Can I install a sensor operated security light myself?
Question:I want to put a security light on the side of my house as it is very dark there.
I have no experience with electric other than 'it is invisible and bites you'!
I need to do this myself as I can't afford for an electrician to come and do it.
I can use a drill and have no fear of the DIY thing but how do you get these things attached to the electricity? Am I heading for a shocking time...
Answers:
One way so that you don't get electrocuted is to drill the wall and lead your cable from the fitting through and then put a 13 amp plug on and just plug it in to the nearest socket. UK answer only
If you have power to location already it is just a matter of installing bracket and connecting wires. If not good to have a license electrician run power to location.
get a drill,once up connect to power.
Sure you can it's easy I have installed several myself.
First turn off the power at the panel box, if you don't know which breaker or fuse it is turn them all off.
Of course you need light so do it during daylight.
you just attach the black wire to the black and the red to the red and the green wire is the ground, if you don't have a green to attach it to you can ground it agains the box.
Then screw it into the wall and go turn the power on, your done!
You don't need anyone to do it if you already have the electrical connection in the wall.
However if you want to put it in where there is no existing electrical connection, then you need an electrician because it needs to be wired through the house to the panel box, that's not something you should play with if you don't know what your doing.
THEY ALSO SELL NEW '''SOLAR SECURITY LIGHTS'''' THAT DO NOT NEED ANY ELECTRICAL AT ALL JUST PUT IT UP AND THE SUN WILL POWER IT.I HAVE 3 AND HAVE HAD THEM FOR 3 YRS AND THEY WORK GREAT...
If you already have a light installed that isn't a motion detecting fixture you simply replace the fixture with a new one. There are only 3 wires, black, white and either bare copper or green for ground.
Just turn off the power to the circuit your working on and have at it. It's pretty simple and straightforward.
If you don't have an existing light fixture, you will have to have an electrician run power from your breaker panel to where you want to install the new light. If that's the case, you may as well have him install the light for you while he's there. That way you KNOW it's done right.
if you do it wourself you have to get an electrictian to check it before and afterwards by law
most DIY stores sell PIR switches (passive infra-red) that you wire into the powre supply to the exterior light hey presto instant security light
first make sure that the wires you're working on has no power at the time.Turn off the switch or circuit breaker what have you.You will need a pair of pliers/wire nutsand a phillps screw driver.The jonction box you will be working out of should have two wires one black,one white.Now all you do;you match the colors with the wire nuts/fasten the light to the junction.Let there be light.You welcome .Work safe
If you really cannot afford the electrician, then yes, go for the wire through the wall & 'plug-it-in' approach.
Use a 0.75mm black flex and a 3A fuse in the plug.
If you can do a bit of DIY and you can read and follow the instructions that come with these PIR lights why not just plug it into a 13amp socket via a normal plug rather than mess about with the mains lighting circuit you can add a timer switch to the socket if you wish to set the times you want it on and off but most are controlled automatically all you will be doing is using a plug instead of wiring in and if you switch the socket on and off and back on quickly it will make the light stay on handy if you are working outside when finished just turn it off count to 20 and turn on again and it will be back in auto mode
Give it a try the worst you can do is blow a fuse this way
Good luck R
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