Landscape lighting is typically thought of as lighting features that may include trees, palms, ground cover, and bedded items. It is also used to light architectural features like the structure of the home, the entrance, the patio, statuary, fountains, ponds, waterfalls, and other bodies of water. It is used widely as a directional feature for drives, walks and steps, improving safety. It may also provide security lighting without the glare and blinding effects of floodlights attached to a house or commercial building. Landscape lighting establishes mood, ambiance, beauty, pleasure, tranquility, identity, or drama.

Low voltage (12-Volt) systems are becoming more and more popular for landscape lighting for many good reasons. Low voltage systems are perfect for creative highlighting of trees, gardens, artwork and other landscape features.

Low voltage fixtures are easy to install. Low voltage cable can be buried in a shallow trench or even run on top of the ground, if desired. It does not need to run through conduit or be buried deeply in the ground.

A low voltage system is flexible. You can easily move fixtures to accommodate plant growth or to change lighting effects. Low voltage systems are safe and energy efficient. Transformers reduce standard voltage from 120-Volts to a safe 12-Volts. There is no risk of electrical shock to children or animals if the cable is accidentally cut. Lamps use less wattage yet provide comparable performance to many 120-volt, higher wattage lamps. Here are some additional points to consider:

• Beauty – Deck, patio, pool, trees, gardens, why not enjoy them at night as well as by day? The dark foreboding night can be instantly transformed into an area of beauty, light, and warmth, along with the added benefits of safety and security. Grounds that are dramatically illuminated at night appear luxurious, increasing the value of the property.
• Size – The miniature size of low voltage lighting allows the fixtures to become hidden and a part of the landscape while providing abundant illumination. After all, it is the lighting effect you are after, not the fixture that you want to view.
• Safe – Vista converts ordinary 120v household current to a safe, shock-free 12v (same as used in children?EUR??,,????'???s toys) to protect you while playing or working in your yard.
• Economical – Operating for just pennies a night, low voltage lamps consume less energy compared to 120v lamps and last up to four times as long. A 12-volt lighting system costs 3 times less to operate than a 120 volt lighting system.
• Automatic Operation – With a simple selector switch the system automatically comes on at dusk and goes off at the desired hour, operates from dusk to dawn or timer on – timer off, giving your home a lived in look while you are away.

Deciding what you want to light and which techniques to use

The first step in designing any lighting system is to determine what you want the light to do for you.

Next; review the techniques of accent lighting. Select the technique you feel best achieves the mood you wish to create. Note that some of the light will ?EUR??,,????'??spill?EUR??,,????'?? from the accent areas. Work outward from these accent points to fill in areas with path or spread lighting. Balance and subtlety are key tools in path and spread lighting. Try out different techniques, and have fun discovering the beauty of your yard at night. Some additional helpful hints:

• Focal Points – Decide what the center of attraction will be; a large tree, statue, fountain, etc. Choose no more than two focal points and use the remaining light as accents. Do not overlight. A little goes a long way.
• Lighting effects – Plan what lighting effects you want to achieve from the techniques shown in our product selection. Be creative in using and mixing various lighting techniques for drama and excitement.
• Safety and Security – Illuminate dark areas along walkways and steps.
• Large Trees – Illuminate with several light sources from top to bottom (uplight and/or downlight)
• Shrubs – Most shrubs are more attractive when illuminated from above, hiding the unattractive parts of the bush in the shadows.
• Flowers and Ground coverings – Illuminate from above, unless it has an unusual shape or texture, then consider silhouetting or grazing.

Choosing fixtures and lamps

Once you have developed the lighting plan, select the style of fixture and lamps that will best accommodate your needs. Use the photometric charts provided, and the lamp guide, to select lamp types and to determine light output and beam spreads. Remember, sometimes less is more…you do not need high levels of illumination coming from individual fixtures. Instead, use several fixtures at lower wattages for better effect. Use the light fixture recommendation calculator as a guideline.

Selecting the correct transformer

Low voltage systems require the use of a transformer to reduce standard 120-Volt power from your home to 12-volts. To determine the transformer size you will need, use the wire sizing calculator we have provided. This will add up the wattages of all the lamps you plan to use. A transformer is then selected that matches as closely as possible the total lamp wattage. For example, if you have 11 fixtures all rated at 24.4 watts, you will need a 300 Watt transformer (11×24.4 = 268.4 watts).

Generally, the total lamp load should not be less than one-third the transformer?EUR??,,????'???s wattage rating, nor exceed its maximum watt capacity. If your total wattage is too high, either divide the load between two transformers or use a more powerful transformer.

How to minimize voltage drop

The closer your lamps are placed to the transformer, the higher their voltage (and wattage) readings will be. Those farthest away will have lower voltages.

If a cable is run too long, or if a single transformer is powering too many lights, noticeable voltage drop may occur. Voltage drop causes the lights farthest from the transformer to become dim. Voltage drop can be minimized in several different ways:

Voltage drop can actually work to your advantage if differences in lamp brightness levels are not objectionable. Lower voltage will extend the life of a lamp, requiring less frequent replacement.

• Use heavier gauge cable: (8 or 10 gauge)
• Use a higher rated transformer
• Multiple taps
• Use multiple transformers
• Shorten cable lengths
• Reduce individual fixture wattages
• Reduce the total number of fixtures on a run

Selecting nonelectrical accessories

By now you have a list of fixtures, their lamps, one of more transformers and cable requirements. The only thing left is to select nonelectrical accessories. These might include mounting accessories like stems, stakes, bollards and shielding accessories.

Designing a line voltage system

Line voltage (120-volt) systems are used where brilliant illumination is required for safety or security, for lighting large areas, or for spots where you must light from farther away, such as uplighting huge trees. In many cases, a landscape lighting design can be developed using both line voltage and low voltage components.

The same steps used to design a low voltage system apply when designing landscape lighting using a line voltage system. Focus attention on the key points of interest using accent lighting. Illuminate activity areas as needed to maintain the mood you wish to achieve.

Installation of a line voltage system is more complicated than a low voltage system. We recommend always working with a professional electrical contractor to make sure that your system is installed correctly and meets local electrical codes and requirements.

Tony Cunado is the Quality Control Manager for Vista Landscape Lighting.