Outdoor Lighting Installation Geelong
Security, garden, deck and alfresco lighting for homes across Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast, by CabledIN
CabledIN Electrical Solutions installs outdoor lighting for homes across greater Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast, Golden Plains and Werribee: sensor and security lights, garden and path lighting, and deck, pergola and alfresco lights. Our licensed electricians (REC 30925) supply and fit weather-rated fittings, run the cabling, test the circuit and issue a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
One sensor light on an existing point is a short visit. A full garden or alfresco job commonly takes half a day to a day. We price the job once we have seen the site, so you know the price before any work starts.
- What we install
- Security, sensor, garden, path, deck and alfresco lights
- Our experience
- More than 30 completed outdoor and garden lighting jobs, and more than 20 sensor and security light jobs
- Controls
- Sensors, timers, day-night switches and dimmers
- Who does it
- Licensed electricians, REC 30925, with a Certificate of Electrical Safety
Outdoor lighting we install around Geelong
Our lighting work, inside and out, is most often in Corio, Newtown, Bannockburn, Leopold and Hamlyn Heights, with more in Lara, Highton, Belmont and Ocean Grove. Lighting outside the house usually has one of three purposes, and most homes want a mix:
- Security: sensor floodlights over driveways, side paths, garages and back doors.
- Safety: lights on steps, paths, entries and around bins and clotheslines, so nobody walks in the dark.
- Living: alfresco, deck, pergola and garden lighting that makes the yard usable at night.
We also wire lighting for sheds, garages, carports and front fences (see shed, garage and granny flat power), and replace old outdoor fittings that have filled with water or rusted through. For lighting inside the house, see our main lighting installation page.
Security and sensor lighting
A sensor light does two jobs: it lights your way to the door, and it removes the dark corners around the house. Sensor and security lights make up more than 20 of our completed lighting jobs, and where the light points and what triggers it matter more than how bright it is.
- Placement. We mount sensor lights high enough to be out of easy reach, aimed to cover the approach and not shine into a neighbour's window or the street.
- Sensor range and timing. The sensor is set so it picks up a person on the path, not every car passing or every branch moving, and stays on long enough to be useful.
- Override. Wired through a wall switch, a sensor light can also be held on when you are outside for the evening.
- Cameras. Sensor lighting works well alongside cameras. See CCTV and security cameras.
Talk to a licensed Geelong electrician (REC 30925).
Garden, path and deck lighting
Garden lighting is mostly low, small fittings used in numbers: spike lights under trees and feature plants, bollards and path lights along walkways, step lights set into risers, and recessed lights in decking and retaining walls.
If landscaping or a new deck is planned, tell us early. Cable and conduit are far easier to place before paving, concrete and decking boards go down.
12 volt or 240 volt garden lights: which do you need?
Garden lights come in two kinds. Extra-low voltage systems, usually 12 volt, run from a transformer. Mains-voltage fittings run at 240 volt straight from the house wiring. In Victoria, any equipment that operates above extra-low voltage (50 volts AC) must be installed and connected by a licensed electrician.
| Question | 12 volt (extra-low voltage) | 240 volt (mains) |
|---|---|---|
| What needs an electrician | The 240 volt supply to the transformer, such as a weatherproof power point or a hard-wired connection | The whole installation, every fitting and cable |
| Cable | Lighter cable, but long runs can lose brightness, so the transformer is sized and placed to suit | Mains cable, run in conduit where it goes underground |
| Suits | Spike lights, path lights and small feature lights in garden beds | Floodlights, wall lights and lights on a fence, shed or pergola |
| Adding more later | Easy, if the transformer has spare capacity | Needs new cable back to a switch or junction |
Many homes use both: 240 volt lights on the house and shed, and 12 volt lights in the garden beds. We install the supply, position each transformer where it stays dry and accessible, and size it for the number of lights, with room to add more later.
Alfresco, patio and pergola lighting
Covered outdoor areas are treated like another room. Alfresco ceilings and eaves often take LED downlights. Other common requests are wall lights beside doors, pendant or festoon lighting under a pergola, and a dimmer so the area can be bright for cooking and low for sitting.
Most alfresco jobs include more than lights: a weatherproof outdoor power point or an outdoor ceiling fan often goes in at the same time. Our downlight installation page covers fitting choices.
Not sure what you need? Tell us what is happening and we will talk it through.
Should outdoor lights be on a sensor or a timer?
Usually, yes. The Australian Government's energy.gov.au notes that timers and sensors can help provide lighting only when and where it is required, and that motion sensing can switch on external lights when needed. Some controls are not compatible with particular light types, so we match the control to the fitting. The options:
- Motion sensors for security and convenience lighting.
- Day-night switches that turn lights on at dusk and off at dawn.
- Timers that run garden or front-of-house lighting for set hours.
- Standard wall switches and dimmers, placed inside by the door you actually use.
The right control often saves more power than the choice of fitting, because the lights only run when they are needed.
Outdoor fittings built for Geelong weather
Outdoor lights sit in rain, sun, wind and garden sprinklers. Each fitting carries an IP rating, the code set out in the standard AS 60529, which shows how well the fitting's enclosure keeps out dust and water. The right rating depends on where the light goes: under cover, on an open wall, or in the ground.
Along the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast, salt air is the bigger problem. Cheap plated fittings corrode quickly near the coast, so we recommend materials made for it, such as marine-grade stainless steel, copper, brass or good-quality powder-coated aluminium. Cable buried in the garden is run in conduit so that a spade does not find it later.
How outdoor lighting installation works
- Walk the site. We look at the house and yard with you, ideally with a clear idea of what you want lit and why.
- Plan the supply. We check the switchboard has capacity and work out the cable route.
- A price before we start. Once we have seen the site, the price lists fittings, controls, cabling and any trenching, so you know it before any work starts.
- Install. Cable is run through the roof space, under the floor or in conduit underground. Fittings are mounted, sealed and connected.
- Aim and set. Sensors, timers and light angles are adjusted. For garden lighting this is best checked after dark, so we show you how to fine-tune it.
- Test and certify. The circuit is tested and you receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
What affects the cost of outdoor lighting installation in Geelong?
We price the job once we have seen the site. The main things that move the price:
- The supply. A light on an existing outdoor point is quick. A new circuit from the switchboard takes more cable and time.
- The cable route. Running cable through the roof space is simpler than trenching under lawn or paving, or working under a finished deck.
- The fittings. Garden lights are used in numbers, and coastal homes need corrosion-resistant materials.
- Controls. Sensors, timers and day-night switches add parts but cut running time.
- Timing. Cable laid before paving, concrete or decking goes down is neater and cheaper than retrofitting later.
- The switchboard. If there is no spare capacity, or no safety switch on the circuit, that work is added. See safety switch installation.
Why outdoor lighting needs a licensed electrician
Water and electricity are a poor mix, and outdoor wiring faults are a common cause of safety switches tripping after rain. A safety switch (RCD) cuts the power within milliseconds when it detects electricity leaking to earth, but it only protects the circuits it is connected to. In Victoria, DIY electrical work is illegal, and any light that runs on mains power is a job for a licensed electrician.
A Certificate of Electrical Safety must be provided for all electrical installation work, whatever the size of the job. You can read what the certificate covers on the Energy Safe Victoria website. CabledIN Electrical Solutions is a Registered Electrical Contractor, REC 30925, based in North Geelong, with more than 20 years' experience, a lifetime workmanship warranty and 2,000+ five-star Google reviews. We are open 24 hours, 7 days: see the Geelong suburbs we cover.
Recent outdoor lighting jobs around Geelong
Sensor, garden and alfresco lighting installed by our electricians.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an electrician for outdoor lighting installation in Geelong?
Yes, for any light that is wired in or runs on mains power. In Victoria that work must be done by a licensed electrician, and you receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety for it.
Do low voltage garden lights need an electrician?
The transformer needs a 240 volt supply, such as a weatherproof power point or a wired connection, and installing that is licensed electrical work. We also size the transformer and plan the cable runs so the lights at the far end are as bright as the first.
What IP rating do outdoor lights need?
It depends on where the light goes. An IP rating, set out in the standard AS 60529, shows how well a fitting's enclosure keeps out dust and water. A fitting under a covered alfresco faces less water than one on an open wall or in a garden bed, so CabledIN matches the rating to the position when choosing fittings.
Where should sensor lights be installed?
Over the approaches to the house: the driveway, front entry, side paths and back door. They should be mounted high, aimed at the path people take, and angled away from neighbours and the road.
Can you install lights on a deck or pergola that is already built?
Usually, yes. Cable can often be run under the deck or along the framing in conduit. It is neater and cheaper when lighting is planned before the deck is built, so call us early if you can.
Why does my outdoor light trip the safety switch when it rains?
Water is getting into the fitting, a junction or the cable. Leave the light switched off and have it checked. We find where the moisture is entering and repair or replace the fitting.
What outdoor lights last near the coast?
Fittings made from marine-grade stainless steel, copper, brass or good-quality powder-coated aluminium cope best with salt air on the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast. Cheap plated fittings corrode quickly near the water, so CabledIN recommends coastal-grade materials for homes in places like Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads and Torquay.
Can outdoor lights be put on a timer or sensor?
Yes. Motion sensors, day-night switches that turn lights on at dusk and off at dawn, timers and smart switches can all be fitted to new or existing outdoor lights. The right control often saves more power than the choice of fitting, because the lights only run when they are needed.
How long does outdoor lighting installation take?
One sensor light on an existing outdoor point is usually a short visit. A new circuit with several wall lights takes longer, and a full garden or alfresco lighting job commonly takes half a day to a day, depending on trenching and access under decks. CabledIN tells you the expected time when we price the job.
Should outdoor lights be on a safety switch?
We recommend it. A safety switch (RCD) cuts the power within milliseconds when it detects electricity leaking to earth, and outdoor lights face rain, sprinklers and garden tools. A safety switch only protects the circuits it is connected to, so CabledIN checks which circuit the outdoor lights run on and can add protection if it has none.
Can you install lights on a shed or garage?
Yes. CabledIN wires lights inside and outside sheds, garages and carports, including sensor floodlights over doors and driveways. A detached shed often needs a cable run underground from the house, and power points are often wired in the same visit.
Which areas do you cover for outdoor lighting?
CabledIN Electrical Solutions installs outdoor lighting across greater Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast, Golden Plains and Werribee. Our lighting jobs are most often in Corio, Newtown, Bannockburn, Leopold and Hamlyn Heights, and we fit coastal-grade outdoor lights on the Bellarine and the Surf Coast. We are open 24 hours, 7 days.
Still have a question? Ask the CabledIN team.