Just an observation really. The traditional tungsten filament halogen floodlights with removable cable housing back plate had a facility for linking a switch cable so that multiple fittings could be wired to switch on from any of the PIRs being activated. I have noticed that the trend for many of the new PIR activated LED floodlights is to pre-wire with a tail of 3-core flex to contend with, and there is no facility now for linking them together. The pre-wiring is also making it more awkward to wire them up. Just wondering why this is happening? A tail of flex hanging from the fitting calls for an external IP65 connection box which is bloody daft, unless there is opportunity to push this through the wall, but even then options are limited. Adds cost to an already expensive item. Well done manufacturers for introducing yet another unnecessary design.
I came across exactly that last week UP, 10w led flood with flex pre-fitted. As it happened it wasn't a problem as I was fitting it on a garage wall so I just fed the flex through wall and into a jb but I did think about the problems it could cause on other installations. It didn't look as though the fitting was easily dismantleable to be able to run a cable directly into it.
I work with these all day every day as my company supplies the wholesalers and I can tell you the reason for this is because the cable fitted goes direct into the LED driver through a watertight gland. The driver itself is invariably IP rated, potted, and therefore the cable is not removable or replaceable. Halogens of course didn't have a driver; just a connecting block. Not only that the rear compartment of these where the driver sits is well sealed (or should be!) and getting into this would not only void the warranty but more than likely result in the cover not being sealed up properly again (I see instances of this every week with returns from sparkies who have been in the back and now its full of water!) I find most electricians fitting these simply take the 1mt lead to a Wiska box or similar. We did debate how long the input lead ought to be and settled on 1mt being the optimum, more would be wasteful in most cases but appreciate there will be times when it isn't long enough but its all down to cost. 5000 of these lamps with 1.5mt instead of 1mt adds up and the customers wont pay! I agree it adds cost terminating in another IP rated box but what....a one off £3 or so? Tell the end user to set that against never having to change the bulb and 10% of the power consumed? If you want switchable PIR's then there are ones out there that can be overridden but with the low wattage of these you are often better putting several on a stand alone PIR - just watch out for inrush!
Thanks for the information lightingman. It is a shame that the fittings have to be wired in to a wiskas box (or similar) as it is an ugly lump on the brickwork! However I can understand the reasons now that you have pointed these out. Would it not be possible to give the option, though, of having another switch wire off the PIR output so it can be used to add more fittings and link them like the halogen versions?
There are a couple of brands that done come with a flex, just the small gland which will only take a 3c 1mm flex at most.. Personally I much prefer to fit a separate PIR as yoiuo can never get the right angle when they are attached to the light.
Hi Unphased & Caddy.... It would, as you say, be handy if a 4 core cable could be fitted as this would also give the option of taking a switched live direct to the LED driver in order to by pass the PIR where fitted and as you say to link others but we have looked at this and the extra thickness of the cable would call for a larger cable gland and in most instances, especially the smaller wattages, there isn't the space available for a larger diameter hole in the driver housing. Apart from that (and I appreciate it seems unhelpful) there simply isn't enough call to import yet another model on top of all the varieties we currently offer. Plus the cable has to be rubber (not PVC) and minimum 1mmsq, narrowing the options even further, just getting the far eastern manufacturers to fit the correct cable is hard enough, getting them to fit that in 4 core....argh!!!. Caddy is right in my opinion as a stand alone PIR usually gives more options and control, but I have never seen the ones Caddy refers to with a seperate flex and beleive me I have seen hundreds including witnessing them being made in China. Keep buying them though!
It has long been my view that the Chinese should steer clear of design! They are the worlds best manufacturers by a mile but their designs leave a lot to be desired. We have to contend with many unnecessarily fiddly tiny screws and tight unusable terminations on many of the light fittings that come out of China. I quite often resort to cutting off the cable terminations provided and start fresh with my own. Brackets that require tiny fiddly screws to be inserted in the side of the rose are the worst design possible. Push and twist slots on the rose help but even then holding a screwdriver with your mits hard up against the ceiling is just ridiculous. Leave the design to the British and make them manufacture to our designs! Thanks for the input though lightingman.
Well in that case stateit they must be designing AND manufacturing. ie Chinese designers telling Chinese manufacturers what to make! They forget that Europeans are twice as tall as them and hence have larger fingers.
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