How do I install an outdoor light?

This may sound like the first line of a joke, but electricity isn’t a laughing matter. It’s almost responsible for 3,500 deaths in work-related incidents between 2003 and 2016. There were also 55 deaths in one Biennium thanks to electrical injuries.

Therefore, treat electricity with the utmost respect, it has the power to kill you.

How do you install an outdoor light?

Search for an existing device

When you have an existing device that needs to be replaced, the job is much easier. You must turn off the power for that particular circuit and remove the device from the wall.

This will leave cables free, which you should ensure that they are not under tension. Just because you turned the device off doesn’t mean the circuit is not receiving power! Once you’ve rewired the house, the circuits should be properly labeled and this is not a problem.

You can then connect your new device to the existing wiring and screw it to the wall.

It is important that you check the wiring code to make sure the cables are up to date. Otherwise, you’ll have to think about replacing the cables, which is covered in the next section.

Install a new device

If nothing is connected yet, you need to do the following:

Decide where you want the light or lights to be. This can be anywhere outside of your home.

You then have to decide your cable routing. The outdoor lighting should be in its own circuit. This means that you have to run a cable from the new light to the fuse box.

Take some time to figure out the best route from one to the other. The more hidden the cable, the better.

Only after you have determined the route can you bring the cable into position. Don’t forget that the cable from the fuse box must go to a switch. A second cable runs from the switch to the lamp. Otherwise, you cannot turn it on and off.

It is a good idea to have the switch in your home.

You will then need to drill the necessary holes to attach the light fixture. You should be able to use the light that came with the fixture or a stencil.

Once you have positioned the light, you can connect the cables to the light and close the lamp. At this point you have not yet added a breaker to the fuse box, so the cable may not be live.

Your outdoor light must be designed to withstand the elements.

Get it checked out

The final phase of your installation should be one Level 2 electricians check the connectionsor even make the final connections for you. This will help ensure that the device is secure and that you have everything wired correctly.

At this stage a breaker is added to your fuse box. You will need some free space in the box and it is advisable to turn off all power while you are doing this. The power and neutral attached to the other breakers will need to be extended to the new fuse, and your wire going to the breaker will need to be connected to the other side of the breaker with the earth going to a common point inside the fuse box.

If you are in any doubt about this phase, you should seek help from a qualified electrician.