Advice on Wiring Outdoor Light Sensors - What is the Correct Procedure Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[Kingslay]

Hi all, new to the forum.

My query, I am erecting outdoor lights, 5 in total. I require an independent sensor at the top of my drive and another at the bottom, what is the proper procedure in wiring this. I already have power to the driveway gates which are supplied with 2.5 armour cable.
Thanks for taking time to read this.

[ericmark]

The sensor needs to be type needing a neutral connection, not the type which powers its self from power going to lights. And the contacts need to be an parallel.

In the main sensors which can be used in parallel state it on the instructions. Not all are suitable.

[ericmark]

The sensor needs to be type needing a neutral connection, not the type which powers its self from power going to lights. And the contacts need to be an parallel.

In the main sensors which can be used in parallel state it on the instructions. Not all are suitable.

Why not trigger with gates no real need for PIR.

[Kingslay]

Thanks for your response Ericmart.
Linking the lights to the opening of the gates is not suitable as I need a sensor at the bottom of the drive also, in effect a sensor when passed by car or pedestrian at the bottom of the drive, and one at the top so it can be activated at either end. The drive itself is 150 meters long.
Can anyone tell me the cable that would be required for the lights and sensors? The cable that is on my house lights and sensor has 4 cables L/N/B and I think the forth one is white which is the one for the sensor to link to power the lights.
With wanting to put a sensor at both ends of the drive how would I go about wiring this.

Many thanks.

[ericmark]

The sensors come in many types. You will need a type where it says they can be used in parallel so likely will need a neutral. So to have two sensors both work all lights it will need 4 conductors. Earth, Permanent line, switched line and neutral.

If each lamp has it own sensor then only 3 conductors you will not need the switched line.

150 meters is a fair run and size of cable will depend how wired and type of lamp. The LED lamp is able to stand quite a large volt drop and although the regulations say 3% max volt drop many LED lamps will stand 40% volt drop.

Although with a car you could drive length of drive with PIR either end to set the time delay for walking could mean lights going out while in middle of the drive. Depends on posts used of course but I would be looking at PIR on each post. Likely will need SWA cable but could be same cable as feeds the gates.

At that distance may be solar powered would also work better.

I don't think a PIR set to span 75 meters will ever go off out doors something would be moving to set it off. I worked on traffic lights with radar detectors we at that time had two makes. One would be set of my tree movement so no good in the country lanes the other needed cars to be doing 5 MPH so no good in the town.

Most PIR's for outdoor use are around the 12 meters mark so with one one each of 5 lamps there would be 50 meters between each lamp so 48 meters would be covered by the light behind you, held on by the timer for last 36 meters of your walk before next lamp comes on. At 9 meters per minute (3 MPH) light needs to stay on for 4 minutes. To do 150 meters you need 17 minutes and most PIR's will not stay on that long.

[Kingslay]

Many thanks for your reply Eric, much appreciated.