Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Design

Low voltage landscape lighting designs are often thought of to be very simple. Yes it is - but whether you are installing it the right way is another story.

Your considerations should include the selection of the lights, the appropriate wiring, and the power supply. Your transformer should be able to support the cumulative wattage of your lights.

Another concern is the light layout. There are different ways to do this, but the simplest is by installing the fixtures in sequence away from the power console – commonly called the straight run installation. Another way is by loop installation that reduces the effect of the voltage drop. You must make sure that the wirings are not crossed. There is also the T installation in which the power is evenly distributed.

Also, always keep a copy of your light layout for your future reference. There might be days when you have to do some work in your yard, and without the reference, you might just be hitting the cables of your low voltage landscape lighting.

A tip though is that while low voltage landscape lighting can bring beauty to your yards, these also attract bugs. It is thus advisable to point lighting fixtures away from areas that you plan to occupy.

Also it is advisable in burying wires to keep in mind that a PVC conduit works best to protect the electrical wires from water or at worst being hit by a shovel or sharp objects. The use of steel conduits is practical only on homes that have hard grounds.

Also in caring for the low-voltage bulbs, touching these with the bare hands should be avoided. This will result to easy burnout of bulbs as they become brittle when in contact with the oils of our hands.

In low voltage landscape lighting, you don’t always have to light everything you see on your yard. Start with the basic, making sure that pathways are well lighted for safety purposes. Then you proceed by selecting a focal point or the main object of attention of your landscape. Work around this, and use up-lighting, down-lighting, cross-lighting and other lighting techniques on supporting areas as appropriate, to bring out a natural feel of your yard.

Low voltage landscape lighting transforms your yard into a lovely sight. You can enjoy what it has to offer even at nightfall. Strategic landscape lighting enchants you to stay longer on your well-lighted patio, and take pleasure of the beauty it brings.