Hi all - I'm not a sparky, but currently dealing with one and we seem to be at cross purposes and hoping some people on here can help if they're feeling generous. I'm currently having a garden office installed and therefore need the power connecting to it, but at the same time wanted to add an outdoor power distribution box that I could connect garden lights to it. (Seemed as good a time as any to do it). I'm from Australia originally and we use low-voltage boxes that have either switches or often remotes (I'd like a remote in this case), and then we connect our low voltage lights to that. I can't however seem to find any here in the UK, as they all seem to be 240v (example below): http://www.screwfix.com/p/bg-4-way-weatherproof-power-controller/20964?_requestid=256372 I'd really like low voltage as I don't want to have to dig deep trenches everywhere, or be unsafe. Am I missing something or is there a more common method used here? Thanks!
Ironically 240V is low voltage but I know what you mean. Why not put a transformer inside the office and run the "extra" low voltage from that into the switches or get those remote control plug in things and plug the transformer into that. There are loads of 12 volt garden lights knocking about, how you switch them on and off is up to you.
Hi, thanks for the reply. That's a possibility but I'd really like a way to have it all from the one distribution box, purely because then I can control it from one source. But failing that your idea is a possibility. Silly question, but is a 240v cable that is only drawing 5amps dangerous if i put a shovel through it? (I remember something from my school days that its not the voltage but the current we need to be worried about).
Trouble with 12v or to some extent 24v it's distance limited & the wattage of the transformer, 240v & LED lighting is the way forward in the garden.
Well 5 amps is more than enough to kill anyone 100 times over, its true that its the current that kills you but its the voltage that pushes the current through you. A 12V car battery can supply 100A but 12 volts will never push that amount of current through your body-your resistance is too high, although I wouldn't like to put my knackers across a car battery.
I read somewhere that a shock from 12v car battery, was enough to screw up a pacemaker , if you had one.
Well sounds like my knackers or my pacemaker aren't going to survive, but the best way to go is still 240v! There definitely seems to me lots more options that way. Perhaps the best way is to just use armoured cable (despite the extra costs!)
Ever seen Easyconnect IP67 rated, wireless remotes,reading about it in a old trade mag. http://www.easyconnectuk.com/
Thanks KIAB - that looks very similar to what I'm used to back in Aus. Now to find a dealer and some prices!
It's 240v system, but they do have lighting product adaptor, so you can use your own light fittings, but do consider using LED fitting, cheaper to run, cool running & last longer. http://www.easyconnectuk.com/products/lighting-adapters
Transformers for 12-24v lighting are old hat now. Switch mode PSU are used for LED garden lighting now. What exactly is a 'Garden Office' , is this like a desk in the garden under a garden umbrella?
Well if we are being pedantic then 'low voltage' is actually anything between 50v and 1000v AC (120v - 1500v DC) between conductors and 50v and 600v (120v - 900v DC) between conductors and earth.
try 60,000 volts carrying a rifle round a sub station at night (my dad did when he was part of the udr in the troubles here) and told not to carry it upright or your dead.
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