It’s Christmas again and every time I drive down the road I think how much the electricity company’s must be rubbing their hands with glee at the number of people who now have more decorations on the outside of their houses than they do inside. It is totally astonishing the lengths some people go to when decorating their house and some even resemble Blackpool illuminations they are so intensive.
I guess over the last few years power consumption has become less of an issue as LED bulb technology has improved and become pretty much standard in this type of installation. However, as displays have become bigger and bigger the number of connections has increased and it is no longer a case of pushing a wire with a 13amp plug on the end through the letterbox to feed the electricity supply.
I’m sure there still are people who do use the wire through the letterbox method but it is really not a sensible option for anyone with even the smallest interest in safety. As a minimum I would consider a twin outdoor socket mounted securely to an outside wall. There are a range of these sockets available but I personally would opt for a twin switched socket in an IP66 housing such as this one from Edwardes. IP66 means that the housing is waterproof to quite a high degree and is therefore safe enough to use for your Christmas lights.
Don’t forget that an IP66 socket isn’t just for Christmas, it’s for (enhancing your) life! Throughout the rest of the year you can also use it to safely provide electricity to other items such as Power Washers and Lawnmowers. Bearing that in mind it is also well worth considering the extra protection of a socket with a built in RCD such as this one. It is a one off installation and the extra costs of the twin socket and RCD are minimal really considering the extra benefits. Safety is of the greatest importance and the installation of something like this is money very well spent.
