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Outdoor lighting.
Posted on 9/24/20 at 6:02 am
Posted on 9/24/20 at 6:02 am
I have a large lot with a ton of flower bed space, also have a large pool and really want to put LV lights around flower beds surrounding pool and throughout flower beds around the house.
How hard of a project is this? Would I be better off just hiring someone? And if so, what is a reasonable price expectation( meaning is the cost per light, per foot, etc)?
Thanks!
How hard of a project is this? Would I be better off just hiring someone? And if so, what is a reasonable price expectation( meaning is the cost per light, per foot, etc)?
Thanks!
Posted on 9/24/20 at 8:11 am to LSURN98
I’m in the same boat. Thinking about doing it myself this fall but zero experience.
Posted on 9/24/20 at 8:50 am to LSURN98
Super easy as long as you have an available outlet to start your run.
You mount a LV transformer on the wall near the outlet. These have timers and light sensors so you can make them kick on and off in a variety of ways.
You bury a LV wire that you buy in a spool along the path. Then you tap into it with a variety of little attachments that pierce the line. That whole line is low voltage and pretty foolproof.
You arrange the lights you want in any combo. It is much easier now that the lights are all LED vs the higher wattage versions of the past. Before it was easy to overload your transformer and get dim light.
Summary. If you can mount a box and bury a wire a few inches below your mulch/dirt you can do it.
I can link a few super bright LED mini spotlights that I have used and love. (Amazon/Cheap) I use these ( LED Spots) to illuminate my front columns and uplight areas of my brick behind shrubs. My whole house is nicely lit. I also have bollard lights mixed in outlining my flowerbeds. They were the halogen kind, but I was able to replace the bulbs with LEDs.
You mount a LV transformer on the wall near the outlet. These have timers and light sensors so you can make them kick on and off in a variety of ways.
You bury a LV wire that you buy in a spool along the path. Then you tap into it with a variety of little attachments that pierce the line. That whole line is low voltage and pretty foolproof.
You arrange the lights you want in any combo. It is much easier now that the lights are all LED vs the higher wattage versions of the past. Before it was easy to overload your transformer and get dim light.
Summary. If you can mount a box and bury a wire a few inches below your mulch/dirt you can do it.
I can link a few super bright LED mini spotlights that I have used and love. (Amazon/Cheap) I use these ( LED Spots) to illuminate my front columns and uplight areas of my brick behind shrubs. My whole house is nicely lit. I also have bollard lights mixed in outlining my flowerbeds. They were the halogen kind, but I was able to replace the bulbs with LEDs.
This post was edited on 9/24/20 at 8:56 am
Posted on 9/24/20 at 10:03 am to RaginCajunz
Can you link a good LV transformer? Or can get one from Lowes?
Posted on 9/24/20 at 10:32 am to RaginCajunz
I used a set up as you describe from Lowes to light up the front of the house. Lasted 3 years. I now have a pool and landscape in the back and just thinking of doing solar. How to with Doc youtube guy had some nice solar ones he used. Not sure which way to go.
Posted on 9/24/20 at 10:34 am to LSURN98
$250-280 a light, installed, on average. Most LED have very long warranties, but manufacturers are starting to find loopholes out of it.
Posted on 9/24/20 at 10:42 am to OysterPoBoy
quote:
I’m in the same boat. Thinking about doing it myself this fall but zero experience.
mctiger hooked me up with 250' of LV wiring for $45 on amazon.
there's another thread on here about this. using LEDs helps dramatically w/ the electrical range since it doesn't require much power.
there's a little spade-thingie that you can buy at home depot to make a trench in seconds (video posted in the other thread) but my biggest concern is i have a circular driveway preventing access to several points I want to run the wiring to so I may have to chisel out one of the expansion joints to run the cable across it.
i'm super pumped for this project; just haven't had a chance to pick up the lighting fixtures yet.
Posted on 9/24/20 at 10:58 am to Purpleblooded
quote:
Can you link a good LV transformer? Or can get one from Lowes?
I replaced a 10 year old Hampton Bay transformer with this one 2 years ago. No complaints
[link=LINK on Amazon[/link]
Posted on 9/24/20 at 11:15 am to RaginCajunz
quote:
I replaced a 10 year old Hampton Bay transformer with this one 2 years ago. No complaints
[link=LINK on Amazon[/link]
holy moly, you just plug it in to the outlet??
shite i don't have the money for this right now but y'all are leading me down the path..
This post was edited on 9/25/20 at 1:11 am
Posted on 9/24/20 at 11:22 am to CAD703X
That’s it. If you can plug in Christmas lights you can do this. shite, you have more chance of getting shocked with Xmas lights.
I have like 10 floods along my columns, brick and crape myrtles. And another dozen bollard/path lights. I’m probably $350 deep in the whole project. I have a second transformer that runs half. Still the 12year old Hampton bay.
I have like 10 floods along my columns, brick and crape myrtles. And another dozen bollard/path lights. I’m probably $350 deep in the whole project. I have a second transformer that runs half. Still the 12year old Hampton bay.
Posted on 9/24/20 at 11:22 am to CAD703X
hey what do you think of the ring LV transformer?
Home Depot $99
Says it handles up to 200 W of LV lighting.
i know..more shite to go wrong but its kind of nice to be able to hook this up and control from my phone and alexa and not have to mess w/ the box itself to change the timers.
the bridge is like $20.
Home Depot $99
Says it handles up to 200 W of LV lighting.
i know..more shite to go wrong but its kind of nice to be able to hook this up and control from my phone and alexa and not have to mess w/ the box itself to change the timers.
quote:
The Transformer enables smart controls for compatible low-voltage non-Ring landscape lights at home when paired with the Ring Bridge.
Add this to any Ring Smart Lighting Starter Kit with Ring Bridge so you can get notifications, customize settings, and connect to other Ring devices - all from the Ring app.
Requires one Ring Bridge (sold separately) placed indoors to connect non-Ring landscape lights to the Ring app, other Ring Smart Lights, and Ring doorbells or cameras to create a fully connected home security system.
The Transformer installs in minutes outdoors with the included mounting hardware and plugs into standard power outlets.
Compatible with any light fixture that requires 12V through 15V.
the bridge is like $20.
This post was edited on 9/24/20 at 11:26 am
Posted on 9/24/20 at 11:24 am to RaginCajunz
quote:
I have like 10 floods along my columns, brick and crape myrtles. And another dozen bollard/path lights. I’m probably $350 deep in the whole project. I have a second transformer that runs half. Still the 12year old Hampton bay.
i would love reviews on spotlights v/s well lights vs pathway lights from you.
i worry i'm going to mow them down like i do my solar lights.
Here's a rough outline of my plan to get an idea of how many lights. I have the cross the driveway twice if I want to get to that last outside facade.
Can you run *TWO* LV lines from the transformer so I don't have to T the lines? The red box indicates where i want 2 or 3 lights but the run would stop near the garage.
The main line would hit the left side of the house, the flagpole then down the hill to the 2 facades near the curb, across that middle section to get the 2 trees then end at the other facade.
I'm looking at roughly 14-15 total lights on this run and i haven't run a wheel through the yard yet to get the total SF so I'm not sure 250' will cover it.
This post was edited on 9/24/20 at 11:39 am
Posted on 9/24/20 at 11:55 am to CAD703X
I recommend using a LV fixture (especially on a bollard type) that does not have an open bottom, if there is any opening at the bottom at some point ants will get inside and build nests and short out the fixture.
Posted on 9/24/20 at 12:33 pm to Purpleblooded
Posted on 9/24/20 at 12:48 pm to CAD703X
I would recommend running the wire from the transformer to the center of your light path and then tee off from there and run to the lights. This will help keep the same amount of voltage in all lights. In very dark areas, the drop in wattage can be noticeable from one fixture to the next.
Posted on 9/24/20 at 12:59 pm to crownNbull
quote:
I would recommend running the wire from the transformer to the center of your light path and then tee off from there and run to the lights. This will help keep the same amount of voltage in all lights. In very dark areas, the drop in wattage can be noticeable from one fixture to the next.
i suck at ms paint but here's the trickiest part. it may be a little hard to tell from this pic but i want to run path lights down the little berm as well as put a couple spotlights behind the shrubs on the RIGHT of the front steps. Also want to run 3-4 path lights on the LEFT of the front steps then along the house..flagpole...then finally down the hill like in pic #1. Not sure the best way to do this. My pic shows 4 different runs so i'm not sure how to do that. The RIGHT side (i'll go under the wooden steps) dead ends. The LEFT side will continue 250' or more down the hill (2nd pic).
The white box is obviously the LV transformer. There's an outdoor outlet right there now.
This post was edited on 9/24/20 at 1:01 pm
Posted on 9/24/20 at 1:06 pm to CAD703X
i'm digging these on amazon (aluminum construction including the stake)
LINK
6 pack is under $100 and taht would take care of the path lighting anyway.
I'm not sure if 6 would cut it or if I need 8. Thats a very dark area at night when people are leaving our house.
LINK
6 pack is under $100 and taht would take care of the path lighting anyway.
I'm not sure if 6 would cut it or if I need 8. Thats a very dark area at night when people are leaving our house.
This post was edited on 9/24/20 at 1:08 pm
Posted on 9/24/20 at 1:35 pm to LSURN98
Just got done doing it myself, it’s super easy now with the new clip in lights that you only have to run 1 low voltage wire. Even if you need multiple lines the transformers are inexpensive.
I got a quote for 1500 and did the job myself for around 250
I got a quote for 1500 and did the job myself for around 250
Posted on 9/24/20 at 2:18 pm to RaginCajunz
I found this useful from your link.
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