Low voltage outdoor lighting represents a safe and cost-efficient lighting solution. It is quite easy to assemble and install your own low voltage outdoor lighting system, without having to use the services of a professional electrician.
Dangerous regular 120 watt electric current is stepped down to merely 12 V in the low voltage outdoor lighting systems, making it so much safer. Electric in such systems runs through a loop from one end of the transformer to another.
There are several important advantages of the low voltage outdoor lighting setups, when compared to regular lighting:
1. It is very easy to set up your own low voltage outdoor lighting. The system usually comes in kits, which include everything needed to assemble the lighting (the transformer, cables and fixtures). You would just have to buy the bulbs with a preferred wattage.
2. Low voltage outdoor lighting is a very low cost solution, since it can use light bulbs, starting at nearly 4 W. In addition to regular lamps, home owners may choose to use halogen or fluorescent lamps.
3. Most of the low voltage outdoor lighting kits also come with a built-in timer allowing the owner to set it to come on and off every 4, 6, or 8 hours etc., as well as many kits come with a built-in photocell, capable of turning the lighting on and off according to whether there is sun or there isn't.
4. Low voltage outdoor lighting is very important for security. Many systems come with heat motion sensors, which would notify you about any intruders after dark.
5. Low voltage outdoor lighting is very easy to relocate, since the wires do not have to be buried deeply and permanently in the ground. The wires can be just slightly buried.
6. A transformer for low voltage outdoor lighting can range anywhere from 150 W and up to 900 W. It would probably be a good idea to purchase a transformer with a little more muscle, so that you can expand your lighting system if you decide to start using the bulbs with more watts.
7. You can pick the low voltage cable depending on the amount of watts required to operate your low voltage outdoor lighting system. Popular sizes of the low voltage cables include 12 ga. (can carry 300 watts), 14 ga. (can carry 200 watts) and 16 ga. (can carry 150 watts). Standard wire size is 12 gauge.
8. Low voltage outdoor lighting designs can be built to suit a wide range of lighting situations. The types of lighting include path lighting, in-ground fixtures, tree-hung moonlighting fixtures, spotlights, and deck lighting for an extra measure of safety while walking on the steps etc.
9. The price of the low voltage outdoor lighting kits varies dramatically, starting from $15 and up to $300. The systems for $300, however, usually have a much higher quality and are much more environment-friendly.
10. In order to find out how many lamps can be used with any given transformer, you would simply have to multiply the total number of light bulbs in your low voltage outdoor lighting system by the total wattage. For instance, if your transformer is 150 W, you can use 30 lights by 5 W each in your setup.
Several things to consider when implementing a low voltage outdoor lighting system:
1. Always remember to plug the transformer directly into the outlet, and not through an extension cord.
2. If the wires of your low voltage outdoor lighting system are not buried deeply, they will be more prone to getting damaged.
3. The extra wattage of the transformer should not exceed one-third of the total needs of the system.
Low voltage outdoor lighting is among the most secure, affordable and easy to set up systems to light up your garden. Most homeowners get amazed with their gorgeous secure garden, after implementing a low voltage outdoor lighting system. - 20763
Dangerous regular 120 watt electric current is stepped down to merely 12 V in the low voltage outdoor lighting systems, making it so much safer. Electric in such systems runs through a loop from one end of the transformer to another.
There are several important advantages of the low voltage outdoor lighting setups, when compared to regular lighting:
1. It is very easy to set up your own low voltage outdoor lighting. The system usually comes in kits, which include everything needed to assemble the lighting (the transformer, cables and fixtures). You would just have to buy the bulbs with a preferred wattage.
2. Low voltage outdoor lighting is a very low cost solution, since it can use light bulbs, starting at nearly 4 W. In addition to regular lamps, home owners may choose to use halogen or fluorescent lamps.
3. Most of the low voltage outdoor lighting kits also come with a built-in timer allowing the owner to set it to come on and off every 4, 6, or 8 hours etc., as well as many kits come with a built-in photocell, capable of turning the lighting on and off according to whether there is sun or there isn't.
4. Low voltage outdoor lighting is very important for security. Many systems come with heat motion sensors, which would notify you about any intruders after dark.
5. Low voltage outdoor lighting is very easy to relocate, since the wires do not have to be buried deeply and permanently in the ground. The wires can be just slightly buried.
6. A transformer for low voltage outdoor lighting can range anywhere from 150 W and up to 900 W. It would probably be a good idea to purchase a transformer with a little more muscle, so that you can expand your lighting system if you decide to start using the bulbs with more watts.
7. You can pick the low voltage cable depending on the amount of watts required to operate your low voltage outdoor lighting system. Popular sizes of the low voltage cables include 12 ga. (can carry 300 watts), 14 ga. (can carry 200 watts) and 16 ga. (can carry 150 watts). Standard wire size is 12 gauge.
8. Low voltage outdoor lighting designs can be built to suit a wide range of lighting situations. The types of lighting include path lighting, in-ground fixtures, tree-hung moonlighting fixtures, spotlights, and deck lighting for an extra measure of safety while walking on the steps etc.
9. The price of the low voltage outdoor lighting kits varies dramatically, starting from $15 and up to $300. The systems for $300, however, usually have a much higher quality and are much more environment-friendly.
10. In order to find out how many lamps can be used with any given transformer, you would simply have to multiply the total number of light bulbs in your low voltage outdoor lighting system by the total wattage. For instance, if your transformer is 150 W, you can use 30 lights by 5 W each in your setup.
Several things to consider when implementing a low voltage outdoor lighting system:
1. Always remember to plug the transformer directly into the outlet, and not through an extension cord.
2. If the wires of your low voltage outdoor lighting system are not buried deeply, they will be more prone to getting damaged.
3. The extra wattage of the transformer should not exceed one-third of the total needs of the system.
Low voltage outdoor lighting is among the most secure, affordable and easy to set up systems to light up your garden. Most homeowners get amazed with their gorgeous secure garden, after implementing a low voltage outdoor lighting system. - 20763
About the Author:
John Monsholi is passionate about low voltage landscape lighting and low voltage light.
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