Low Voltage Outdoor Lighting

Low voltage outdoor lighting - One of the easiest ways to illuminate your outdoor landscape is with a low voltage system.

You can show off and highlight favorite plants, trees and sculpture as well as light-up for safety and definition around your pathways and stairs and circulation routes.

With an emphasis on energy conservation, low voltage lighting systems will save you money by lowering your electric bills. The low voltage system reduces the 120-volt current of a normal electrical line to a harmless and more economical 12-volt current. Professional landscapers love it, Here's why:

Low Voltage Lighting Benefits?

systems are safe and easy to install: no risk of injury from electric shock. Light system can be installed in a few hours, and cables don't need to be buried deep underground like 120-volt line lighting
offers maximum flexibility. You can move the fixtures around to adjust the lighting effects as plants mature
enables you and others to enjoy more time socializing in the backyard, deck or garden
creates safe surroundings and discourages intruders
energy efficient

Low Voltage Lighting Components

(1)Lamps and Fixtures - lamps are what we think of as "light bulbs" fixtures are the housing component for the lamp. You can buy lamps and fixtures separately when designing your lighting system or choose fixtures that come with lamps. In your outdoor lighting design you will want to consider the overall lamp wattage used, this will help you to determine which power console is appropriate for your system. Used for area, path, safety and security lighting.
(2)Power Console (transformer) - You will buy a console by determining the total wattage used in your system. Select a transformer that has a higher wattage capacity than the total watts. This will allow you flexibility to add more lighting fixtures over time.
(3)Mounting method - How you will mount your fixtures will depend upon where they are located: trees, deck, in ground. Mounting components include: wall plates, stakes and canopies.
(4)Cable - You will need to determine which gauge cable is needed for your low voltage landscape system; this is determined by cable length.

Lighting Tips:

Accent lighting allows you to create wonderful effects outside. Consider these 3 tips

Mirror lighting - If you have a pond or body of water why not light up a background scene and create a dramatic reflection.
Moon lighting - For large trees consider simulating the light of the full moon filtering through the foliage. This will light up paths, flower beds and whatever else is under the tree.
Grazing - You can enhance the texture of an aesthetically pleasing vertical surface: brick, stucco and stone. Place the fixture directly against the surface and aim the beam upward or downward.

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