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Started By
Message
Need some help adding a dimmer switch to some low voltage landscape lighting
Posted on 10/3/23 at 10:07 am
Posted on 10/3/23 at 10:07 am
I added a couple down lights beneath a mantle on my patio extension. Problem is when we have the fireplace on they’re going to be too bright (want to have the option of just having the fireplace light). So may want to either dim them or turn them off completely. Obviously I don’t want to turn off the transformer and thus all of our landscape lighting. The area I installed the lights and where the switch will be is covered although it will be south Louisiana so will be good bit of humidity. Will something like this work? Or is there a simpler solution? Having a hard time with google. They just show me transformers.
This post was edited on 10/3/23 at 10:10 am
3
Posted on 10/3/23 at 10:13 am to VanRIch
So it’s low voltage down lights on the same circuit as your landscape low voltage?
Posted on 10/3/23 at 10:15 am to VanRIch
What kind of lamp? Dimmable LEDs I am assuming. If they are dimmable you can most likely get some sort of remote dimmer for them that adjusts the voltage on the load side of the transformer.
Posted on 10/3/23 at 11:24 am to VanRIch
Are these lights string lights? There are dimmable string lights if that's what you're looking for.
You can also go the route of getting smart bulbs and operating the lights off an app/remote, same as you would with the dimmable string lights. More customization. You can set different scenes. We have GE smart bulbs in some parts of the house (daughter's bedroom uses a bulb as a nightlight that we customized to run certain patterns for bedtime). A lot more work and more expensive but will have the most options.
I don't the switch you sent the link too is primarily for indoor light fixtures. No idea if that would be something you would want to use on an outdoor system, unless the landscape lighting you already have has dimmable lights. I can be totally wrong. I would say go with the first thing I mentioned.
You can also go the route of getting smart bulbs and operating the lights off an app/remote, same as you would with the dimmable string lights. More customization. You can set different scenes. We have GE smart bulbs in some parts of the house (daughter's bedroom uses a bulb as a nightlight that we customized to run certain patterns for bedtime). A lot more work and more expensive but will have the most options.
I don't the switch you sent the link too is primarily for indoor light fixtures. No idea if that would be something you would want to use on an outdoor system, unless the landscape lighting you already have has dimmable lights. I can be totally wrong. I would say go with the first thing I mentioned.
Posted on 10/3/23 at 11:45 am to whiskey over ice
They’re actually hardscape lights like you would put on a retaining wall. Like this, and yea they’re in the same circuit as everything else.
I just checked and they are NOT dimmable. Which is fine, just thought it would be a nice to have. So I’ll just need some kind of switch.
I just checked and they are NOT dimmable. Which is fine, just thought it would be a nice to have. So I’ll just need some kind of switch.
Posted on 10/3/23 at 12:09 pm to VanRIch
Any switch should work assuming these lights aren't part of a series circuit that you would be breaking. A standard light switch would work.
Posted on 10/3/23 at 12:29 pm to mdomingue
These particular lights are at the end of their run. There’s nothing after them.
Posted on 10/3/23 at 12:58 pm to VanRIch
quote:
These particular lights are at the end of their run. There’s nothing after them.
So if they are wired parallel, then you have no worries (I would suspect that is the case) but I have seen odd setups where lights are run in series to lower voltage at each bulb. If your supply is the voltage the lights use, then it is a parallel circuit so just put a switch that interrupts one of the legs of the circuit, plus side if it is DC, hot side if it is AC.
ETA: If the circuit were series any interruption would kill the whole circuit, like an old Christmas tree light string when one bulb burned out.
This post was edited on 10/3/23 at 1:01 pm
Posted on 10/3/23 at 1:15 pm to mdomingue
shite, now I’m confused 
I don’t actually remember how I wired these up. It’s under a deck that I have no access to. But there is a single wire coming from my transformer and 95% of my lights are connected directly to this with the little connectors that push the spike into the wire. These however, since I wanted to do them separate and not have to double back and waste wire, are spilt off from the main wire. I think maybe with wagos. I I honestly forgot.
I don’t actually remember how I wired these up. It’s under a deck that I have no access to. But there is a single wire coming from my transformer and 95% of my lights are connected directly to this with the little connectors that push the spike into the wire. These however, since I wanted to do them separate and not have to double back and waste wire, are spilt off from the main wire. I think maybe with wagos. I I honestly forgot. 
Posted on 10/3/23 at 1:28 pm to VanRIch
Most low voltage lights have 12 strands of copper.
Splice and dice. Want 50% dimmer, take out 6 strands.
Rocknroll
Splice and dice. Want 50% dimmer, take out 6 strands.
Rocknroll
Posted on 10/3/23 at 1:51 pm to VanRIch
Just put the switch in and try it. If it just turns off your patio lights, all is good. If it turns off all your lights, back up and punt
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