What is Low Voltage Landscape Lighting?
You can highlight your favorite plants or light your pathways at night without the constant threat of shock or injury! Using only a few components, low-voltage landscape lighting can be set up quickly and efficiently, especially with the help of a landscape lighting professional like Mike’s Landscape Lighting!
How Does Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Work?
Unlike your usual “line voltage,” which uses 120 volts, low-voltage landscape lighting only uses 12 volts to power your outdoor lighting fixtures! How can this be possible? Learn more about the components most commonly found in low-voltage landscape lighting systems below!
Low Voltage Transformer
The transformer is the main component for distributing safe voltage to all of your landscape lights. Each transformer consists of many electronic components that work together to step down your home’s 120V system down to the 12V needed to power your landscape lights. However, not all transformers are built the same! Each transformer manufacturer makes their transformers with different ratings. You need to choose a transformer that offers the proper wattage for the number of landscape lighting fixtures that you choose to use. If you choose landscape lights that require 300 watts (six pathway lights that each need 50 watts, for example), you will need a transformer that can handle AT LEAST 300 watts, but you would likely want to overshoot that wattage by 100-200 watts to give your system room for expansion and ensure the load is not maxed out at all times. Sound complex? That’s why it’s best to work with a professional landscape lighting company!
Low Voltage Wiring
Your wiring connects to both the transformer and each lighting fixture. The wire’s thickness helps to determine the brightness of your landscape lights. Thicker gauge wire is often used for higher power installations and thinner gauge wire can be used for low-power lighting projects. Your low voltage wires will be buried six inches beneath the soil at the time of installation to adhere to national electric codes. At Mike’s Landscape Lighting, we ensure that your system is installed properly with the correct wires necessary for your installation, so you don’t have to worry about whether you have the proper wire or if it is installed properly!
Low Voltage Light Fixtures and Bulbs
Low voltage lighting is versatile as you can mix any fixture types you want along the same transformer line, from pathway lights to patio lights! However, as mentioned before, you’ll want to make sure that the sum of your fixtures/bulbs does not go beyond the power rating of your transformer. If you exceed the limit of your transformer, your lights will appear dim or not work at all! Luckily, Mike’s Landscape Lighting will plan out your entire system long before it comes time for installation.
Low Voltage Timers
To save on your electricity costs, a timer is your best friend! Attaching a timer to your landscape lighting system can allow your system to turn on /off at sunset/sunrise, respectively. What’s more? There are astronomical timers programmed for your area! These timers know what time sunrise and sunset are internally and have daylight savings time programmed as well. They also have a battery backup to keep the timer programmed during power outages, so you don’t need to worry about resetting your timer after every brownout or blackout!
Professional Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Installation
All in all, while there aren’t many components to most low voltage landscape lighting systems, it’s best to work with a professional low voltage landscape lighting installation company like Mike’s Landscape Lighting! Our team knows landscape lighting inside and out. We will meet with you, discuss your needs, and develop a plan for your low-voltage landscape lighting system to ensure that your system contains the proper transformer, wiring, fixtures, bulbs, and timers. Contact us today to get started!