The weather is getting warmer and summer is around the corner, so outdoor spaces will become more popular again very soon. Outdoor lighting can help to make the most of these areas. 

 

Here are some things to think about to make sure your outdoor lighting is safe and effective. 

 

Firstly, make sure fittings are designed for outdoor use and locations are safe and unlikely to flood. Any light you fit outdoors should have an IP (Ingress Protection) rating of at least IP44. 

 

All outdoor sockets must be protected with a residual current device (RCD) to switch off electricity if a cable is cut. Cables must also be suitable for outdoor uses. 

 

 

Outdoor cables should be buried so they won’t be damaged by garden tools. 

On 1 September the EU’s ban on importing and selling halogen bulbs became effective. However, only about a third of us are aware of it, according to a survey by Philips. 

 

The Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) is calling for homeowners and businesses to switch from existing halogen light bulbs to energy efficient LEDs as soon as possible. We could all be cutting our energy bill immediately, rather than waiting for our old halogens to fail. 

We recently installed dimmable LED panels for a hall that puts on regular plays. They needed a nice smooth dimming capability. We were surprised at the very reasonable price of the LEDs and dimmers. 

 

For this installation the circuit has a spring return switch that you push and hold to gently dim up and down. Our pictures show full brightness and dimmed levels.