Low Voltage Outdoor Lighting  
Outdoor Low Voltage Lighting  
Gazebo Lights  

Low voltage outdoor lighting helps you to safely use your outdoor living areas after dark.





















 

Dark stairways, pathways and driveways can be a little scary and a lot dangerous at night.

But a few tasteful, strategically placed outdoor low voltage lighting fixtures easily solve this problem.

Here's how:

A basic set of low voltage fixtures works well for illuminating stairs, driveways and paths.

The most basic and least expensive low voltage outdoor lighting systems come with six to ten spiked fixtures attached to a wiring pole that you stick into the ground.

It also comes with a roll of underground cable and a transformer you plugged into an GFCI-rated outlet.

A variation might come complete with well lights, garden lights, adjustable spotlights, adjustable flood lights, low voltage cable, halogen bulbs, a control box that contains the transformer, a timer, and a light sensor that operates your lighting system. 

Outdoor low voltage lighting kits remove all the complicated buying decisions.

And with only 12 volts used in a low voltage system (the same as your car's battery), it's so safe, why not save some money and install the system yourself?

Forgo the kit and choose your fixtures a la carte for a large space or a more complex lighting setup.

Then get the best transformer you can afford that can handle more wattage than your fixtures require in case you decide to expand your lighting system later. 

Time required:

• 1 weekend

Difficulty:

• Both a kit and an a la carte system are easy to install.

Skill:

• If you can dig a trench for the cable, you can easily do this yourself.

Tools & Materials:

• Low voltage kit with transformer, fixtures, cable, wiring, and timer
• Or transformer, fixtures, cables, wiring and timer bought separately
• Zip ties or soft nylon straps to tree-mount the fixtures
• Wire nuts

Simplicity:

• Your basic system will have easy to complete instructions included.
  
• Essentially, you'll run the cable along the path you intend to light. Attach the fixtures to the cable. Stick the spikes located at the bottom of the fixtures into the ground. And plug the waterproof transformer it into a 120-volt GFCI-rated outlet.

Options:

If you decide on a more complex low voltage outdoor lighting system, there are a few buying decisions you'll have to make.

The transformer's job is to step down the 120 household volts to a safer 12 volts required in a low voltage outdoor lighting system.

If you're putting together a custom lighting system, you'll need to know what capacity transformer is right for your job.

When deciding on a transformer, first determine the total number of fixtures to be connected.

Then measure the distance between the transformer and the farthest fixture in the run. When in doubt, just ask a clerk at your home improvement center.

Install the transformer:

Transformers come in different shapes and sizes. But, you'll either attach the cable wires to the transformer wires with wire nuts. Or you'll slip the cable wires into slots on the transformer.

In any event, don't plug the transformer into 120-volt GFCI-rated outlet until the wiring is completed.

Some transformers come equipped with integrated timers. Others can come equipped with multi-tap options.

With either of these, the voltage will range from 11 to 14 volts.

Transformers that handle higher voltages are for longer cable runs.

Mount the transformer so it's assessable to a 120-volt GFCI-rated outlet and attach it to the cable.

Bury the cable:

Position your cable according to your lighting plan.

If you're installing path lights, dig a shallow trench along the path, run the cable, then replace the soil.

EasyOutdoorDecor Tip: If you're removing grass to dig the trench for low voltage garden lighting, keep the grass turfs intact. When you replace the soil, you can just put the grass tufts back in place and water thoroughly. In a few weeks, you won't even be able to tell where the trench was dug.

Securing the fixtures:

Just follow the manufacturer instructions.

When you push the spikes into the ground, take care to avoid damaging the cable.

To tree-mount fixtures, use zip ties or soft nylon straps.

Notice how artificial foliage is used in the image at left to camouflage the strap.

Finally, tweak your handiwork.

After it gets dark, have someone help you direct the light to exactly the right spot by having them stand at a vantage point that's several feet away.

The easy installation of low voltage outdoor lighting keeps you and yours safe by creating convenient and safe passages around the exterior of your home.


Next Up at EasyOutdoorDecor -- The Guide to Outdoor Lighting Fixtures.