Nova CCT LED Garden Spike Light

Nova is an adjustable garden spike spotlight sold in two very different bodies at two very different prices: 316 stainless steel, or black powder-coated aluminium at roughly two-thirds the cost. The light is identical either way — a replaceable 5 W MR16 LED globe giving the same output from both — so this listing is a straight decision about how hard the position is on the fitting, not about performance.

The choice to make: 316 stainless or black aluminium

• HV1462T-SS316 — 316 marine-grade stainless steel. The corrosion resistance is the metal itself, so a scratch from a mower or gravel does not start a failure. This is the version for coastal gardens, pool surrounds and anywhere salt-laden air reaches.
• HV1462T-BLK — powder-coated aluminium. Lighter, notably cheaper and visually the quieter of the two in a mulched bed, but the coating is what protects it, and a chip is a weak point. The right choice for a sheltered inland garden.

Since output and price of the globe are the same, spend the difference only where the environment earns it. A front bed in Adelaide does not need 316; a beachfront garden at Cronulla does.

Where it works

• Coastal and beachfront gardens — specify the 316 stainless version where salt spray carries.
• Pool and spa surrounds, where chlorinated and salt-treated splash reaches the fitting.
• Uplighting trees and tall planting in an inland bed, where the black version does the same job for less.
• Driveway and boundary beds, aimed along a fence line with the head tilted to keep the beam off the road.

Specifying it

The base is MR16 on both variants and the globe is replaceable. Replacements must be MR16 rated for 12 V DC; an MR11 or GU10 lamp will not fit and must not be forced in. Nova is 12 V DC and requires a 12 V DC LED driver, and must never be connected directly to 240 V — doing so destroys the fitting and voids the warranty.

Rated IP65 on both variants, covering direct rain, sprinklers and ground moisture. Tri-colour selectable at install, paired identically on both part numbers as 270 lm at 3000K, 285 lm at 4000K and 300 lm at 5500K, over a 90° beam with 90° tilt. Supplied with a 170 mm spike and a 2 m reinforced cable. Installation by a licensed electrician.

Backed by a 3-year replacement warranty.

Supplied by Lights For You — the two Nova variants are the same light at different prices, so tell us how close the garden is to salt water and we will say whether the 316 stainless premium is money well spent on your site.