The first step to illuminating your property is purchasing the necessary products. With the large variety of products and accessories available on the market, it can be difficult to determine what you actually need for your lighting project. For many learning the intricacies of low-voltage landscape light can be a daunting or confusing task, but hopefully we can provide some clarity and eliminate some misconceptions on this matter.

TRANSFORMERS


The first is the low-voltage transformer, which plugs into a normal wall outlet and converts the 120V electricity of your home into low-voltage (12V) current. Low-voltage electricity is preferred for landscape lighting since it does not require a licensed electrician to work with and is not powerful enough to damage the installer or the property. Transformers will have connection terminals inside of them where you can attach the wires that will carry the 12V electricity to your low-voltage landscape lighting fixtures. The size of the transformer required for a project is determined by the number and power consumption of the lights you want to attach to it. This is measured in watts, so if your transformer outputs 100-watts of electricity than you could connect up to ten 10-watt lights to that transformer. That being said your transformer should never be at more than 80% of its total capacity as specified by the National Electric Code. So, if you have a transformer with a maximum capacity of 100-watts you can only be connected up to 80-watts worth of lighting products. Furthermore, it is recommended to leave an additional 10% of the maximum capacity free to account for the loss of current that occurs as the electricity flows through the wire. 

THE FIXTURES

The next component of your lighting system is the lights themselves. These are the items you will place around your property to provide the actual illumination. Most landscape lighting fixtures consist of a light source, a fixture protect and deliver electricity to the light source, and hardware to mount the fixture and keep it in place. Lighting fixtures come in many varieties and are chosen based on the situational demands of each individual project. Generally speaking, outdoor lighting fixtures can be broken down into a few main categories spotlights, path and area lights, underwater lights, hardscape lights, and in-ground lights.

SPOTLIGHTS

These are the most commonly used fixture type. These types of fixtures are usually placed on the ground directing light up or mounted above a feature pointing the light down on it. Smaller spotlights with narrow beams are often used for small to medium trees, bushes or any situation where you need to precisely light a feature of your property. More powerful lights with wide beam angles, often referred to as flood lights, are used to cover large areas like the sides of buildings or fences with light

PATHLIGHTS

These fixtures are typically placed on the perimeter of features, such as walkways and gardens, to light the ground in that area. They are often comprised of a light source elevated off the ground that is directed towards the ground beneath by a hat on the top to provide a circle of illumination in that area.

WELL LIGHTS

As their name suggests, this type of light is placed so the top of the fixture is flush with the surface of the ground, which usually requires some digging. They are typically placed at the base with the light being pointed up at the object that requires lighting. They are most effective for lighting tall and narrow structures like columns. 

ACCESSORIES

The final component of any lighting project are the products and tools used to connect your landscape lighting fixtures to your low-voltage transformer. Wire is used to connect your lights to the transformer and other fixtures on the property. The wire itself is usually made of two separate strands of copper wire that are protected and held together by a rubber coating. Two separate strands are needed as one strand of the wire carries positively charged electricity while the other carries the negatively charged electricity. Both of which must be connected to the fixture and the corresponding terminals of the transformer in order to provide electricity to the light source. Another essential for any lighting project are wire connectors. These items allow you to connect the ends of your wires to a fixture or to other wire-ends. It’s important to select connectors that are made for outdoor use since they also need to protect the point of connecting from moisture and other forces that can result in a disconnection or failure. Wire strippers are also needed to cut wires and remove the rubber coating from the wire-ends. In order for electricity to flow through the wire there must be physical contact between the exposed metals of the wires. Finally, additional tools like tape measurers, ladders, or power tools can be used to expedite the installation process depending on the situation.