things into Google and I didn't get any information.

Amazed how you found a light so quick that isn't pre wired. What did you type I wonder as I typed lots of things into Google and I didn't get any information.

I think I just googled for something like "12V outdoor wall downlight" and skipped over anything that looked like it was a kit. Thinking about it, adding MR16 (the usual, if technically incorrect, reference to a common type of replaceable 12V directional lamp) might narrow it down further - in my experience fitting with moulded-in leads tend to have non-replaceable lamps.


   - Andy.