Cable post lamps off existing junction box

[sjws1888]

Hi
I've got an outdoor security light at the front of the house - cable exits the external wall into a junction box and then the light connects off the junction box. I've stuck a photo below.

I'm relaying the driveway this year and thinking about fitting a couple of free standing post lights at the end of the driveway. Would it be ok within UK rags to connect a cable into the junction box on the front wall, drop this down the wall and under the driveway to supply the new lights?

Additionally if I bury the cable under the driveway, does it need to be in a particular type of trunking?

Cheers

 

[ericmark]

In Yorkshire it is permitted to DIY on garden electrics, but not in Wales, as to the supply it depends what supplies the outside lights to start with, in the main we try to supply outside lights from a RCD protected supply which should the RCD trip it will not cause you to loose items in the house, if that is not possible then at least a double pole switch or plug and socket so if water does get in it can be isolated.

Also we aim to fuse or other wise protect the supply to no more than 6 amp.

 

[RF Lighting]

Any cable buried in the ground must be fully surrounded by earthed metal. The easiest way to do this is to use steel wire armoured (SWA) cable.

If you swap the existing round junction box for a black wiska box, it has two threaded holes at the bottom so you could gland your SWA in to it and also fit a compression gland for your floodlight flex. Wiska also do an earthing kit for their boxes so you can properly earth the armoured cable.

I think this would be a fairly neat solution.

 

[sparkwright]

You may like to consider supplying the posts from a low level socket, via a switched fused connection unit.

This would enable you to not have to run the cable so high up the wall, which is going to look unsightly.

By running off a nearby (low) socket, you will also be able to fit a timer, should you need one, fairly easily indoors.

Bollard and post lighting is often available with PIR sensors or dusk to dawn sensors.