Landscape Lighting Question

splats

5 years ago

I want to put some low voltage lighting in the backyard. I have a couple of questions:

1. Am I correct I must match the transformer wattage to the total wattage of the lights I want to add?

2. Does the length of the low voltage wiring matter; i.e., does it matter if it is 200' long or say 50'?

thanks

Featured Answer

PRO

Revolutionary Gardens

5 years ago

1. total wattage of fixtures shouldn't exceed 75% of the transformer's capacity. That said, at this point we never use anything less than a 300 watt transformer because that way there's room to add on.

2. shorter is always better. Longer runs, you're better off using a higher gauge wire. We generally use 12 gauge but will drop to 8 gauge for a long run. Voltage drop doesn't seem to be as big an issue for LEDs as it was for halogen, but best practices are still best practices. If there's no getting around having a long run, get a multi-tap transformer. You want to get as close to 12 volts as possible at the farthest fixture, so a multi-tap lets you start at a higher voltage (typically up to 15 volts).

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Comments (7)

splats
Original Author
5 years ago
thanks for the info. Because of were the power is I'm probably going to have a run up to 200' to the end. So I need to look at 8ga wire. I will look into the multi-tap transformer; that's a new to me.
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PRO
VOLT® Lighting
5 years ago
Hey there splats,

It's always best to check with the manufacturer what they recommend. Generally, most manufacturer's recommend a (%) of the transformer's maximum capacity to promote longevity; a fully-loaded transformer is essentially like redlining a car every time you drive it. I know we recommend no more than 80% for ours; that is in the same ballpark as RG's suggestion above.

Length does indeed matter in low-voltage because the voltage dissipates over longer runs. Most residential lighting systems use 12-gauge (generally rated for uses up to 150') . Sizing transformers and determining cable gauges is typically a final step in the project after calculating wattage and distances. RG hit the nail on the head above as well; multi-tap transformers make designing and installing systems much easier and a volt-meter is handy to be certain your runs are all receiving the proper power.
wdccruise
5 years ago
I'd recommend following Dark Sky outdoor lighting guidelines for dark-sky friendly lighting to avoid light "pollution", illuminating areas unnecessarily, shining lights toward the sky, or into your windows or those of your neighbors.
PRO
Revolutionary Gardens
5 years ago
I have been re-reading the sentence "hey there splats" and laughing for five minutes now. I need sleep.

VOLT's comment reminded me, if this is your first time DIYing a lighting system it wouldn't be a bad idea to contact them (or a similar consumer-friendly company) for help specifying components. Plus, getting everything in one place means as soon as the UPS guy drops those boxes on the porch, you can start playing.

If you can throw a few extra bucks at it, get bulbs in different wattages and beam spreads. The ability to fine tune the final lighting effect is the difference between a good lighting job and one that makes the neighbors drool.
splats
Original Author
5 years ago
Actually "Splats" was suppose to be something else; but I thought it was so funny I just left it.
PRO
Mikes Landscape Lighting
4 years ago
Revolutionary Gardens and Volt have gave you some great advice. The only thing additionally I would say, you will not need 8 gauge wire. With a multi tap transformer you can do runs up to 400', depending on the watts needed at the end, and still have plenty of power for the lights to operate. The biggest wire I use since the era of LED is 10 gauge. You will want to invest in a volt meter to check how many volts you have at the end of the long run and every run.

Landscape Lighting Question

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splats
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splats
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