How to make street lighting in the country - 5 steps to success

The installation of street lighting at the dacha is a complex of labor-intensive activities, which even a novice electrician can do.

The basic stages of the installation:

1. Workstation preparation
2. Determination of the method of laying the wires
3. Selection of streetlights
4. Calculation of the cable and other wiring elements
5. Creating the circuit
6. Installing the lamp posts
7. Connecting the light sources
8. Automation installation

First,, supporting structures and methods of laying the wires, after which we will provide you with detailed instructions on how to dealStreet lighting in the country house with their own hands.

Important to know

What is lighting?

To date, street lighting can perform decorative and technical functions.

In the first case, light sources are installed throughout the garden, decorating various small architectural forms, ponds and flower gardens in the country. Such street lanterns can emit a flood of light of different colors of the rainbow.

Technical lighting in the territory is responsible for safety. Lanterns of this group are installed along the garden paths, at the entrance to the house, into the courtyard. Also, fixtures can illuminate facades of buildings and fencing, as shown in the photo.

What kind of lights are there?

Lamps in the modern world can not be counted. For outdoor lighting in the country, the following products are most often used:

• lanterns on poles;
• wall lights;
• suspension lamps;
• floodlights;
• LED strip light;
• luminaires on short legs.

Which option to choose, it's up to you. The main thing is that it should be efficient and at the same time save energy. Immediately recommend that you look at the assembly instructions for a homemade LED spotlight for a summer residence:

Cable management methods

Several main groups of wires should go from the main switchboard in the courtyard. One - in the holiday home, the second - for street lighting infield, the rest - to supply electricity to garden buildings( garage, farm, bath).From the shield to the lighting fixtures, the cable can be laid in two ways: underground and air.

The first option is more preferable, becausein this case, the landscape design of the dacha will not be damaged by cables laid on the lawn and along the garden paths. In addition, this method of laying is safer, becausethe wiring will be protected against mechanical damage.

The air way is applied where it will be more appropriate: under the roof of the house, between tall posts, etc. Its disadvantage is its propensity for damage, as well as a shorter life. At the same time, the air laying of the cable at the dacha is less laborious and much cheaper.

Types of supports

Since most streetlights are installed on supports, these structures should also be discussed. To date, there are reinforced concrete, wooden, metal and even plastic lampposts. The material of their manufacture depends on the conditions of use and the type of luminaire.

In addition, it should be noted that street lighting supports can be represented by vertical poles, wall brackets and even tension cables. Here, again, it all depends on where and how the lantern at the dacha will be installed. The only thing I would like to recommend: choose supports with high-quality fasteners and a sealed place for laying the wire. Such products will significantly increase the service life of lighting in the garden.

Electrical work

So, with the basic information figured out, now consider the technology of installing street lighting with your own hands. The instruction will be presented from the place where the installation of electrical wiring in the house will be carried out, which means that the meter and machines will already be standing.

Step 1 - Preparation of

The first step is to prepare a place for the installation of supports. For this place the wires are removed from the garden garbage, all the necessary tools are prepared and materials are purchased.

All we need from tools and materials is:

• turtle;
• bayonet shovel;
• trowel;
• container for stirring the solution;
• sand;
• cement;
• pure water;
• plywood and wooden bars for formwork.

All these materials are necessary in order to dig a trench and pour the foundation.

Step 2 - Calculation of the wiring elements

Now it is necessary to calculate the street lighting in the cottage - determine the exact number and power of all luminaires, the length / section of the cable, and the power of the circuit breakers and RCDs.

On how to calculate the cross-section of the cable we talked about. About the calculation of power, we also told in detail in the article: the installation of lighting in the apartment.

As for types of streetlights, we recommend that you give priority to the following products:

• garden path lighting - solar-powered lights;
• porch of the house - lanterns on brackets, installed from the front side of the building;
• fence - light from streetlights on poles;
• in the garden - decorative lanterns on legs and in the form of garden figures.

Step 3 - Creating a scheme

After determining the number and type of fixtures, you need to make a street lighting scheme in the suburban area. To do this, it is best to use the dacha plan, which shows the yard area, all garden buildings and communications. All you need is to copy the plan and copy your circuit.

Requirements and recommendations for the design of the outdoor lighting scheme in the country:

• Underground cable laying should be carried out at a depth of 0.7 meters. And the distance from the buildings should be 0.6 m;from the pipeline - 0,5 m;from parallel cables - not less than 0.3 m( better than 0.5 m).
• The cable must be installed at a height of 6 m from the roadway and 3 m from the garden paths.
• The light from the streetlights should not "hit" the windows and get into the territory of neighbors( suddenly they will be against).
• Radii of lighting should not intersect at several fixtures, it is better to separate them a little from each other that in vain not to overpay money for the electric power.
• It is best to use LED lights, they are more durable and not too much exposed to the environment. In addition, they have high efficiency and light output.
• All light switches must be connected in places protected from rain. If this does not work out, protect the product on the street with a plastic container.
• Try to use copper wires, they are not so susceptible to mechanical damage.
• Be sure to ground all lights.

Step 4 - Installation of supports

To begin with, you need to install street lighting supports. If they are presented by wall constructions - drill holes in the wall under the anchor and fasten the support.

We draw your attention to the fact that the installation of supports should be carried out using the building level. Any bias can negatively affect the efficiency and durability of the illumination of the territory.

For the installation of vertical columns for lanterns, it is necessary to fill the foundation. For this, a well is pulled out( with the help of a swivel), sand is poured onto the bottom and carefully compacted. Next, a wooden formwork is installed, inside of which is placed a plastic pipe( it will leave a hole in order to hold the underground cable to the luminaire through the foundation).The ends of the pipe are sealed to prevent the solution from getting inside. The formwork is poured with concrete mortar, and until it is frozen, an anchor is fixed vertically at the center under the pillar fastening. When the cement is fully seized, you can move on to the installation of the support and installation of street lighting fixtures.

Step 5 - Connecting

fixtures As you approach the final part, you need to install the lights on the poles, connect them to the wiring, and connect the light switches where necessary. It is best to connect the wires using terminals that must necessarily be insulated with a heat shrink tubing or other waterproofing product. When all the fixtures are installed in their places, a check is made for all connections, zero-phase resistance and power-on. In theory, everything should turn out and by the evening you can enjoy your work. As you can see, making street lighting in the country is very real and not very difficult.

Do we need automation?

Automatic control of street lighting is increasingly used in suburban areas. This is not only convenient, but also allows you to significantly save electricity. With manual control, as a rule, in the evening you turn on the light in the street, and when you wake up - turn off. At the same time all night lights are used only to deter detractors from giving.

To date, motion sensors and automatic light relays are very popular - light sensors. These devices allow you to turn on the light when driving in the radius of the sensor, as well as when dark time of the day. In simple words, if no one enters the yard, the sensor will not work. When motion is detected, light will turn on throughout the site. So you can monitor the safety on the site and at the same time save electricity. The light sensor turns on when the dark time arrives. Again, it is very convenient, because if you leave the private house, the light will automatically turn on and off.

That's all I wanted to tell you about installing street lighting in the dacha with their own hands. We hope that this information was useful and new for you.

Related materials:

• How to make lighting in the garage with your own hands
• How to choose a street light for a dacha
• Economical house heating system