low voltage lighting

A lot of residential and commercial owners have often asked themselves this question. So many people have vouched for the beauty and effectiveness of these landscape lighting systems but what do they have that make them that great and special?Landscape lighting that uses low voltage is very effective in bringing out the best in your yard. Ask all landscape artists and architects of a great way to improve the over-all aesthetic appeal of your yard and they will all reply with outdoor lighting.A well-chosen and well-designed outdoor lighting system is very important to provide an all-season beauty to your yard or garden. Using transformers and beautiful lighting fixtures, you can magically transform your property during night time and transform building, trees, shrubberies and other landscape features into dramatically highlighted focal points.Most outdoor lighting systems use low voltage lighting which is employs 12 volts of electrical devices instead of the usual 120 volts that are used at home or in offices. These low voltage systems do not require the professional help of an electrician because they are easy to work with, safe and are popular with a lot of homeowners regardless of their experience with handling lighting systems.The focal point and what other people might consider as the heart of low voltage landscape lighting is the transformer. The transformer is a device that is indispensable when it comes to this type of lighting system. It works by reducing the normally 120 volts of household current, into 12 volts and controls the time of the day that the lights are on.A lot of transformers have timers that can be set for either 4, 6 or 8 hours. Some also includes a photocell that has the ability to determine what time of the day it is and turns the lights on at night time and turn them off at day time.Transformers are very convenient since they provide only a small amount of voltage to the lights as well as control the length with which the lights are turned on which allows homeowners to save up on electric bills.Most lights used in low voltage lighting systems are easy to assemble. You can even buy kits that already come with various lights, a transformer and at least 50 inches of cable. Some also come with instructional guides that will help you with the setup.

With a well designed landscape, homeowners want to spend as much time as possible outside. Low voltage landscape lighting extends the enjoyment of your yard, allowing you to be outside long past sunset. Well made landscape lights that are in the optimum location deliver many advantages to your yard. For a safer, more decorative area that exudes a certain atmosphere, landscape lighting is the ideal tool.These lighting systems are considered low voltage because they run on 12 volts, as opposed to the 120 volt lighting systems inside your home. Entire sets are installed in a simple manner and without the assistance of an electrician. Add new lights or adjust the existing ones without even needing to turn the system off.In any situation, lighting creates safety. Traffic paths are illuminated, making obstacles and dangers easy to see. Low voltage landscape lighting helps people find paths and walkways in unfamiliar, dark territory and when installed in overhead features systems light up surfaces used for cooking and serving food, such as BBQs and tables.The decorative value of landscape lighting is vast. Emphasize focal points or create completely different ones with a well placed light. Show off interesting forms, expose hidden nooks and create a space within a space with lights. In the dark of the evening, an area that is surrounded by landscape lights becomes a room of its own, no matter what the surroundings. If you have trees or shrubs in unique shapes, show them off in the dusk with lighting.You need to incorporate lighting to form an atmosphere. With landscape lights there are plenty of different moods you can set. Parties go long into the night and stay lit with patio and garden lights. Romantic settings are perfectly created with overhead landscape lights installed in selective areas. Offering good illumination while not overpowering you, low voltage systems are ideal for the twilight hours.Low voltage lighting sets are featured in any local home improvement store. In a kit you should find enough lights for your yard, a transformer and plenty of wire. Make sure the set has good warranty coverage and decent quality manufacturing. Styles vary from thin and tall towers to squat and short units. Remember that you can add to any prepackaged set and many brands have extensions.Transformers turn your system on, so buying one with a timer will allow you to set the switch up ahead of time. A photocell transformer takes that one step further, sensing when the darkness falls and turning everything on. Make sure to get a transformer with a high enough wattage to hold all of the necessary units.For a higher grade and quality, source out your low voltage landscape lighting system from a landscape contractor or lighting dealer. They will have access to more unique sets that may run at a higher price, but will deliver better, more reliable lighting in most cases. They also may come with a longer warranty and more durable construction.LED lights are a new addition to the low voltage landscape lighting industry. The lights run for a lot longer than traditional incandescent bulbs and are more energy efficient. They produce a different shade of light, but are just as attractive.To better enjoy your outdoor living space, install low voltage landscape lighting systems. The atmosphere and decoration will inspire you while the added safety will allow you to relax, resulting in a much better time in the yard.

If you're looking for a good introduction to the prospect of solar landscape lighting, the aim of this article is to give you some reasons to seriously consider the use of outdoor solar lights. The latest generation of solar powered lights are naturally suited to almost every application and the variety of choices just keeps growing. There are three main factors to thank for this: (1) advances in battery technology, (2) the rapid and continual technological advancements in solar panels (also known as photovoltaic cells), and (3) next generation LED lighting, which makes low-power consumption exterior lighting increasingly more available. How does Solar Landscape Lighting Work? Outdoor solar lighting works by storing electricity in one of two ways: (1) excess electricity is sent back to the main electrical power grid, or (2) electricity is stored locally in batteries. Outdoor solar lights have three main components: (1) the collection and conversion of sunlight into energy,

(2) the storage of electricity, and (3) the expenditure of electricity. In order to convert the sunlight into energy, one or more solar panels (photovoltaic modules) need to be installed. These panels convert daylight in direct current (DC) energy. The direct current is subsequently transferred to a storage component through an electrical cable. The storage component then has two options: (1) pass the electricity on to whatever unit needs power, or (2) store the electricity in the main power electrical grid. Here it's important to note that most outdoor lighting systems require a DC current, whereas most indoor electrical appliances require AC (alternating current). Even more, all batteries and outdoor LED lighting require a DC current (most commonly 12v low voltage). So, at this point, you need to decide whether to leave the current as DC or convert it into AC through the use of an inverter. But it doesn't have to be one or the other. You can use dedicated solar panels for particular applications. In other words, one panel can be dedicated for AC, another for DC, and so on.

Whichever storage option you choose will dictate the end usage. Reasons to Install Solar Lights Solar power intrinsically lends itself to outdoor lighting. There are three main reasons for this: (1) New generation solar LED garden lights require very little power and usually are low voltage (12 volts or less). (2) It's the ideal, pollution less, free power cycle. When lighting is not required during the day, the batteries are fully charged by the sun. This stored energy is then used to power the lights at night. (3) All you need is access to daylight to harness this power. And the daylight does not have to be direct sunlight. Any form of daylight will do. So, once you get past the initial costs of purchasing the exterior solar lighting system, it will run itself cost-free for as long as you own it. And because the true cost of any lighting system is measured in terms of its continual operating expenses, this is a huge benefit. Over time, even the most expensive lighting systems have their costs dwarfed by the electrical expenses incurred by operating them. Types of LED Outdoor Lights If you are wondering what types of outdoor solar lights are available, what follows is a quick rundown of some of the most popular solar landscape lights. Outdoor LED lighting made its first appearance a short while back with the introduction of low voltage garden lighting systems. Since then, it has become widely accepted and popular. The advantages of LED garden lights include: (1) easy installation, (2) beautiful lighting effects, (3) very low-cost operation, (4) comparatively inexpensive to purchase, and (5) safe for children, animals and plants. Before the introduction of LED exterior lights, halogen and incandescent bulbs were used in garden lighting. These lights would many times be too powerful for the intended application. Not only that, their range of effects is more limited and the extremely high temperature of the bulbs can be dangerous for people, plants and animals. On top of all this, halogen and incandescent bulbs cost much more to operate. This is because these bulbs need to be replaced regularly (LED bulbs can last 10 years or more) and use more than ten times the amount of electricity of LED garden lights. Outdoor LED Lighting Choices Wondering what choices are available in LED landscape lighting? To begin with, you can try LED spot lights. Or, if want something a bit more powerful, you can select LED flood lights. Then there are LED deck and patio lights, which come in a wide range of colors and sizes. Additionally, you can opt for colored clear rock lights, lanterns, bollards, spikes and LED pond lights. The options are only as limited as your imagination. LED deck lighting is a good example to take a look at. These lights are not only easily attached to decking boards, but also can be installed to any outside wooden garden furniture. All you need to do to install them is to drill a hole in the board equal to the diameter of the deck light unit. Then drop the connecting cable into the hole, which is followed by the actual LED light. After that, it's simply a matter of enjoying cost-free illumination for years to come. What makes these outside lights so great is that they are lightweight, durable, and robust. This means you are not limited to drilling them into regular deck boards that are walked on. You can also install them into side panels of the deck, upright posts, and even cross beams of pergolas, where LED deck lights can be installed at various angles to direct the light toward the ground. Moreover, you can install LED deck lights into fence panel posts or use them to highlight objects like a garden shed if you so choose. The point I'm trying to make is that LED deck lights don't necessarily need to be confined to a deck. They are one of the most versatile components used for lighting any part of your garden lighting area. So, if you want to install them into steps or stepping stones, use them for patio lighting, mount them into wood blocks, or even use them as standalone ground level lighting for flower or garden borders, there's nothing to stop you! Solar post cap lights and solar deck rail lights are variants of regular LED deck lighting. These low power LED lights can be used to decipher the line of fencing and deck rails. They are easy to install, require a minimal amount of maintenance, and display an ambient light intended as an enhancing and finishing touch. LED garden spot lights are an ideal substitution for halogen bulbs because they generate virtually no heat (which can be damaging to plants, hands and paws) and use a fraction of consumable power. Their light is easily directed and does not require fitted reflectors in order to focus the beam of light. When considering the installation of LED spotlights in a garden, there are two important points to consider: (1) LED light color, and (2) beam angle (i.e. spread out light or tightly focused light). When referring to color, the reference is intended more in terms of temperature, rather than specific colors. Color choices are available, though. Whether you decide to go with a "warm" or "cool" color will depend on the look you are after, which itself will depend on your personal preferences. A dramatic feel is accomplished by using "cool" colors (e.g. pure, white light). This works particularly well to sharply define architectural garden objects and to produce a sparkling effect on water. "Warm" colors like yellow, amber, and even warm white work well to enhance the natural colors of flowers and trees. If you're looking to learn more about solar outdoor LED lights or any other type of outdoor lighting, a good place to start is a website devoted exclusively to the topic.

With the evolution of lighting technology over the years, the low voltage lighting technology has come to enjoy excellent regards and popularity when it comes to aspects of outdoor lighting. One reason is because of its unmatched decorative enhancement for all types and forms of landscapes. Additionally, it is cost-effective when compared to the high-voltage types; so many people are enjoying its high potential for reducing money allotment for its installation and maintenance. More than this, one reason why the low voltage landscape lights is the choice of many is because it is much safer for homes that have small children and pets, since it delivers a charge insufficient to cause lethal shock and serious injury.Tungsten filament lamps were the traditional materials for the making of standard landscape lights. The colors they give off are perfect for bringing out and enhancing the rich tones of wood, stucco, masonry, and other home architectural keynotes. In the vast world of landscape lightning, the types that are still highly valued would be the incandescent lamps. This is because of their ability to be dimmed to create ambience, mood and several lightning effects. However, these lights burn out very quickly. Even though they are considered the cheapest lighting fixtures with regards to the front-end costs, their lamp lives are short such that they need to be replaced annually. This is what makes them expensive to operate and replace.Low voltage landscape lights, on the other hand, offer a cheaper and more cost-effective alternative to illuminate the landscape. Most of these fixtures would only need 12 volts, which presents a marginal power cost. This is what makes them ideal light fixtures to maintain and illuminate landscaping features that would need continuous illumination to magnify their aesthetics. The landscape lights are cheaper than the high voltage incandescent lights when it comes to initial installation, as they would not require certain conduit just to house their wirings. However, since the low voltage wires are buried in the ground without protective covering, they can be easily cut and damaged with a shovel by people who are tending to the lawns and gardens. It is best, then, to have a professional install these low voltage landscape lights to minimize the risk of physical equipment damage.One popular and ideal place to install these landscape lights would be a part of the garden that is characterized by subdued conversation and intimate gatherings. Low voltage landscape lights would normally be used to illuminate the surroundings of outdoor fireplaces, inducing a certain sense of warmth. Outdoor kitchens and arbors are also ideal places to install these lights, as the wires and fixtures can be hidden effectively in the structure themselves. This would make the structure appear magically luminous, which adds attraction and brightens the mood of people in gatherings and various events.Low voltage landscape lights are the ideal alternatives to other landscape lighting. Not only are they the cheapest form of lighting, they are also the safest for everyone to use. Just remember to look for the reliable manufacturers in order to maximize the benefits of the low voltage landscape lights.

Landscape lighting provides functional illumination for outdoor spaces, and low voltage landscape lights are essential for energy efficiency, as well as practical nighttime use.Low voltage landscape lights for outdoor nighttime activities are the only sensible option. In fact, there are few common activities that would require strong spotlights. For example, games and sports would be excellent reasons for spotlights, but would be inappropriate for dining by. Lights which are too strong will be blinding to our night vision, and make it difficult to comfortably adjust.Three types of low voltage illumination should be used in the landscape, with more of certain types depending on where they are needed most. Accent lighting is used for drawing attention to special features such as waterfalls, ponds, trees, or outdoor sculptures. Pathway lighting is the lowest voltage, and these fixtures are designed to cast a downward or outward glow. These can also be in the form of a single tall lamp at strategic spots along a walkway. Mood lights are those that cast a warm or soft glow to dine or converse by. Among the choices available are wall-mounted, lanterns, string lights for hanging on umbrellas and more.All types of lighting can be purchased as solar-powered, but for the greatest control and flexibility of installation, hard wiring the system to transformer boxes is the more reliable method. Several important steps need to be taken for a proper installation, including using a multi-tap transformer box, waterproof burial splices, and establishing a layout, which will keep the lights on if voltage drops.The final step after installation is testing the system with a voltmeter to ensure all lights fall within an acceptable watt range.Using only the best low voltage landscape fixtures will ensure they last for several seasons, while proper design will create a comfortable nighttime atmosphere.

When you are planning to embark on either a small-scale or big scale landscape lighting project, it is very important to know about voltage fluctuations and low voltage landscape lighting transformer. These things are essential in a successful landscape lights design and will help you transform your garden or yard into a thing of beauty.Landscape lighting, for the past few years, have seen an immense increase in popularity. More and more homeowners are realizing the benefits of investing in a lighting design instead of putting all their money of landscape design alone. With proper lighting, they can highlight features of their garden that they wish to stand out and hide those they wish people won't notice as much.With the popularity of landscape lighting, it is therefore not at all surprising how both users and homeowners are starting to check out low voltage landscape lighting transformers and other tools in order to help them decide and implement their lighting projects. There are quite a number of components and systems to check out and one of the most important part is the transformer.The transformer is very important when embarking on a lighting project. If you want to install lighting fixtures in your garden or yard and design it so that it requires a constant flow of current, you need to have a current transformer that will measure the electrical current that comes into the device and distribute it to whatever lighting fixture that is connected to it.A transformer is very important since is proportionally sends out either the alternating current or the alternating voltage that prevents the lights and the landscape lighting system in general to flicker. Unnecessary and unwanted flickering of landscape lights is one of the most common problems in landscape lighting and you can prevent this from happening using a reliable transformer.Another need that requires a current transformer is to determine cases where there might be a circuit overload, a power surge, a ground fault or basically to just keep harmful current feedback at bay.When shopping for a current, make sure that you know the technical specifications of your project since the right current transformer needs to know the total load that is required for the device to carry, the electrical output of the transformer, and many others. If you are not quite sure what transformer to buy, it's best to consult an expert or a professional electrician for advice.

Landscape lighting is the perfect answer when talking about outdoor elegance and beauty. It is the best way to highlight the wonders of a garden or even the simple spark of the yard, front or back, under the dark blankets of the evening sky. This is all easy to achieve with the help of low voltage landscape lighting kits.There are different ways to lighting an outdoor setup. Spotlights work for making dramatic effects for specific angles. Colored lights are perfect to focus on a specific element, whether a tree or a rock in the garden. Brighter lighting options are also available for greater visibility needs in certain parts of the area.To make the most of the lighting options one can have for the outdoor setting, here are some great and helpful notes to bear in mind.1. For a start, one should know about the parts of the system and their purpose. Basically, there are three of them. The transformer converts the electrical current running within the household into 12 volts. The cable wires connect the transformers and the lights, and they can vary in number. Lastly, there is the lighting fixture which gives off the light output. Low voltage landscape lighting kits come complete with all these parts.2. One should test the stems and their specific voltage amounts. This can be done with the aid of a working voltage meter. It is highly recommended to do this regularly since problems with the voltage can lead to an upsurge in the overall maintenance cost.3. Since low voltage lighting gives off minimal lighting effect, they are perfect for the garden and other outdoor locations where there is no need for brighter lighting. They give off enough illumination to aid people when moving around without bumping into other animate or inanimate objects around.4. To make the lighting work best, it helps to determine the architectural features and work on them. There are various techniques and combination's one can use to create the desired output and complete effect.Low voltage landscape lighting kits are available in home improvement and lighting dealers. One simply has to make sure that the said kits are still in good condition by having the fixtures tested at the store before the actual purchase to avoid any accidents at the home since these kits can be self-installed. For cases when there is not light box connection readily available within the specific area, it is best to have a trusted electrician do the job.

So you went to the big home improvement store and brought home a box of little solar powered LED landscape lights. After an afternoon out in the yard sticking them in the ground the result is... well, probably a little disappointing.A better option might be low voltage landscape lighting.There are professional outdoor lighting designers and lighting installation contractors who specialize in knowing all about landscape lighting. These are the best people to contact about low voltage landscape lighting for your home. If you're ready to try it yourself, keep in mind that nothing is better than years of experience, but here's an outline to help guide your process.Here are the steps to creating your low voltage landscape lighting:1) LIGHTING DESIGN2) WIRING PLAN & INSTALLATION3) ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS4) LAMP & FOCUS5) MAINTENANCEAlthough it's an electrical application, low voltage lighting takes very little energy to run and is relatively safe. You will need a GFCI outlet outside or in the garage, and a transformer that converts 120-volt to 12-volt power. It's important that the outlet is a ground fault circuit interrupter - to protect from electrical hazards. Your transformer needs to be the right wattage to accommodate the lighting you plan to install.If you're planning to have a professional quality landscape lighting system installed, the best time to consult the designer is when you are still in the landscape planning stages, or as you are winding up your planting plans.A professional designer will choose the optimum lighting effects, select the light source and locate the fixtures and wire runs, and calculate the appropriate electrical load and circuits for you. With professionally installed landscape lighting system you'll get the maximum effect for your money, and the satisfaction will last for years.If you're going to try it yourself, the first thing you need to think about is how you are going to use the space. Choose light sources that will be bright enough to satisfy the needs of the area, but that can be installed without producing glare or shining into someone else's yard. For safety reasons, do not put the lights closer than 10 feet from a pool, spa or pond.LIGHTING DESIGN Plan your lighting design by selecting features to enhance, and areas that need light. Attractive plants and trees, walkways, statuary, fountains, and the façade of your home - all are great features to light. Select a good, reliable, energy efficient light source - professional LED fixtures or MR16 halogen and xenon lamps are very popular options. Buy good quality fixtures and equipment. Professional and contractor grade materials will serve for many years.Use flags or marking stakes to indicate where you will place your fixtures. Mark the locations for your fixtures, placing lights where they do the most good illuminating the space, shining on the walks, highlighting the plant material, skimming across rock surfaces. Tour the site and look from different angles. Try to hide the fixtures when possible. Aim the light so it doesn't make glare and you can't see the light source.Professional lamp charts are available to help you select the right light source for the application and to see what wattage will provide the desired brightness and throw. Beam spread refers to the size of the pool of light and is measured on a chart at varying distances.WIRING PLAN & INSTALLATION Next, begin to consider where you can best place the wire runs. Along the edges of hardscapes is often a good choice. Make right angles for wire turns and arrange your plan not only for maximum efficiency, but also in a way that makes sense to you as you work in your property. A good way to try this is to run string or twine from the location of your transformer (by your GFCI outlet) to the fixtures.There are several methods of laying out the wiring. The better and best ways are by using a "T" style installation or a "hub" installation. Most professional quality LED installations can use a series or "daisy chain" method. The method you choose will depend on the type of fixtures, the distance from the transformer, and the type and size of wire.Don't make your wire runs too long, and don't start your fixtures too close to the transformer. You want even distribution of power.Sketch your wiring plan and the lighting placement. Write it all down to make the project go much more smoothly, and to keep a good record of your project for the future.You can purchase low voltage landscape lighting kits from the home improvement store, and these kits will probably include the transformer necessary to match the fixtures. It's usually a small unit and has only one voltage available, so you will have some effect from "voltage drop" - a kind of line loss that occurs from fixture to fixture or over any amount of wire distance.You'll also need to use the specific wire intended for outdoor direct burial and for use with landscape lighting. It is generally sold separately in reels or spools. For most purposes, 12 or 10 gauge is fine; there are other sizes available.After you've determined your wiring plan, an easy way to determine your wire footage is to measure how much twine you've used in your practice wiring plan. Add a few feet for each fixture so you have some slack and the ability to relocate the fixtures slightly. Add another foot or so per fixture so you can bury the wire easily.Before you do any digging, call a professional locator service, and carefully look around your property for where sprinkler lines, water mains, cable TV and phone wires are buried. Tree roots can be a problem to get through. It's best to dig around large roots - hacking through them can damage your trees and make entry points for insects. You can dig furrows about 6 inches deep to put the wires in, or slice the grass or sod with a shovel to the depth required by NEC code or your state or municipality (if different).ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS The electrical connections are very important and can be the weak link in your system. Click or pierce-squeeze connectors can easily allow moisture into the wire. Moisture and corrosion are the enemies of electrical systems. A waterproof splice is necessary for all connections that will be placed underground. A soldered connection with a waterproof electrical connector is a primo connection.Make the connections at the transformer. Most consumer quality transformers have only one voltage tap. Professional and contractor grade transformers have multiple taps, to that the optimum operational voltage can be achieved.LAMP & FOCUS Finally, put your light bulbs in the fixtures and aim them. Do this around dusk so you can see where you are pointing them. As you put the light bulbs in, moisten the ends of each bulb with lamp grease. This prevents dielectric corrosion and makes the light bulb easier to remove when time to change it.Aim your fixtures carefully, making sure not to overshoot the features or aim any fixtures into the neighbor's yard. If you find that there is no better placement to prevent glare, install accessories like hex baffles, shields or louvers. Some in-ground fixtures come with covers, leaf-guards or gravel screens. Be sure to install them if they are needed.Finally, you may enjoy the addition of softening filters, spread lenses or color media. Colored glass filters are available in a variety of hues, and dichroic-coated lenses are available in practically any wavelength.MAINTENANCE Most importantly, keep your beautiful landscape lighting system maintained. As with any other home system, your outdoor lighting system requires maintenance for proper working order and safe operation. Most professional installation contractors offer an annual or semi-annual maintenance plan.Clean the fixture housing and lenses regularly, re-lamp and re-aim the fixtures as needed. Check the area around the electrical wiring for wear, corrosion or insect infestations.Look into the fixture at least every year to check for water seepage or corrosion around the socket. Lubricate o-rings and replace o-rings that are dry, worn or torn.Trim away foliage that is overgrown or blocking the fixtures. Add extension stems to raise the height of the fixtures in groundcover areas or adjust locations as the landscape material matures.Low voltage landscape lighting is a beautiful way to enhance your home and outdoor environment. You get what you put into it - so hire a landscape lighting professional if you can, learn as much as you can to prepare yourself for the Do-It-Yourself Project if you can't.

Have you ever walked past someone's front yard or property in the evening and been enchanted by the low voltage landscape lighting that your neighbor has installed? I know it's happened to me before. It is amazing how lights can make a garden look majestic at night.Of course, low voltage landscape lighting is not only used to make a yard look stunning but it is also there as a safety factor. If you come home late at night and need to navigate your way to the front door or up the pathway to the back yard then it is a great idea to have some of these lights installed to help you safely reach your destination. Not everyone likes to have bright security lights glaring into the neighbor's yard, so these types of lights are the perfect option.You will be happy to know also that you can pick them up at reasonable prices that wont break the bank. Low voltage landscape lighting can also be a great addition to the BBQ and pool areas. You can buy ones that can be blended in to the environment unobtrusively.The installation of these lights is quite simple too. You just buy the style that you think will suit and then lay them where you want them to go. Make sure that the transformer is in an inconspicuous but easy and safe to reach position. Once you have done this then you can start digging up where you want the cable to go and then once you have positioned the cable in, cover with soil, mulch, stones or whatever you like.It is better if you have an outside power socket to connect to but many people choose to connect through a window to an inside power socket. It depends on how far away your transformer will be from the house. The choice is yours. For safety reasons it is better to call an electrician to add a power socket outside for you. You can always get an electrician to do the whole installation job for you as well if you don't want to do it yourself.Some people like the other option of installing solar lights to their garden, which in turn saves a lot of work. They do not give of as good a light as low voltage landscape lighting but they can be installed much easier and of course faster. However, you do have to wait about 48 hours before they work properly as they need to be charged from the sun but after that period they should work every night.Either of these types of garden lights can be bought at most large department stores or hardware stores and they should come with simple instructions. Which ever you decide on you will still be pleased with the effect that you will get in your garden at night.