The amount of cable needed to install a set of stair lights will vary for each installation. The number of stair that need to be lit and the location of the Stair Lighting Control Unit are the main factors. This guide will allow you to estimate how much wire you will need.

Note: The word “Cable” is used to represent the 4 conductor wire that is available from the online store. A conductor is a single wire.

Lighting Control Unit Location

The control module should be installed in a location that is close to the stairs that it will be controlling the lights on. A plug should also be close so that the power supply can be plugged in. If there is no optimal location is it preferable to mount the control unit close to the stairs and extend the two power supply wires.

Infrared Beam Location

When determining the best location of the beam you must consider the height that will detect everything that must trip the beam. For example we might have no problem breaking a beam that is 3 feet off the ground however your cat or dog may not break it.

Note: Breaking the beam means that something came between the transmitter and receiver.

Individual Stair Light Locations

A single stair light can light one step quite well; generally the light is mounted to one side of the step. Determine the location that the lights are to be installed.

Calculating Required Wire

Now that we have an idea of where everything will be going all we have to do is measure the cable runs.

• Each IR (Infrared) transmitter and receiver will have a dedicated cable run back to the Lighting Control Unit. You need a transmitter and receiver at the top and bottom of the stairs. These devices will be mounted on opposite sides of the wall to make a beam that will detect someone entering the stairs.
• Each adjacent pair of stair lights requires one cable run back to the Lighting Control Unit. Each light requires 2 conductors; our cable has 4 conductors allowing 2 stair lights to be powered from one cable. When calculating the cable length measure to the farther of the 2 lights.
• If the power supply is being located further away from the Lighting Control Unit than its power cord you will have to extend the wires to reach. A single cable will be required from the power supply to the Lighting Control Unit.

Things to Keep In Mind

When calculating your required wire distance make sure you have enough to properly route the wire. A straight point to point distance might not be the actual distance when the wire is being run. Leave yourself some slack, you do not want any of these wires tight, each end should have about 1 foot of extra wire. This extra slack eliminates any possible connector stress and also allow for a neat installation.

For more information about the cable check out the online store, there are pictures and a description. The store information will also provide enough details that will allow you to source the cable locally if that is what you desire.