Garden Spike Lights

Maintenance on your outdoor spike lights may be necessary from time to time. If you don’t want to call out an electrician a few times a year just to check the lights, there are a few ways you can take care of this yourself. Below are some tips on how to keep them looking and working their best:

• CLEAN THEM REGULARLY – Dust, dirt and other debris can gather on outdoor garden spike lights, which can make them appear dimmer and less effective. Cleaning the fixtures occasionally using a gentle cleaning solution and soft cloth can prevent this from happening.

• REPLACE DAMAGED PARTS – Occasionally take a look at the stake lights and see if any parts of them are damaged or need repaired. This means checking the cables and light housings and for loose parts.

• LOOK FOR WATER DAMAGE – Even though IP65 garden stake lights are made to be water resistant, moisture may still find its way inside over time. This could indicate that the light has a faulty seal or other crack that needs to be addressed.

• ADHERE TO THE MANUFACTURER’S GUIDE – Be sure that you refer to the upkeep and safety notes provided by the light’s manufacturer to ensure you are providing the best maintenance for your specific light.

IP ratings are a way to tell if a light is resistant to water and debris damage. The two digits in the ratings indicate this durability in terms of moisture and debris. IP ratings are important to note for any light you plan to buy, but they are especially important for outdoor lighting. This is due to the elements that outdoor IP65 garden spike lights are constantly exposed to.

First Digit – Solids

0  –  No protection against solid matter

1  –  Protection against and solid objects with a diameter larger than 50 millimeters

2  –  Protection from objects greater then 12 millimeters in diameter

3  –  Protection from objects such as wires with a diameter greater than 1 millimeter

4  –  Protection from solid objects with a diameter or thickness over 1 millimeter

5  –  Protection from moderate amounts of dust

6  –  Protection from all dust

Second Digit – Moisture

0  –  No protection from moisture

1  –  Protection from condensation and droplets of water

2  –  Protection from water that drips vertically

3  –  Protection from water that is sprayed

4  –  Protection from water that is splashed

5  –  Protection from water that is projected

6  –  Protection from water from a strong jet

7  –  Protection from immersion

8  –  Protection from long periods of immersion

In order to ensure the integrity and safety of your outdoor spike lights, choose garden LED spike lights that are IP65 rated. 

It is not a good idea to install LED garden spike lights on your own; since they use electricity, you run the risk of shocking yourself if they are not handled correctly. It is recommended that you hire a professional electrician to handle the job for you. Even so, this does not mean you have to be completely excluded from the process.

Before the electrician comes to set your spike light fixtures, you can start planning the layout and arranging them how you’d like. You could also get started digging the necessary holes where you have planned the light, so the electrician can simply come and lay the cables.

Speaking of cables, it is highly recommended that you use an armoured cable for your garden spike spotlights. This is because they are very likely to be buried underground, and armoured cables will more readily protect the mains supply if someone is digging in the garden and accidentally hits them. Armoured cables will stop the cables from accidentally breaking and potentially shocking you.

Exterior spike lights are a versatile and easy way to add illumination to your garden. Whether you want to highlight a garden feature, outline a walkway or distinguish an outdoor seating area, these lights are there to help. When you choose an LED bulb for such lights, you can expect them to perform their job for a minimum of 20,000 hours.