Change to existing outdoor lights

smilgy

Hi All,

I currently have 4 sets of outdoor lights being switched by a single switch - 3 lights covering the back and sides of the house, and one set of front downlights. This switch is located at the backdoor of the house. I would like the front downlights to be somehow separated from the rest, but not sure where to even start (or if I need an electrician to do some work!).

The front downlights I would be happy with, if they were on a smart switch (like a Sonoff or Shelly) that turned on at night and off in the morning, no need for a manual switch. The back and side lights, I would like to be switched by the switch at the back door. I presume all of the wiring for this converges somewhere in a junction box, but how does one even attempt to find this?

I imagine that for the front downlights, if there was a permanent live at the start or end of the string (would that be usual? Probably not..), the smart relay could be inserted here. If that was the case, then with the front downlights "permnantly on" (via the relay), the remaining lights could just be controlled by the single switch at the back?

Anyone have any thoughts if the above idea sounds somewhat right? I'm afraid that if more extensive work would need to be done, it would simply be not worth the hassle..

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058396267/change-to-existing-outdoor-lights

 I presume all of the wiring for this converges somewhere in a junction box, but how does one even attempt to find this?

Did you check the attic?

Did you loosen the face of the switch and see how cables are behind it?

One switch to illumine all lights sounds pretty lazy to me, not to mention a waste of electricity, could well be a junction box wanged under a floor somewhere.

smilgy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123167513#Comment_123167513

Attic might be a good place to look! I'll do that and see what I can find.. Behind the switch is just live in, sw live out (I think!). Its a two gang switch. 90% sure the other switch controls and outdoor socket, but havent tested this yet.

See above photo. Switch closest to the camera does the lights.

House was built in 2004/2005.

Wearb

A kinetic switch might be a good solution.

Boggles

Is it a bungalow?

smilgy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123167617#Comment_123167617

Sadly in this case, its not, making things possibly harder to trace. Its a two story detached house.

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123167647#Comment_123167647

Attic so, you may get lucky.

As an aside the skim under that socket looks fair rough, was there water damage or was it just painted using an anvil? 😂

smilgy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123167653#Comment_123167653

If only I knew! Previous owners had the placed spray painted. Every. single. room. the exact same colour. Kitchen cabinets, doors and skirting - all the same.

smilgy

I have one of those ali express wire tracers I bought a few weeks ago, but havent used. Similar to this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Telephone-Ethernet-Sensitivity-Adjust-Continuity-Check-Collation/dp/B07CSTN4CC/ref%3Dsr_1_5?crid=1WZL11OCO4P3F&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dGuTxXs5WThnkdT_3dzutbFU1lNpPKEFFCfiHMAvsFdCYq5Jg9uzhCA3WgVRL8kReYDTX0yRYDuECnsNUL05VQZnv0td_tgSpJeK3zA9KkMrNc6TOJwEcX6eBf7SHVMvmRPaV8Au39Es32zesJOSI2KBp-U1TqpaMkFEyWr1frcBECH-DMtRcQavwqdKEZ0gOrkRIrKsLp3auyACqhw0KdxExDNUwQ7y_gsGdg3YHZ0Ug4oY2jcxqjFG7EV0VEIrRb1vlgN_DvBO9gOzxVC7Tc7ZLvOruO4WiGfdEdsgdxbXgJy7vGDovQZLuXq70TzCnfW9e45dHHiVYHtRro7-8GdfJcd7GhO5oEFOUb5fqOKGyFyQWww9b3jDGeEHuiBs8387rROBPnRvbYtIwRyrXtTNDq1_hcT26rV5au2IMNvfwvNaIUmkpfLiloXmJzpK.uJVPV3dcZygXudsxKjZ_3xz_eJsHBLXoV6bgKa8B7sI&dib_tag=se&keywords=wire+tracers&qid=1739460944&sprefix=wire+tracers%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-5

Is it even worth trying to locate the wires in the attic with this or just a waste of time? Obviously have to denergise the circuit first.

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123167777#Comment_123167777

You can send a tone through a wire using the croc clips so should work.

Are the lights far up the walls?

smilgy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123167802#Comment_123167802

Just up above the backdoor and similar level throughout, between ground and first floor.

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123167869#Comment_123167869

I'll be honest with you, none of that sounds good for what you want to do.

Who in the name of Jaysus puts the front lights switch at the back door.

Do you think it was there when originally built or retro'd in?

smilgy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123167886#Comment_123167886

I had thought as much..

No - I think it has been this way since the house was built. I agree, its daft that such a number of lights are controlled from a single light switch.

smilgy

The plot thickens! The second switch, which I thought did the outdoor socket, in fact, does not do the outdoor socket. Whats the best approach for finding its purpose? :D

I don't want to turn into Monica..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMuVm1Y669U

Boggles

It must be some sort of light in that room or next to it.

Or else one of those switches were supposed to do back lights and the other front lights and it is just wired arséways.

There isn't a shed or an outbuilding it might be servicing?

smilgy

On the front of house downlights - I think it turns out they have been a retrofit. I pulled out the first and last downlight and found where they're being fed from. There is a cable running along the side of the house to one of the existing side lights. Must have been the only straight forward way to wire them.

There is a lighting circuit in the attic. Can this cable be extended to the attic and fed from there? In any case - I suspect an electrician will be called, as I would like a socket installed in the attic for a PoE network switch.

Boggles

Once you get a socket in the attic you can do what you want really. You can even wang in a cheap analogue timer to control the lights.

For me personally I would at least run the conduit externally. For the cabling to the lights and I am assuming the cat cable from the router? I could not bare the idea of wonky conduit lashed up and having to look at it for the next 20 years. You can run the Cat 5/6 yourself.

It sounds like you just acquired the property, I would make a full list of what needs addressing and then get the sparky in.