Choosing and Installing Outdoor Spotlights

If installing a garden light seems quickly indispensable, choosing the right outdoor spotlight model is another story! To ensure your safety and that of your guests, it is crucial to provide adequate brightness so you can move around safely once night falls. However, the outdoor lighting spotlight is not limited to a mere functional object; it is an essential ally to highlight your garden layout.
Through this article, we help you determine the criteria you need to take into account before choosing, as well as some practical installation tips.

What are the types of Outdoor Spotlights you can find?

You can find different types of outdoor spotlights on the market; the choice depends on what you want to highlight and where you want to position them in your garden:

• The recessed spotlight: It is perfectly suited for delineating your areas and blends discreetly into the garden. They are often installed on terraces or around pools to enhance surfaces.
  
  
• Wall spotlight: If you want to light large areas or your façade, it is very practical. It can also include a motion sensor function, which is ideal for occasional visitors and for security reasons.
  
  
• Spike spotlight or ground spike spotlight: This type of spotlight can be easily moved because it is not buried. They are often used to illuminate plants, shrubs, or a walkway.
  
  

What technical criteria should be considered when choosing an outdoor spotlight?

Although the aesthetics and practicality of spotlights are important selection criteria, you must choose ones that are specifically suited for outdoor use by taking into account standards in terms of resistance and safety.

Lighting power

Spotlights and floodlights offer various lighting powers, which must be selected based on where you want to install your outdoor lighting:

• Less than 100 lumens (low power): ideal for marking a path, walkway, or terrace.
• 100 to 250 lumens (medium power): perfect for lighting garden living areas: terrace, patio, outdoor kitchen…
• More than 250 lumens (high power): intended for deterrent lighting, such as your front door or other sensitive areas.

Bulb technology

Outdoor spotlights can operate with:

• Traditional incandescent bulbs
• LEDs
• Halogens

Today, LEDs are the most commonly used due to their high energy efficiency and long lifespan. LED bulbs come in several bases: E14 (small screw), E27 (large screw), B22 (bayonet), GU10, GU5.3, G4, G9, G24. If you need very powerful lighting, halogens remain the most suitable solution.

From LED lighting to solar energy

Nowadays, solar-powered lighting is increasingly popular. The batteries have a long lifespan, and the solar options available are becoming more stylish, adding a design touch to your outdoor space.

As a consumer, you will find several advantages, and it’s also beneficial for the environment. This free, clean energy from the sun allows you to make significant energy savings and reduce your energy bill considerably. Easy to install, solar lamps require no particular technical skills to be set up in your garden.

Standards: waterproofing and spotlight installation

The waterproofing standards for outdoor spotlights are classified by the Ingress Protection (IP) rating. For a sheltered installation, a product with an IP23 rating is sufficient. However, if you want to expose your lights to water splashes (not under cover), a minimum IP44 rating is required.

For installation near a pool or pond, an IP55 rating or higher is mandatory.
For recessed spotlights, it is recommended to choose a minimum IP67 or IP68 rating, providing protection against immersion effects. To enhance the safety of your spotlights against moisture, we’ll provide some additional installation recommendations to follow.

To enhance the safety of your spotlights against moisture, we’ll provide some additional installation recommendations to follow.

Creating a waterproof connection

To ensure your outdoor spotlights work properly, it’s essential to connect them properly to the electrical network. This connection must be especially well protected from moisture.

Junction box with resin

The most secure method is to make the connection inside a junction box, which is then filled with resin. The resin poured into the box ensures complete protection of the connection and the ground spotlight against water.

Waterproof connectors with cable glands

It is also possible to use waterproof connectors with cable glands for the connection. However, this solution is less secure, as the risk of water infiltration is not completely eliminated.

Now that you know how to choose your outdoor spotlight, let’s get practical: we’ll explain how to install them.

How to install a recessed spotlight?

This type of installation requires a few more precautions compared to indoor installation, due to weather conditions and stricter safety standards.
Our recessed spotlights have been designed to be protected from moisture. They feature a top glass part with a gasket around it to ensure a solid seal. In addition, the top glass of each spotlight is rated IP65, ensuring their complete waterproofing against bad weather.
The recessed part of each spotlight is rated IP67 to protect against immersion effects.

Here is a step-by-step guide to help you install our outdoor recessed spotlights:

Step 1: Opening and disassembling the spotlight

Unscrew the stainless steel cover using a screwdriver and remove the top glass part.

Using the screwdriver again, separate the inner plastic housing from the outer housing.

Disassemble the LED bulb holder.

Step 2: Installing the cables inside the spotlight

Pass the electrical cable through the outer housing.

Unscrew the cap under the inner housing and pass the cable through it.

Pass the cable inside the housing

Step 3: Connecting the cables

Connect your cable to the terminal block/connector

Step 4: Installing the LED bulb

Replace the bulb holder inside the housing and screw it back in with the screwdriver.

Screw back the cable gland at the bottom of the housing

Screw the GU10 LED bulb inside the spotlight.

Screw the inner and outer housings back together

Replace the glass and the cover, then screw everything back together

Step 5: Installing the recessed spotlight in the ground

Make a hole at the desired location for your spotlight. Use a hole saw or a drill with a suitable bit to drill at the marked spots.

Bury the spotlight flush with the cover and also the sheath containing the cable. Decorate with mulch of your choice.

You can connect the spotlights in series thanks to the cable glands located under each spotlight.
By following these steps, the installation of your outdoor recessed spotlights will be safe and effective.

How to install a spike spotlight?

We offer outdoor spike spotlights that are very easy to install thanks to pre-wiring and the supplied connection box. Here are the main steps to help you with the installation:

Step 1: Connecting the cables

Unscrew the provided junction box using a screwdriver and connect the cables inside.

Step 2: Installing the LED bulbs

Unscrew the glass top and insert the LED bulb inside.

Put the glass and cover back in place

Step 3: Installing the spike spotlight into the ground

Bury the sheath containing the cables in the flowerbed

Insert the spike into the ground and create decorative mulching

You’ll then get a beautiful final result.

By following these few steps, you should be able to install your outdoor spike spotlight easily and quickly.

Check out our different spotlights and other outdoor lights right here: https://www.oxeo.eu/fr/130-eclairage.