low voltage lighting

The efficiency of the solar panels including the reduction in their size coupled with the quality of the batteries they charge and the length of time they last has made the purchase of solar lights very economical.

The Old Way

Once upon a time if you wanted outdoor lights, you had to assemble the lights, dig ditches, run wires, find and outlet for the transformer(these were low voltage systems using 12 volts), connect the light connections to the main cable, cover the ditches and set back to enjoy the fruits of your labors. Assembling the lights could be a major effort in some of the less expensive kits. The tolerances allowed are great and the manufacturers take advantage of this. Then you need to have the strength of Hercules to attach the wiring system Solar Outdoor lighting has made improvements by leaps and bounds over the last decade. Digging the ditch can be an affair if you have a tight soil. If there was a sidewalk or driveway involved, then the work had just begun, trying to get your main cable across these obstacles. They worked great until the bulbs started getting older, then they would fade a little, burn out or their connection would corrode and need occasional cleaning and reinserting. Looking for a bad connection can and does require a lot of time and effort on the do-it yourselfer.

The New Way

In the beginning, solar lighting only had one color. This was a bluish white which looked very artificial. They have evolved and include an amber color which is less artificial looking and more pleasing to the observer. They still are available in the original color for the person who likes that effect.

They can be purchased individually or in sets. If you only want to light up a feature in your yard such as a tree or a corner of your house, you can purchase the lights singly to do it. But if you want to light up the walk to your front door or the edges of your driveway, you can purchase lights in sets to accomplish this.

Installing outdoor lights has never been easier. All you need to do is decide where you want to install a light, stick it in the ground and you are done. If you decide you don't like that location, just pull it up and move it. No new wiring to run or move. No timer to set and no difficult connections to worry about.

Overall

For the person with a lot of time to spend on installing all the components involved with the old system and the maintenance they require, they are less expensive and dependable to a point. For the person who is busy and likes instant gratification, is not exactly sure where they want to install lights and may want to change the location of their lights to gain different effects, solar lights are the way to go.

There is a growing debate over which type of landscape lighting is better:

Solar Lighting or Low Voltage Lighting.

This article highlights some of the pros and cons of both based on my own personal experience.

Low Voltage Lighting

This type of lighting is available in a variety of brightness levels and styles. The light emitted varies from fixture to fixture, but is usually very good. A transformer provides the electricity and can be controlled by an automatic timer. Low voltage lighting is shockless and safe to use around children and pets. It's also cost effective and the hardest thing about the installation is burying the wires.

Some of the benefits of low voltage lighting systems are listed below:

A professionally installed lighting system has been known to increase the value and resale of properties. Showcasing your house at night with low voltage lighting helps potential visitors find your property easier too.

Compared with line voltage, low voltage is easily installed, safe to operate, extremely economical, and casts beautiful light.

As a homeowner, you can enjoy more hours outside entertaining friends and family. Low voltage lighting can even be wired on your deck giving you great ambient light or even direct light for your grill.

Low voltage lighting systems are expandable so they can be adapted as properties are expanded and/or owners' needs change.

Proper lighting offers increased safety and security.

Some of the cons:

Bulbs burn out and need replacement.

Wiring can be damaged and need replacement.

Timers need to be reset with daylight savings ti

Solar Lighting

Solar lights use LEDs instead of traditional bulbs. LEDs last longer than any other light source, sometimes lasting as long as 10 years. This type of lighting requires no wiring and is the most energy-efficient lighting because it uses the sun's energy to recharge batteries. It costs nothing to operate and is easy to install. However, it should not be used to illuminate large areas brightly or for activities such as grilling and socializing.

Some of the benefits of Solar Lighting:

Lasts longer than other light sources. With LEDs there is nothing to break, rupture, shatter, leak, or contaminate.

Unlike typical conventional light sources, LEDs are not subject to

sudden failure or burnout. There is no point in time at which the light source ceases to function; instead, LEDs gradually degrade in performance over time.

Reduced Maintenance Costs - Since LED based light sources last at least 10 times longer than a normal light source, there is no need to replace the light, reducing or even eliminating ongoing maintenance costs and periodic bulb replacement. This is especially nice if you have an area that is difficult to access to change bulbs.

Energy efficiency - You can rest assured knowing that you aren't contributing nearly as much to global warming or the energy crisis when you use Solar products.

There is no mercury in the light source. Eliminating Mercury from your lighting system will enable you to meet new and future increasingly stringent environmental regulations.

Some of the cons:

The solar panels that typical lighting fixtures use need to be small. This means they collect less energy from the sun to recharge the batteries.

Areas that are frequently shaded or get little sun geographically also affect the recharging capabilities of the fixture.

The lighting is typically dim and does not cover much ground. It also tends to look blue even though it says they use "Super Bright White" LEDS.

The dim lighting means you have to use more fixtures, which creates a sort of landing strip look, or if you are using deck light fixtures they end up looking like a bunch of bug zappers, (without the ability to zap the bugs).

No matter how long they say that LEDs last, it has been my experience that the solar panel usually becomes covered in dirt and the batteries don't last nearly as long as they are supposed to. You have to keep that solar panel clean or it won't work, this means more maintenance more often.

Fixtures are usually set to come on at dark and off at light. Not much control there.

Summary

I tend to prefer low voltage lighting for the simple fact that it is better quality light and can be controlled better with timers. LED landscape lights will probably always be dim. Solar lights just don't harvest much energy from the sun, so no matter how efficient their LEDs, they will never be really bright. In comparison to your cheapie solar lights, low voltage is likely to be a huge improvement, and the low-voltage installation process is not really that much harder than it would be for solar fixtures.

I say, low voltage is the way to go until the technology can improve solar panels ability to capture energy and LEDs ability to output more light.

You might have heard of low voltage outdoor lighting, but you just aren't sure exactly what it is or how to use it. Well, this article's purpose is to help you become familiar with low voltage lighting and answer your most frequently asked questions on the subject.

First of all, just what is a low voltage lighting system anyway? Usually it consists of a transformer that is plugged into a wall outlet and steps the 110 volt current from the outlet down to a relatively safe 12 volts or so. The current is then passed through a low voltage cable to light fixtures that are placed along the way on the exterior of your home. These light fixtures can be used to eliminate your walkways, your landscaping, or any feature of the outside of your home that you want to direct attention to at night.

One of the big advantages of low voltage lighting systems is that they can be safely and easily installed by the homeowner themselves with no special tools. So if you're looking to get involved in a home improvement project that will be relatively easy to do and really improve the outside appearance of your home especially at night, this is the job for you.

The second big advantage of low voltage outdoor lighting is that the lights are extremely energy efficient and therefore very low cost. Most of the lights that are used are in the 4 watt range, but they can go up from there. And all you have to do to get brighter light at night is just use a higher watt bulb in each light fixture.

Many installers of low voltage outdoor lighting systems wonder how many lights can be added to the system before it is overloaded. The answer to that is that each transformer is rated for a certain amount of total bulb wattage. So just add out the number of bulbs that you have in your system and multiply that by the bulb wattage that is being used and as long as that number is below the total bulb wattage rating of your transformer you should be fine.

Another interesting point to consider is that you can use different wattage bulbs in your outdoor lighting system as long as that total bulb wattage does not exceed your transformer's capability. This will allow you to put brighter bulbs in certain areas to highlight those features even more at night.

If you do happen to exceed the total bulb wattage of your transformer, you can either purchase another power pack with a higher wattage rating to handle the load, or simply purchase a second one and split the load between two transformers instead.

One warning though to be observed is to never use an extension cord between the transformer and the electrical outlet. Always plug the transformer directly into the power outlet.

As you can see, low voltage outdoor lighting is not all that hard to install or maintain. So why not consider installing an outdoor lighting system for your next home improvement project?

Low voltage strip lights function as eclectic and innovative sources of low voltage cabinet lighting. Differentiating themselves from overhead lamps and obtrusive fixtures, low voltage cabinet lighting strips conceal their own appearance to render colors and details in a whole new level and quality of light. Eliminating wires and traditional mounting creates a field of glare-free low voltage light within the cabinet enclosure that is evenly distributed and casts no shadows. Low voltage cabinet fixtures add mystery to low voltage cabinet lighting as well, featuring a patented conductive system that replaces wiring with metal shelf standards that conduct low voltage current safely and unobtrusively, creating the illusion of sourceless lighting that fills the empty space of the display with a warm, vibrant glow.

Different display designs require different types of mounting fixtures for optimal low voltage cabinet lighting. Cabinets built by custom designers featuring fine finish and hand carved surfaces require the most seamless possible fit to avoid a visible fixture from detracting from craftsmanship and design. They also require completely concealed power sources and electrical conductivity. The main advantage Phantom offers over any other type of low voltage shelf light is its unique ability to transfer power from a remote low voltage transformer through the mounting support clips that fasten the fixture itself to the shelf. This not only eliminates physical wires, but it also reduces heat due and power consumption because this involves a lower level of electricity conducted through clips attached to the wood, which itself serves as a natural insulator and electrical ground. Adjustable, concealed low voltage cabinet lights are especially designed for fine; custom wooden low voltage cabinet lighting due to the fact that of our entire Phantom strip models it offers the highest level of concealment. Adjustable concealed low voltage cabinet lights are custom designed for new build displays, so people who buy them are builders or cabinet makers who order the strips pre-cut and build them directly into the cabinet during construction.

For private commercial clients and homeowners looking to retrofit existing cabinets or add decorative flair to generic cabinetry, adjustable exposed low voltage cabinet lights are ideal. This style of low voltage cabinet light allows for greater flexibility with only slightly more visibility in the fixture itself. It is ideal for retrofitted installation onto existing shelves and it can also dual function as a custom piece for new cabinets under construction. The AC style does not provide total fixture concealment, but it is nonetheless can prove a highly decorative add-on to a plain or basic display, and its many finish and color options can even add a slightly high-end touch to standard retail low voltage lighting display cabinets. Lighting levels are controlled in both low voltage cabinet light fixtures types with special glare shielding that prevents light "spillage" when viewed from either above or below eye level. Both of these low voltage cabinet lights can be fitted with multiple lamping options, ranging from fluorescent to incandescent, on up to higher end xenon and state of the art LED light bulbs. The unique positioning of proprietary smaller, festoon lamps makes for a more even "wash" of luminosity that creates a more even distribution of photons within the cabinet itself.

Even more decorative low voltage cabinet lighting and special lighting effects become possible by selectively adding vertically mounted strips series. You can also add CM1 lights to custom cabinet "ceilings", transforming cove lighting into cabinet lighting and creating additional points of emphasis within the ambient field. Ask your lighting manufacturer's representative about these options.

A lot of people are concerned with keeping their homes looking nice. It probably seems to most homeowners that every day presents a new task for them to complete in order to keep their house in top form. This especially true when the sun is out and shining, illuminating every inch of their property, but what about when the sun goes down? What about the way their house looks at night?

With so many household tasks to juggle it is easily understandable why many homeowners overlook the fact that their house is still visible to the neighbors and any other passerby at night. Nighttime gives you a whole new range of options to consider when deciding how you want your house to look. Using lighting, you can illuminate only what you want, and at whatever intensity you desire. Thanks to today's low voltage lighting systems, lighting up your house comes with more options than ever.

Low voltage exterior lighting comes in a wide range of designs to help suit your tastes and help create different lighting effects. A low voltage system also offers several advantages. The biggest one of them all is convenience of use. Except for the one transformer that must be connected to a 120-volt circuit, the entire system runs on a cost effective and safe 12-volt current. Low voltage wiring is also lightweight and can either be laid on the ground or buried beneath the surface.

In contrast, if you were to use a 120-volt system (the same type of system that supplies power to your home) you would have to use the same precautions installing your lighting as those of a licensed electrician, as well as the expertise. A 120-volt system will also have to be installed according to code and may require a buried conduit. Also, once it is installed, it is permanent, so you will never be able to move it; however, by using low voltage, you can easily relocate the system should you need to, or if you just want to change your lighting scheme.

Low voltage lighting can be purchased in kits or as individual fixtures. Using a kit is best because you get the correct transformer, wire and fixtures all in one box. The kits range from $20 to $100 and are very convenient for the do-it-yourself homeowner.

On the other hand, buying individual components provide a wide range of options that allows homeowners to customize the exterior lighting; however, he/she will have to determine the proper wire gauge size and transformer capacity; thus, both options come with their own set of drawbacks.

Thanks to low voltage lighting, taking care of your home is now literally a 24 hour job. However, it is worth it. The right lighting scheme in your front yard can give your home's exterior a memorable ambiance people won't soon forget.

When designing a system for outdoor illumination you must first decide the purpose of the lights. If they are to provide good lighting to enable you to see around the property in the dark, a 120 volt system may be necessary. To put together a system that offers subdued lighting used mostly for effect, an outdoor low voltage lighting system is what you are looking for.

An outdoor low voltage lighting system typically operates on 12 Volts and requires a transformer to change the 120 Volts in the home to 12 Volts to operate the system. There are two main methods of hooking lights to the transformer, straight line and loop, but the number of lights hooked to the transformer as well the distance the lights are from the transformer will affect how bright the lights glow.

In most installations of outdoor low voltage lighting systems, six to 10 lights may be possible and the closer together they are located, the less voltage drop you will experience. Additionally, the furthest light from the transformer will experience the most voltage drop. Some loss can be compensated by the size of the wire used, such as eight gauge or even 10 gauge, but remember there is only 12 Volts running through the lines and if more lights are going to be installed than the transformer can handle, additional transformers may be needed.

Dangers Minimized With Low Voltage Systems

Some of the advantages of outdoor low voltage lighting system is that they pose little danger to children or wildlife that may happen to touch the wires. The wires also can be placed in conduit if desired or buried in a shallow trench, unlike 120-Volt systems which require conduit and depending on local building code may have to be buried below the frost line.

To install the lights in a straight line, as the name implies, each light is connected to the wire, one after the other, supplying power to all of the lights, but if you check with a voltmeter, you will see the last light or two will show a drop in power.

In a loop connection, one wire connects to the first light, then the same wire connects to the each successive light with the final light also connected to the other terminal. It is important to follow the outdoor low voltage lighting wiring diagrams as they operate on direct current and must be hooked to the correct terminal to avoid damage.

Currently, we are in a day and age when reducing our energy consumption is a primary goal for all. This is a priority that all must take into consideration, no matter if you own your own business, home or you are renting. Anything we can do to decrease in daily energy consumption is not only a benefit to our wallets but also to society as a whole. One way to achieve these primary goals of reducing our energy consumption and therefore decreasing our monthly electric bill is to incorporate low voltage lighting into your business or residence.

The beauty of low voltage lighting is not only the impact that it will have on your monthly electric bill, but you will also not have to sacrifice the ambiance that a traditional light source affords. Low voltage lighting provides you with the same beautiful light source that you are currently accustomed to without eating up an enormous amount of energy, making it the perfect alternative.

We no longer have to adhere to one type of light bulb; there are currently a plethora of different options available. Xenon, halogen, and LED are some of the different versions of low voltage lighting that are available on the market today. Although you may spend just bit more for these types of bulbs at the register they will outlast and utilize less energy than their predecessors, making them pay for themselves in the long run.

Choosing which low voltage lighting systems are right for your home or business and its configuration can be an easy and fun task for all. Get your whole family involved when making such adjustments or improvements to your home, as this can be a very important learning experience for young and old alike. Take the time to explain the reasoning behind implementing these fixtures or bulbs into your home, especially to the younger set as the energy concerns is not going to go away anytime soon.

In order to tackle these imperative goals, first identify what tasks are going to be preformed and in and around the area that you will utilize this type of bulb. One component that will most likely be utilized, in this type light system, is a transformer. A transformer will reduced the 120 volt of electricity to manageable 12 volts that is optimum for the utilization of low voltage lighting. Most current low voltage lighting fixtures today offer built in transformers. After you see the beauty that low voltage lighting has to offer you will want to incorporate it into every area for your residence or business that needs a light source or fixture.

Low voltage lighting is perfect to not only incorporate inside your dwelling, but also the surrounding landscape. Just as with a variety of low voltage light bulbs available there are just as many light fixtures to choose from such as track lighting and pendants. Forward thinking companies such as Phantom Lighting offer a plethora products that targets this low voltage initiative. Linear strip lights such as the ones this company makes offer an ideal source of low voltage decorative light that can transform and magnify the various decorative elements on display within a room or an office.

Such advanced low voltage fixtures are ideal for almost any type of shelving system or display cabinet. Compact, small in size and revealing no wires, enable you to move your treasured items around with ease all the while providing your collectibles with the beautiful illumination that it deserves!

This is only one of the many technologies that are emerging that will gear all lighting systems ultimately toward the utilization of low voltage as the wave of our future

The use of low voltage lighting systems has become increasingly popular over the past several years. Low voltage halogen and low voltage xenon lighting systems can be found in almost any setting – restaurants, hotels, bars, retail stores, museums, art galleries, offices, and the home. We have all seen these types of lighting systems in the form of cabinet lighting, cove lighting, landscape lighting, picture lights, regular track lighting, flexible track lighting (sometimes referred to as monorail lighting), cable lighting, and under cabinet lighting. Here are 15 things that you should know about these low voltage lighting systems.

1) Low Voltage A low voltage lighting system usually operates on 12 or 24 volts.

2) Transformer A transformer is generally used with low voltage lighting systems to “transform” the standard voltage that is normally available (usually 120 volts or 277 volts) to either 12 volts or 24 volts.

3) Type of Transformer The transformer used in a low voltage lighting system may be either electronic or magnetic.

4) Maximum Transformer Wattage The wattage rating of the transformer should always be equal to or greater than the total wattage of the lighting system. If an electronic transformer is used, then the maximum wattage of the lighting system may be equal to but not greater than the wattage rating of the electronic transformer. If a toroidal magnetic transformer is used, then the maximum wattage of the lighting system may be equal to but not greater than the wattage rating of the toroidal magnetic transformer. If, however, a conventional EI magnetic transformer is used, then the maximum wattage of the lighting system may be equal to but not greater than 80% of the wattage rating of the conventional EI magnetic transformer.

5) Minimum Transformer Wattage Transformers usually have a minimum wattage that they must power before they work. For example, it is not uncommon for 60-watt electronic transformer to require that there be at least 10 watts of lighting load and if there is only 5 watts of lighting load connected to this 60W electronic transformer, the lighting system will not work.

6) Electronic Transformers An electronic transformer is generally lighter in weight, smaller in size, cooler to operate, and quieter than a magnetic transformer. However, electronic transformers cannot provide more than 300 watts of power whereas some magnetic transformers can provide as much as 1200 watts of power.

7) Voltmeter Readings Because an electronic transformer provides its power at very high frequencies (usually greater than 20,000 Hertz) a standard voltmeter cannot be used to accurately measure the output voltage. Instead, a “true RMS” voltmeter must be used to measure the secondary voltage of an electronic transformer.

8) AC Electronic Transformer An AC (alternating current) electronic transformer should not be placed any farther than 10 feet from the lighting system. If it should be placed farther away than 10 feet from the lighting system, part or all of the lighting system will experience a lower voltage (known as voltage drop) and have dimmer lamps. Also, the longer the distance from the AC electronic transformer and the lighting system, the greater the chance that it might create radio frequency interference (RFI) with other electronic components in the area.

9) DC Electronic Transformer A DC (direct current) electronic transformer may be placed as far as 50 feet from the lighting system. The DC output significantly reduces radio frequency interference (RFI) and virtually eliminates the possibility of any voltage drop (the drop in voltage over a long circuit).

10) Toroidal Magnetic Transformer If a magnetic transformer is used to power a low voltage lighting system, a toroidal magnetic transformer should be considered. This type of magnetic transformer is more efficient, lighter in weight, smaller in size, cooler to operate, and quieter than a conventional EI magnetic transformer.

11) Wiring a Dimmer A low voltage lighting system can be dimmed whether it is powered by an electronic or a magnetic transformer. When using a dimmer with a low voltage lighting system the dimmer should always be installed so that it is controlling the line voltage side of the transformer, which is also called the primary side or the side connected to 120 volts or 277 volts.

12) Type of Dimmer The dimmer selected to control an electronic transformer should be specifically designed to control that type of transformer whereas a dimmer selected to control a magnetic transformer should be specifically designed to control that type of transformer.

13) Electrical Connections All of the electrical connections for a low voltage lighting system must be very tight and secure. If an electrical splice is not very tight and secure, the wires may arc, cause a great deal of heat, cause the entire lighting system to fail, and possibly become a fire hazard.

14) 24-Volt Lamps When using a 24-volt transformer make certain that the lamps are rated for 24 volts - not 12 volts. If 12-volt lamps are used with a 24-volt transformer the lamps will burn out immediately and possibly become a fire hazard.

15) Thicker Wires Low voltage lighting systems require thicker wires (lower gauge) since more electricity is being conducted by those wires. For example, a 300-watt lighting system operating at 12 volts uses 25 amps of electricity on the low-voltage side of the transformer whereas this same transformer may be powered by 120 volts and 2.5 amps of electricity on the line voltage side of the transformer.

For more information about low voltage light fixtures, low voltage light bulbs, and low voltage transformers, be sure to visit PegasusAssociates.com