Installing outdoor luminaires: 5 basic rules you should always follow.

Sometimes it could be as simple as this: you have completed your project indoors and, because you have taken the precaution of including a buffer, you even have some recessed floor spotlights left over. So you could actually continue right away in the outdoor area. In any case, it would create a uniform image if the recessed spotlights from the living room were also to be found on the terrace. It certainly would! However, this is rarely a good idea. Because inside is not the same as outside and the type of installation should also be taken into account when choosing the right luminaire.

Conditions in the driveway and garden are completely different. If it is warm and dry indoors, we can expect wetness and cold outdoors - depending on the season. This also means completely different challenges for the installed luminaires. Challenges that you should take into account when selecting a luminaire.

However, if you consider the following five points, nothing will stand in the way of a successful lighting installation.

Moisture lurks everywhere outside, and not only in the rain or cold. Excessive humidity in the summer also takes its toll on the luminaire body. It is therefore particularly important to use corrosion-resistant, i.e. rust-free material. Where the luminaire is installed in the garden or terrace is irrelevant. Only use luminaires made of stainless steel or aluminium, for example. You are also on the safe side with copper or brass and do not have to worry about complaints.

Water can damage the luminaire not only from the outside. If moisture penetrates the inside of the luminaire, this can lead not only to a defect but also to life-threatening injuries - and not only for children playing nearby. That is why all luminaires you install outdoors must have a protection rating of at least IP44. Then they will not be affected by splashing water, no matter which direction it comes from. Near a pond or pool, however, you should go straight for IP65. Luminaires with this degree of protection are not even affected by water jets.

By choosing the right material and protection class, you are on the safe side, especially with regard to the appearance of the outdoor luminaire. However, what is not immediately visible is almost more important: the right connection. Power cables and co. must also be protected from the weather and laid in cable ducts. Moreover, not every cable is intended for installation in the ground. So make sure you use the right material here, too.

After all, it has the most important job: it supplies the installed luminaires with the necessary electricity. The connection of the luminaires to the mains must therefore also be waterproof, of course. This is the only way to protect yourself and your customers from short circuits and their undesirable side effects.

Recessed floor luminaires present special challenges in this respect. Very few like standing water. If you install recessed floor spots, you should never do so in depressions or recesses. You must also provide drainage underneath the recessed box. If the humidity is very high during installation, moisture can accumulate inside the luminaire. It is therefore better to postpone the installation until the next dry day.

We now know some basic characteristics that distinguish outdoor luminaires from their indoor counterparts. Now it's time to put this knowledge to good use. In plain language, this means: choose the right outdoor luminaire based on the desired installation location. We are not only referring to protection class and material. The type of luminaire also plays a decisive role.

If the luminaires are to be used as a wayfinding system, for example, the selection can be narrowed down to recessed ground spotlights, path luminaires and bollard luminaires. It becomes even more detailed when the recessed ground luminaires are installed in the driveway and thus have to withstand the weight of different vehicles. But wall luminaires also serve a different purpose in the entrance area than perhaps on a terrace or balcony. So both functionality and appearance play essential roles here.

Take this into account in your planning and opt for sensor luminaires wherever there are pathways, for example.

If different installation locations also require different luminaire types, this does not necessarily mean that you have to do without a uniform light and luminaire image. The SLV product families are characterised by the fact that a uniform luminaire design is reflected in different luminaire types. In this way, you receive ceiling, wall and free-standing luminaires with the same look and thus create a uniform light image. Above all, this ensures calmness in the eye of the beholder and a pleasant atmosphere.

With professionally installed surface-mounted and recessed luminaires and poles from SLV, your customers can feel more than at home outdoors thanks to high-quality materials and the necessary protection rating - and you are on the safe side.