Walkover paving lights - more hassle than it's worth?

[Brahman Naren]

Are you sure that having hard landscape done before main building work is the right order and that your new paving and fancy lighting isn’t going to be trashed by Mr builder and his big digger sorting out foundations and new drainage etc?

I agree. It wasn't the ideal option, however, with what has progressed so far, there will not be much happening in the back garden area anymore after this so the risk is minimal.

 

[MJPD29]

He is right. They are problematic and difficult to repair and replace. I would also avoid them

 

[MFS Electrical]

Found them Drive or Walk Over Decking Lights LED Halogen - https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Lighting_External_Index/DriveOver_Light/index.html

These are the ones I’ve had for years
Stainless Steel Walkover / Drive over Uplighter Square Face - IP67 - https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TLW35GUSQ.html

 

[buzzlightyear]

Ansell Outdoor Uplights - The Electrical Counter - https://www.electricalcounter.co.uk/products/Lighting/Outdoor+Lighting/Ansell+Outdoor+Lighting/Uplights

 

[MFS Electrical]

Really? It would really appreciate if I can get some recommendations for brands/lights.

And for draining, what would I tell the builders/electricians to do to ensure there is sufficient?

Most of the lights instructions specify installation methods. I can’t remember exactly but I know there had to be a specific type of gravel under them to a certain depth and being greenock I decided to connect all the wee gravel pits together with ducting so they would drain away easier

 

[Toneyz]

See I would go for a GU10 LED as there is less to go wrong. Out of interest, these fittings come pre-flexed what do you find the best to use in regards to wiring and terminating between the two and do you take each cable back to a central internal point or daisy chain. I fitted some Collingwood colour changing and the driver was internal but needed 5 core flex.

 

[Edtwozeronine]

Sounds like he's giving you good advice, posts are certain to be more easily repaired than stuff set in paving. In the long run you may find you have to pull up paving slabs just to fix some lighting circuits.

 

[cliffed]

I’ve installed ground & walk over lights they were mains & low voltage.Thats over a year ago,no problems with them.
Made sure water could get away,stones/gravel in bottom of fixing tube,enough room to make connection,& heat shrinked with wago’s,bit of a pain I must admit.
I’ve got little column lights in my garden...

 

[mattg4321]

These won't give you any problems. They will never rust either being 316 stainless. Not really cheap if you want a few, but it's the only brand I'll fit in the ground.

Never fit anything less than IP68 ground lights. Anything else I've tried has only lasted a few months to a couple of years. Water gets in. These are submersible to 9m depth in water.

I would consider other ELV walkover lights but I've tended to stick with what I know and trust the past 6 or 7 years since I started using Collingwood.

GL018 C - Collingwood Lighting - https://www.collingwoodlighting.com/index.php/en/products/ground-lights/item/gl018c-uk

 

[The Ghost]

HI @Brahman Naren I am the electrician that told you pavement lights weren't good. So you don't trust me? Why don't you get one of the trusted members on here to do the work for you then? As to recommendations I have already given you some, not good enough then?

 

[mattg4321]

 

[Toneyz]

I was hoping for some feedback of my post 26.

 

[mattg4321]

I'm not sure what you want feedback on, it seems like you were mostly offering advice?

If you mean you're thinking of fitting ground lights with GU10 lamps, don't! Anything with replaceable lamps WILL get moisture in, if they are recessed into the ground IMO. I only fit IP68 fittings. Usually ELV. Use gel joints. The Collingwood ones are good, if expensive.

 

[Toneyz]

I was hoping for some feedback of my post 26.

I'm not sure what you want feedback on, it seems like you were mostly offering advice?

If you mean you're thinking of fitting ground lights with GU10 lamps, don't! Anything with replaceable lamps WILL get moisture in, if they are recessed into the ground IMO. I only fit IP68 fittings. Usually ELV. Use gel joints. The Collingwood ones are good, if expensive.

Just interested in how others wire to fittings do you go from fitting to fitting or each to one point what was used to make off what cable/flex was best to use others experiences good or bad is useful advice to the rest of us.

 

[mattg4321]

I try to use Collingwood ELV ground lights.

Site driver in box somewhere out of the way and easily changed if necessary and accessible.
Run 2 core nyyj cable daisy chain round all lights in ducting if necessary
Connect using Collingwood gel filled connectors

Result: bulletproof installation.

Actually not totally true. I've had one driver fail. Easily changed in 5 mins work.

Probably done 25 installations like this now over 6 or 7 years. When we were using 230v IP66/7 fittings before that we had no end of problems with water ingress. Not fit for purpose IMO

 

[Brahman Naren]

HI @Brahman Naren I am the electrician that told you pavement lights weren't good. So you don't trust me? Why don't you get one of the trusted members on here to do the work for you then? As to recommendations I have already given you some, not good enough then?

 

[chris gray]

How funny is this!

 

[The Ghost]

@Brahman Naren I was just kidding, but if I was the electrician...and I am not! - just joshing you. But still if I was I might be a bit hurt at your not trusting me. But fair enough you have the right to check and should anyway.

 

[Brahman Naren]

Ha, yeh I know. I went and clicked through your profile and realised you were joking. But I won't lie to you, my heart stopped beating for a few seconds!

And I agree that if my electrician saw it, he would be hurt. However, after hearing so many differing opinions about ground lights from electricians and electrical suppliers I wasn't sure what to believe. I really wanted to get the walkover lights as it looks nice and was a practical solution. However, only if doesn't need frequent fixing or replacement at a high cost.

I figured everyone involved has some invested interest in what they say, so I think he would understand that I may go to the lovely folks of the internet who have nothing to gain (except the knowledge that they gave someone a mini heart attack).

What I found was that the majority of you seem to agree with him!

 

[MFS Electrical]

I was hoping for some feedback of my post 26.

Just interested in how others wire to fittings do you go from fitting to fitting or each to one point what was used to make off what cable/flex was best to use others experiences good or bad is useful advice to the rest of us.

Mine have two entry points 1 in 1 out I suppose you could bury a flex between them but I didn’t like that idea so I used submarine joints in the SWA out from my house under each light with a flex tail coming up to them. As I said the gravel around them is the key to not getting them full of water.