ᐅ Outdoor Lighting Planning with a Focus on Burglary Prevention
Created on: 12 Sep 2023 23:09
R
Rhyem86
Hello everyone,
I would like to discuss the exterior lighting for our property/single-family home with you.
Attached are views of our house:
Street front with the main entrance (power outlet above the front door)
Terrace and garden (power outlet at the back of the house)
Side entrance and garage (garage to be installed) (power outlet at the side entrance to supply the garage)
Our plan
We want to install spotlights in the eaves boxes at the front and back (number still to be determined), as well as wall lights on the terrace wall (number to be determined), and a floodlight at the side entrance covering the entire driveway. Power outlets are already installed in the eaves boxes and at the side entrance (for the garage) outside. Security and burglary prevention are especially important for us. Therefore, we want the entrances on the ground floor to be illuminated as well as possible. We have decided to use motion sensors. Inside the house, we have two switches for manually turning the eaves spotlights on and off.
How many spotlights do we need in the eaves boxes?
How many wall-mounted floodlights do we need on the terrace? Should the floodlights illuminate upward, downward, or both?
Where is the best place to position the motion sensors? Which light sources should be connected to which sensors?
Or should we use dusk-to-dawn sensors, even though that would mean the lights stay on all night, which we want to avoid unless there are good reasons for it?
The garage also has an exit to the garden. Should we plan for an additional light source there?
Do you have any other thoughts or suggestions regarding exterior lighting for us?
Best regards
I would like to discuss the exterior lighting for our property/single-family home with you.
Attached are views of our house:
Street front with the main entrance (power outlet above the front door)
Terrace and garden (power outlet at the back of the house)
Side entrance and garage (garage to be installed) (power outlet at the side entrance to supply the garage)
Our plan
We want to install spotlights in the eaves boxes at the front and back (number still to be determined), as well as wall lights on the terrace wall (number to be determined), and a floodlight at the side entrance covering the entire driveway. Power outlets are already installed in the eaves boxes and at the side entrance (for the garage) outside. Security and burglary prevention are especially important for us. Therefore, we want the entrances on the ground floor to be illuminated as well as possible. We have decided to use motion sensors. Inside the house, we have two switches for manually turning the eaves spotlights on and off.
How many spotlights do we need in the eaves boxes?
How many wall-mounted floodlights do we need on the terrace? Should the floodlights illuminate upward, downward, or both?
Where is the best place to position the motion sensors? Which light sources should be connected to which sensors?
Or should we use dusk-to-dawn sensors, even though that would mean the lights stay on all night, which we want to avoid unless there are good reasons for it?
The garage also has an exit to the garden. Should we plan for an additional light source there?
Do you have any other thoughts or suggestions regarding exterior lighting for us?
Best regards
X
xMisterDx20 Sep 2023 09:33Rhyem86 schrieb:
But then we would have to dim it manually? How does the lamp know whether to light the walkway or to spotlight an uninvited guest?How does the alarm system know that a trespasser forced the door open and you didn’t just open it from the inside?
X
xMisterDx20 Sep 2023 09:45Araknis schrieb:
By pressing the right button or letting the whole system run through automation. Cozy decorative lighting can, for example, be scheduled, and alarm lighting could be triggered by motion detectors.Why not simply use motion detectors for both? Ambient or regular pathway lighting when motion is detected and the alarm system is off. Alarm lighting when motion is detected and the alarm system is on. The alarm system could just be a "dummy" that I turn on and off with a switch and maybe indicate its status with a lamp showing whether it is armed or not.
X
xMisterDx20 Sep 2023 13:23That’s why I would avoid using floodlights. It’s really not funny when false alarms constantly create a stadium-like atmosphere.
You don’t want a cyclist passing by to get so startled that they swerve onto the road in front of a car, just because the motion detector is monitoring a bit too much.
You don’t want a cyclist passing by to get so startled that they swerve onto the road in front of a car, just because the motion detector is monitoring a bit too much.
I need help with wiring the components.
Current situation at the house:
On three sides of the house (gable terrace, north eaves, south eaves), a NYM-J 3x1.5mm² cable has been installed outside. Inside, each cable should be connected to a light switch. The interior plaster has already been applied. The gable side of the garage should be supplied via the south eaves.
Gable side terrace
We want a) a motion sensor to activate a wall light and b) to be able to switch the light on permanently using the light switch.
Our idea:
For a) the motion sensor needs a constant power supply bypassing the switch, so that the motion sensor cannot be switched off by the switch.
For b) we need a direct connection from the switch to the lamp.
North eaves
We want a) a motion sensor to activate the 3 spotlights in the eaves and b) to be able to switch the 3 spotlights on with the light switch; these should then turn off automatically after a set time.
Our idea:
For a) the motion sensor needs continuous power.
For b) we need a push button that sends a short impulse to the motion sensor at the eaves; this switches on the lights and they turn off automatically after the motion sensor’s preset time.
South eaves and gable side garage
We want a) a motion sensor to activate the 3 spotlights in the eaves, b) a wall light with a motion sensor at the garage that can always switch on independently, and c) to be able to switch the 3 spotlights and the wall light on using the light switch; these should then turn off automatically after a set time.
Our idea:
For a) the motion sensor needs continuous power.
For b) the motion sensor needs continuous power.
For c) we need a push button that sends a short impulse to the motion sensors at the south eaves and at the garage; these switch the lights on and they turn off automatically after the motion sensors’ preset time.
Could you please share your thoughts on our ideas and possibly list wiring options and the hardware required (special motion sensors, small parts, etc.)?
Current situation at the house:
On three sides of the house (gable terrace, north eaves, south eaves), a NYM-J 3x1.5mm² cable has been installed outside. Inside, each cable should be connected to a light switch. The interior plaster has already been applied. The gable side of the garage should be supplied via the south eaves.
Gable side terrace
We want a) a motion sensor to activate a wall light and b) to be able to switch the light on permanently using the light switch.
Our idea:
For a) the motion sensor needs a constant power supply bypassing the switch, so that the motion sensor cannot be switched off by the switch.
For b) we need a direct connection from the switch to the lamp.
North eaves
We want a) a motion sensor to activate the 3 spotlights in the eaves and b) to be able to switch the 3 spotlights on with the light switch; these should then turn off automatically after a set time.
Our idea:
For a) the motion sensor needs continuous power.
For b) we need a push button that sends a short impulse to the motion sensor at the eaves; this switches on the lights and they turn off automatically after the motion sensor’s preset time.
South eaves and gable side garage
We want a) a motion sensor to activate the 3 spotlights in the eaves, b) a wall light with a motion sensor at the garage that can always switch on independently, and c) to be able to switch the 3 spotlights and the wall light on using the light switch; these should then turn off automatically after a set time.
Our idea:
For a) the motion sensor needs continuous power.
For b) the motion sensor needs continuous power.
For c) we need a push button that sends a short impulse to the motion sensors at the south eaves and at the garage; these switch the lights on and they turn off automatically after the motion sensors’ preset time.
Could you please share your thoughts on our ideas and possibly list wiring options and the hardware required (special motion sensors, small parts, etc.)?
X
xMisterDx24 Sep 2023 01:33An (almost) unsolvable problem. Outside, you only have a 3x1.5 mm² (AWG 15) cable. Setting aside any illegal tricks—which are definitely not recommended—you only have one live wire that is switched by your light switch... or not switched at all.
You can’t both “switch” and “not switch” the same wire.
How you might still solve it:
Connect L, N, and PE through to the motion detector using the 3x1.5 mm² (AWG 15) cable. The light switch will get a “Shelly” device acting as a dummy that only detects the switch’s state... or you could just use a wireless push button that has nothing to do with the electrical installation.
After the motion detector, a Shelly device is installed, which is controlled by either the motion detector or the dummy switch.
However you look at it, you’ll depend on radio frequency (RF) or Wi-Fi; purely wired operation won’t work for you—unless you open up the walls and install additional cables.
So basically, you’re trading VDE hell (strict electrical standards and regulations) for DIY hell...
Therefore... the situation is already set—consider using battery-powered motion detectors or a smart outdoor light with a built-in motion sensor that then controls all other lights.
But you will avoid all this anyway because you are definitely not a certified electrician.
If, however, you skip the option to override the motion detector via a switch, all of this could be done easily without modifications.
You just have to decide: do you want a smart home or not...
You can’t both “switch” and “not switch” the same wire.
How you might still solve it:
Connect L, N, and PE through to the motion detector using the 3x1.5 mm² (AWG 15) cable. The light switch will get a “Shelly” device acting as a dummy that only detects the switch’s state... or you could just use a wireless push button that has nothing to do with the electrical installation.
After the motion detector, a Shelly device is installed, which is controlled by either the motion detector or the dummy switch.
However you look at it, you’ll depend on radio frequency (RF) or Wi-Fi; purely wired operation won’t work for you—unless you open up the walls and install additional cables.
So basically, you’re trading VDE hell (strict electrical standards and regulations) for DIY hell...
Therefore... the situation is already set—consider using battery-powered motion detectors or a smart outdoor light with a built-in motion sensor that then controls all other lights.
But you will avoid all this anyway because you are definitely not a certified electrician.
If, however, you skip the option to override the motion detector via a switch, all of this could be done easily without modifications.
You just have to decide: do you want a smart home or not...
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