Most modern garden lighting uses a low voltage system comprised of 3 main components: a cable that distributes power to the areas to be lit; a mains to 12 volt transformer; the actual light fittings.
First though it is vital to select which type of lighting (traditional incandescent bulbs or LEDs) and to gauge the rating of the transformer necessary to run the lights (which depends on how bright they are and how many are required).
We shall examine the two systems (LED and conventional) more closely in a bit, but for immediate purposes it is only necessary to know that both use the same underlying ideas.
Calculating the size of transformer required is simply a matter of counting up the wattages for all the actual lights (so, 3 x 10 watt deck lights plus 2 x 20 watt standard lanterns comes to 70 watts for example) and tells you what rating of transformer you need to purchase.
Obviously, the transformer itself should be located indoors since it will be plugged into the mains. The cable should then be connected and fed to the outside.
The cable itself applies a load to the system, in addition to the load created by the light fittings, which you should allow for when calculating the correct transformer size. This is typically stated on the packaging and increases in line with the cable length, which imposes an effective limit on the length of cable.
You can easily tell whether your cable is getting too long because the lights appear dimmer, most noticeably at the furthest point from the transformer. A simple solution is to loop the cable back (if necessary connect an additional length) to a point near to the start, but ensure you maintain polarity. The cable contains two separate strands of wire and you must not cross connect them - there is almost always a mark of some kind running along the plastic coating on one of the strands.
After you have connected the cable and laid it out then you can attach each low voltage light fixture by simply cutting and re-joining the cable incorporating the cable attached to the fixture.
As noted above, both LED and conventional incandescent garden lighting are now widely available, and it can be confusing to know which to get and how to combine the two different types.
LED lights consume an awful lot less energy and produce negligible heat. LED light is also brighter and more defined in comparison to regular incandescent light, which may be considered either a benefit or a bit hard on the eyes depending on what types of effect you want to obtain.
In general you cannot attach LED light fittings to a normal low voltage garden system, and the reverse also applies. In the first case, the LED light will likely fail within weeks and in the second, the LED transformer (commonly called an LED driver) will quickly self-destruct.
There are a few exceptions -some types of LED light are suitable for use on a conventional low voltage system, but these will state this on their packaging. Otherwise, to mix LED and incandescent low voltage garden lights you will need to lay out two separate cables - one connected to a regular 12v transformer and one to a constant voltage LED driver - and match the correct sorts of light fitting to the appropriate cable.
There are many benefits in running both types of garden lights; LED lighting has particular properties that enhance the range of possible lighting effects, and when used in tandem both types of lighting can be made to either contrast with or complement each other and so create effects that would simply not be achievable with just one or the other.
Related posts:
- An Introduction To LED Kitchen Lighting Great kitchen lighting design typically utilises a large amount of...
- Brighten Your Day With Modern Lighting It is really a wonder how lighting can change the...
- What Lighting to Put in Your Aquarium All aquariums require lighting. It not only enhances the look...
- Questions to Ask Yourself when Installing Outdoor Patio Lights If you want to spend time outside at night, take...
- Aquarium Lighting Basics: Their Purpose and Types The aquarium is your own version of the sea world....
Tags: 12v garden lights, 12v lighting, garden lighting, Gardening, home, home improvement, House & Home, landscape lighting, Landscaping, LED garden lights, lighting, low voltage garden lighting, low voltage lighting, outdoor LED lighting, outdoors