Summer will soon be here and those outside areas deserve to be lit up and extend beyond daylight hours to linger under the stars. External lighting is a valuable asset to any garden space, swimming pool or courtyard, weaving a tapestry of safety, ambiance, and aesthetic allure. From illuminating winding pathways to accentuating feature foliage, the strategic placement of outdoor lights transforms intimate outdoor spaces into enchanting sanctuaries.

Beyond practicality, these luminous accents extend the usability of any outdoor space well into the evening, fostering moments of relaxation, social gatherings, and quiet contemplation under the night sky.
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I have had the pleasure of incorporating external lighting to a number of clients properties and I always take this into consideration when I am working on rewires or outdoor electrics. It’s not just the summer that we want to enjoy but our winters too need to be suitably lit up for safety. 

Enhanced Safety and Security: External lighting helps illuminate pathways, steps, and potential obstacles, reducing the risk of accidents and falls, especially in dimly lit areas. Well-lit outdoor spaces also deter intruders and enhance overall security by minimizing hiding spots and making the property less vulnerable to trespassing or burglary.

Extended Use of Outdoor Spaces: With proper lighting, cosy courtyards can be used and enjoyed even after dark. This extends the usability of the space, allowing for outdoor gatherings, dining, relaxation, or leisure activities during the evening hours.

Ambiance and Atmosphere: External lighting can create a warm and inviting ambiance in many spaces such as cosy courtyards, making them more welcoming and comfortable for occupants and guests. Various lighting fixtures and designs, such as string lights, lanterns, or accent lights, can contribute to the desired atmosphere and aesthetic appeal of the outdoor space.

Highlighting Architectural Features and Landscaping: Strategic placement of lighting fixtures can accentuate the architectural features of buildings and highlight landscaping elements such as trees, shrubs, flower beds, and sculptures. This adds visual interest and depth to the outdoor environment, enhancing its overall beauty and charm.

Increased Property Value: Well-designed external lighting not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of outdoor spaces but also adds value to the property. Potential buyers often appreciate the added functionality, safety, and beauty that well-lit outdoor areas provide, which can positively impact the resale value of the property.

Mood Enhancement and Stress Reduction: Studies have shown that exposure to natural or artificial light can influence mood and emotional well-being. By creating a cosy and well-lit outdoor environment, individuals can experience stress reduction, relaxation, and improved mental health, especially when spending time outdoors in the evening.
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Energy Efficiency and Sustainability: With advancements in lighting technology, such as LED fixtures and solar-powered lights, homeowners can achieve energy efficiency and reduce their environmental footprint while illuminating outdoor spaces. LED lights consume less energy, last longer, and produce less heat compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, contributing to sustainability efforts.

Paul Wilkins Electricien can help you make the most of your outdoor space with innovative lighting. Fill out our online contact form 

The use of an LED light bulb allows a lower consumption of 80% compared to a conventional incandescent bulb. This can save you money, as on average 12.8% of total electrical consumption is lighting.

There are a number of reasons to consider LED lighting in your home

On average the running cost of an LED light bulb is €2.25 when compared to €11.07 for a halogen bulb per year.

LED bulbs don't contain harmful materials such as mercury and lead found in other bulbs.

People believe that yo have to compromise in light quality when using energy saving light bulbs. This is not the case with LEDs. They reach brightness almost immediately and also come in different shades. There are also dimmable options too and even LED security and flood lights.

LED are very low wattage but give you the effect of high wattage light, e.g. a 5 watt LED is equivalent to an old 60 watt bulb. These comparisons are clearly marked on the box to give you the 2 levels.

LED lighting is very flexible and adaptable. You can have the option of traditional light bulbs, downlights, strip lights, outdoor and come in most colours.

So next time the light bulbs blow or if you are thinking of installing new lighting let it be LED.
Having recently purchased a French home myself, I will definitely be using plenty of LED lighting.

Having been established here now for nearly two and a half years, I am always keen to know how customers have found me.  Recently I received an enquiry from a potential customer who had seen my details in the local insurance office that we both share.  He had just purchased his first French property and wanted a qualified opinion on the electrical diagnostic report.

I then met with the client and we talked through both corrective and additional requirements to his property.  Fortunately the devis was accepted for both and this week I have upgraded the fuseboard to incorporate RCDs and additional works for cooker and extra lighting and sockets for the upstairs areas, as well as fitting some original art deco light fittings, which were rewired to comply.

I shall look forward to working for him again in 2015 for outside lighting work.

Now that those dark nights are upon us are you still using the torch to walk your way up the garden path?

Driving across the regions at night I see many homes with and without appropriate lighting. Many are bedecked with solar lights, flood lights/sensor lights and many just have a flood light.  Safety is not just inside but outside too for when you are walking around your property and for friends and neighbours.  With more and more reports of theft from properties having lighting that could alert whether friend or foe is on your property is a wise step.

Installing outdoor lighting is fairly straight forward. These are best fitted by your front door and/or rear entrance to illuminate a dark pathway. These can be controlled in 3 ways:

A standard switch which is wired inside the home

A passive infra red detector known as PIR, movement activates the light

A remote control, using a small hand held fob to switch lights on and off when you are range of the receiver [normally 30 metres max. There are receivers which will allow up to 100 metres].  The receiver is positioned externally in a small junction box and is wired to the lights.  If positioned correctly this can operate an external light/s from inside the home or on the perimeter boundary of your property.


A number of clients have taken a real interest in using the fob, which gives them greater control, particularly when driving back into their driveways in the middle of the night ... no fun trying to park using star light!

Have very recently completed lighting works in the kitchen for a customer.  Supplying their own light fittings, 3 different styles of lighting have now shaped 3 areas of their large kitchen/dining space. 

Having had good access to the large area as room was empty of appliances and furniture which enabled me to chase sockets into the wall.  Fortunately a small trap was discovered under the floor so new circuits could be run under the floorboards and clipped to floor joists.  The void is 1-2 metres deeps so there is no risk of cables getting wet and easy access for the future. 

New circuits were added from the fusebox to accommodate the kitchen lighting and to run their appliances: oven, hob and dishwasher and fridge/freezer.

Customer has opted for contemporary lighting with 2 low voltage track lights in the main area of the kitchen.  Multi-coloured hanging lights [separately switched] were fitted above an area which will house an L-shaped work surface which will act as a divider between the kitchen and dining space.  The funky looking bright lights can be pushed up back into a cavity/bowl area, allowing the user to adjust the length of the lights as and when it suits them. 

Lighting in the lounge had already been installed on an earlier visit.  An additional supply was also fitted for a light in larder cupboard to be added at a later date.

We cannot wait to see the finished result! 

Recessed downlights are great to have installed in areas where you want a nice spread of light in room such as kitchens and large rooms. They are a perfect solution if you have low ceilings and don't want to hit your head on low hanging fittings.

If you are considering recessed downlights  in a room with beams you must have a void between the ceiling and the floor above.  This can be achieved either with a false ceiling in which the ceiling has been lowered below the height of the beams and covered with plasterboard OR having infills.  This is where the spaces between each beam are battened and plasterboarded leaving the bottom of the beams exposed, thus creating the necessary void for downlights.

Downlights must be installed correctly as even a low voltage or low wattage lamps get very hot in a short period of time.  When switched on a large amount of heat expels upwards and in a lot of cases can heat up the supply cable very quickly.  I have been to a few calls where the light has stopped working and found the transformer [12v] scorched and supply cables burnt.  The most common cause of this is due to insulation.  Where a downlight is fitted, it is recommended that a diameter of 500mm above the light is not insulated .  This will allow the heat to disperse safely.  Supply cables should be sheathed with a heat resistant sleeve. 

Next time you change a faulty lamp, make sure the light switch is off and check to see if the insulation is pushed away from the fitting above.  Not only will your lamps last a lot longer, but you will avoid overheating or a fire hazard.

The pictures below show cable that had been scorched.  Fortunately the cable was sheathed in a heat resistant cover, protecting the cable from serious damage.