Should outdoor lights and electrical gate be fitted to their own independent circuit?
Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 3.03 PM
We have a problem with some garden lights we had fitted. Every time it rains they trip. Problem is, they were put on the same circuit as our freezer, oven, washing machine and tumble dryer. Electrician is saying it is ok to do this and if we want to 'upgrade' to sort the problem by putting the garden lights onto their own circuit, then there will be a further cost to us. Feeling a bit had at the moment. We're about to get quotes in for installing an electric gate/intercom/cctv. The electrician has told us the cables installed for the gate etc, are on the same circuit as the garden lights and internal appliances mentioned. Does this mean we're going to be locked in/out of our own gate once installed everytime it rains? How do we stand here please? Should they have been put on their own circuit? He can't seem to find where the fault is, but insists the lights were installed in parallel. Hoping someone qualified can give some advice. Thanks
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
If there are some spare 'ways' in your circuit board then you should be able to take off the garden lights from the RCD which commonly protects the other circuits you mentioned. Then have the garden lights be protected by their own 'RCBO' which is a fuse with an integral RCD. It will still trip but won't take out the other circuits. OR you could put a small secondary consumer unit in just for the garden lights OR upgrade your whole fuse board to RCBO circuits which won't trip any other circuits if there are problems. There is a cost involved of course. Sounds like the electrician you mentioned upgraded your fuse board already? Not sure what work he carried out. If he installed the lights then yes you are right to feel hard done by. If he changed the board and wasn't aware the light circuit was compromised in the rain then it's not necessarily his fault. I would ask him what the cost is for the upgrade and then possibly ask around for further quotes. An all RCBO board is considered the best but most expensive option.
Did the electrician provide you with a minor works certificate. They should not trip when it rains, sounds like exposed parts/ conductors which is possibly shorting out when it rains. It looks like you should have a continuity and insulation testing done as a minimum to find the fault.
You can add the lights to an exiting circuit but should have its own protection via something like a RCBO spur. You can buy these surface mount.
Connecting it to the ring circuit, with out its own protection is a poor design. It should have been flagged when the electrician measured the disconnection times. Which should be detailed on the certificate.
I would in the first instance ask for the certificate.
Hi,
I agree with the above answers but all depends on whether the electrician wired those circuits or just upgraded the board. The outside circuit should be on there own mcb for this exact problem, it is poor design. I would personally put the outside stuff it's own circuit and fault find on the lights as its probably just a weak point where water is getting in and causing the tripping. So if the electrician wired it like this then I wouldn't pay to rectify the issue but if he just updated the board he is right to charge to re-design the circuit.
Regards Ben
