Wiring system for ground mounted lighting fixtures

A wiring system for ground mounted lighting fixtures, the lighting fixtures including a light source mounted to a top of a light source support tube, the light source having light source power cable connected to the light source and running through the light source support tube, and a ground mounting spike, the wiring system comprising:

• a base to which the light source support tube is mounted and to which the spike is mounted, the base having a flat base plate configured to rest on the ground surface and to which the spike is attached, the base also having a shell cover mounted to the base plate, the shell cover having a shape selected to form a wiring box within the base between the shell cover and the base plate, wherein an end of the light source power cable is located within the wiring box, whereby the base and wiring box are above ground;
• wherein the flat base plate has an opening that receives the incoming power cable from underground into the wiring box for connection to the connector device;
• and
• a connector device located in the wiring box to receive and interconnect power cable wires, the connector device having a plurality of connector ports, each connector port having a size selected to receive a wire from a power cable, the connector device including an internal electrical circuit that interconnects wires of an incoming power cable with wires of an outgoing power cable and further interconnects a first wire of the light source power cable with selected wires of the incoming and outgoing power cables and interconnects a second wire of the light source cable with selected wires of the incoming and outgoing power cables to form a parallel circuit of the light source cable with the incoming and outgoing power cables, the connector device further having releasable mechanical clamps to hold each wire of the power cables in selected fixed positions in their respective ports of the connector device and in electrical connection with the connector device electrical circuit;
• wherein the releasable mechanical clamps of the connector device include levers that, when moved in one direction, apply a clamping force to hold the respective wire in a fixed position in the port of the connector device and in electrical connection with the circuit, and when the lever is moved in a different direction, release clamping force from the respective port thereby allowing easier mounting of a wire into the port and removal of a wire from the port;
• wherein the connector device interconnects three two-wire cables in parallel;
• whereby, the connector device forms an integral part of the lighting fixture and locates its electrical circuit and its wire interconnections above ground.

A method of wiring ground mounted lighting fixtures, the lighting fixtures including a light source mounted to a top of a light source support tube, the light source having light source power cable connected to the light source and running through the light source support tube, and a ground mounting spike, the method comprising:

• assembling a base, comprising mounting a flat base plate configured to rest on the ground surface to a shell cover, the shell cover having a shape selected to form a wiring box between the shell cover and the base plate, wherein an end of the light source power cable is located within the wiring box, and attaching the spike to the flat base plate;
• mounting the base to the light source support tube whereby the base and wiring box are above ground;
• mounting a connector device in the wiring box;
• receiving and interconnecting power cable wires in a plurality of connector ports in the connector device, each connector port having a size selected to receive a wire from a power cable, the connector device including an internal electrical circuit that interconnects wires of an incoming power cable with wires of an outgoing power cable and further interconnects a first wire of the light source power cable with a selected wire of the incoming power cable and a second wire of the light source cable with a wire of the outgoing power cable to form a parallel circuit of the light source cable with the incoming and outgoing power cables;
• clamping the wires in the connector ports with releasable mechanical clamps to hold each wire of the power cables in selected fixed positions in respective ports of the connector device and in selected positions in the connector device electrical circuit;
• whereby, the connector device forms an integral part of the lighting fixture and locates its electrical circuit and its wire interconnections above ground.