Landscape lighting reveals the house and grounds in the setting that was lost as night fell. The purpose of lighting is to re-establish the relationship between the house and the landscaping. Lighting should enhance the setting, extend the hours of enjoyment of the outdoors and provide for the safety and convenience of guests. It can also address issues of security in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing and appropriate to the site.

To achieve these goals it is necessary to plan, design and execute the lighting carefully and methodically. Low voltage lighting is an optional outdoor amenity usually added to a property after construction is completed and the landscaping has matured. Most often it is the final touch to a carefully designed and maintained landscape plan. It is therefore important that the lighting be appropriate to the landscaping. Some homeowners, particularly those, who have done their own landscaping, may wish to attempt to do the lighting as well; most others will enlist the aid of an outdoor lighting professional.

Outdoor lighting is the addition of lighting effects not the purchase of equipment. The ideal lighting system is one that meets the practical and aesthetic needs of the owner without adding yet another maintenance requirement to the burden of ownership. Service and maintenance is intrinsic to outdoor lighting. Planning, design, installation and service are the components of effective and appropriate lighting.

In new construction it is important to contact an outdoor lighting professional before driveway and walkway paving is completed. This is also true if the site is already fully built and landscaped but changes in the hardscaping such as new walkways or a patio are planned. Placement of wiring conduits under planned paving prior to completion will allow lighting to be placed in those areas that would otherwise require costly and disruptive excavating at a later date.

Most low voltage landscape lighting is retrofit into existing landscaping; the challenge of accomplishing this with minimal disruption will not defeat an experienced designer.

What kinds of things in my landscape should I light?

The first step in designing any landscape lighting system is to determine what you want the light to do for you. Take a walk around your property, look out your windows and doors to figure out what kind of mood you want. Look for possible focal points for a dramatic effect. Are you looking for safety, to distinguish the steps on a stairway or to highlight the edge of the driveway? Do you have any garden art you want to be able to see at night?

Which techniques should I use?

To help get your creative juices flowing, check out our pages on landscape lighting techniques. Terms like uplighting and downlighting my not mean much to you now, but the descriptions and pictures should stimulate new landscape lighting ideas. After reviewing the techniques, select those that will best achieve the mood you're looking to create. Remember that some light will "spill" from the accented area. Balance and subtlety are key tools in landscape lighting. It is extremely easy to light an area too much. The key phrase to remember should be "less is more."

Which fixtures should I use?

Once you have an idea of what you want to light, select the style of fixture and lamp based on your needs. This is an important concept. It is too easy to pick the light that looks the coolest and then decide what you want to light with it. It will generally not produce the desired effect you want. Check out the landscape lighting techniques page again and this time notice which fixtures are associated with each specific technique. Once again...sometimes less is more. You do not necessarily need high levels of illumination coming from individual fixtures. Instead, think about lighting an object from multiple angles with softer light rather than one very bright fixture in front of it.

Do I need a transformer?

For a low voltage system, you do need a transformer. It is the power console for your landscape lights that converts the voltage of household outlets at 120 volts to 12 volts. Remember that the light fixtures will not plug into a standard outlet.

How do I know which transformer to use?

To determine the transformer size you will need, add up the wattages of all lamps you plan on using. Select a transformer that matches as closely as possible the total lamp wattage.

For example: If you have 11 fixtures all rated at 24.4 watts, you will need a 300 watt transformer.

(11 x 24.4 = 268.4 watts)

A few things to keep in mind:

The total lamp load should not be less than one third the transformer's wattage rating, nor exceed its maximum wattage capacity. If your total wattage is too high, either divide the load between two transformers or use a more powerful transformer.

We recommend you get a transformer that will allow you to add fixtures at a later time. Since the transformer will be the most expensive part of your investment, it's a good idea to plan ahead. Quite a few of our clients have come back the following year or two and wanted to add to their landscape lighting. Plus you only pay for the electric that you use. Just because a transformer is rated for 300 watts doesn't mean it is continually using 300 watts.

What is a multi-tap terminal on a transformer?

Once you have selected an appropriate transformer, you will have a choice of attaching the cable to the 11 volt, 12 volt or 13 volt terminal on the terminal strip. In essence, this allows you to pick the brightness of the lamps you will be running on this circuit. The lower the voltage, the lower the lamp will burn and thus last longer.

More than one length of cable may be attached to each terminal provided the total wattage on all runs does not exceed 300 watts.

So how do I select the correct power console (transformer) and terminal to use?

The primary objective is to choose a console that has enough wattage to operate the fixtures on the circuit. A common misconception is the higher the wattage rating for the transformer, the longer the cable runs you can make. In reality, it is the voltage, not wattage that is reduced by cable resistance.

What kind of cable do I need?

We recommend using #12-2 low voltage cable for your landscape lights. As a general rule of thumb, cable runs should not exceed 100 feet.

How should I run my cable lines?

There are a variety of layouts for your landscape lighting design. This can be an important factor in minimizing voltage drop.

1. Straight run installation - Fixtures run in sequence directly from the transformer. Note: This type of installation is not recommended for runs longer than one or two fixtures, where you need a balanced light scheme.

2. Loop installation - Helps reduce voltage drop and produces a more uniform light output. It is important that you connect the same wire leads to the proper transformer terminals by noting the ridge or marking on one side of the cable.

3. Split load installation - Run up the maximum cable length in two or more directions from the transformer.

4. T-installation - Allows more equal distribution of power to the center of a run, or to a run some distance away. Cable running from the transformer must be of a heavier gauge (8 or 10 gauge).

How should I plan my layout?

The layout itself can be accomplished by sketching a view of the property, including all landscape features to be illuminated. Mark the location of each fixture and power console. Draw a dotted line from the power console to each fixture to denote the cable, remembering to center feed to the load of the run. Try to avoid running the cable under walks and drives more than once to eliminate the need for extra work when installing. Keep a copy of the plan as a reference for expansion or excavation work. Click on the picture for a sample layout.

What is voltage drop?

The voltage drop in an electrical system is the change in voltage from one point to another in the line. The closer the lamps are to the transformer, the higher their voltage and wattage readings will be. Those fixtures farthest away will have a lower voltage and wattage. So why is this important? The higher the voltage and wattage, the brighter the bulb will burn. If a cable run is too long, or if too many lights are being powered by a single transformer, noticeable voltage drop may occur. Lights furthest from the transformer will be dimmer than those closer to it. (Of course this can actually work to your advantage if the differences in lamp brightness levels are not objectionable.)

How can I prevent voltage drop?

Voltage drop can be minimized in several different ways:

Use heavier gauge cable (8 or 10 gauge).

Use a higher rated transformer.

Use multiple transformers.

Shorten the cable lengths.

Reduce individual fixture wattages.

Reduce the number of fixtures on a run

Is voltage drop necessarily a Bad thing?

Voltage drop can actually work to your advantage if differences in lamp brightness levels are not objectionable. For example, is there an area of your yard you want to be less bright than the rest? If so, it would be OK to put a light at the end of one of your cable runs, where the voltage is less. Running landscape lights at a lower voltage can also extend the life of the lamps, requiring less frequent replacement.

Are there any other accessories I will need?

By now you should have a list of fixtures, their lamps, cable and one or more transformers. The only thing left you may need are mounting accessories like stems, stakes or shielding devices.

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