Low-Voltage Lighting: Connecting Home and Garden
Posted: Tuesday, May 26, 2009
by Mike Johnson
Sonoran Rain Landscape Creations, LLC
Light Up The Night
Landscape lighting is an extension of the beauty that we see during the day, transforming the night into a more dramatic, romantic, even mysterious scene.
Life is awakened in a landscape that would otherwise appear dark and dormant. Suddenly, textures and colors spring forth, and what was once all but forgotten becomes the new focus of attention.
Well executed night lighting can be an extension of the inside of a home, allowing patios, pools, and pathways to be used for entertaining, dining, or relaxing. Subtle lighting can create romance, intimacy, and mood - enhancing the outdoor setting in ways you may never have experienced.
Lighting can also offer safety, security, and a sense of well-being, at the same time affording the opportunity to enjoy your beautiful landscape both day and night. Light can define your property borders and add depth, color, and nuance.
One of Americas greatest architects, Frank Lloyd Wright, referred to light as the beautifier. Light enhances. Its purpose is to complement, not compete with, the architecture.
FAQs
Q: Will I get the same high quality results with a packaged lighting set from a retail store?
A: No. Boxed light sets have a pre-determined style selection and maximum length of wire, which restricts light placement while offering no flexibility on bulb choice. Also, these transformers typically do not provide multiple voltage taps to compensate for voltage drops, resulting in inconsistent brightness from one fixture to another. Simply stated, professional grade fixtures offer better durability and more options.
Q: When should I have low-voltage landscape lighting installed?
A: The best time is during the installation phase of the landscape so as to minimalize disruption, but lighting can be easily incorporated into your existing landscape.
Q: Why use 12-volt lighting?
A: Low-voltage lights are safe, economic, offer a wider variety of lamps and fixtures, and provide better accuracy and quality of light truer to the color of sunlight than 120-volt lamps.
Q: Are all lamps (bulbs) created equal?
A: No. Tungsten halogen lamps produce a whiter, more intense light than incandescent lamps of comparable wattage, allowing you to achieve excellent color rendition and maintain consistent lumen output for the life of the lamp.
The quality of the mirrored reflector coatings and the alignment of the filament are critical, too. The thickness and application of these coatings ensure that they do not crack or peel under the stress of high temperatures. Proper filament alignment within the reflector assures beam accuracy and uniformity from lamp to lamp. You can avoid many future problems by utilizing the highest quality lighting components available.
Q: How important is voltage?
A: Absolutely critical. Proper voltage determines luminescent consistency and life expectancy of lamps. The job of the transformer is to reduce 120-volt power to a safe, energy-efficient, economical 12-volt current. A low-voltage transformer is the heart of a professional landscape lighting system. Use of a multi-tap transformer to compensate for distances where voltage drop may occur is recommended.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Some wonderful information here, Mike. I often come home after dark and there is one house that always draws my attention. It sits quite far off the highway and has a large American flag that is lighted up every night and looks very impressive. Thanks for sharing some ideas with us.Sandra
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