Low voltage installation is easy yet time consuming. With the advent of new solar technology, solar lights are as bright or brighter than their low voltage counterpart. Installation of low voltage lighting is a snap. They are water tight, there is virtually no maintenance, and there are no electric bills to pay with solar lighting.

Ok, you know what your clients wants in ground lighting. Which type do you choose? How difficult are they to install? Do you need a special license to install them? Can the lighting product handle heavy traffic?

Which type of light should I choose?

This is not a test and there is not a right or wrong choice. The beauty of this dilemma is that you have a choice between two great products. A few factors to consider: Who will install the lights? If it is a contractor with little or no experience with low voltage installations, or the electrical runs are extremely long, solar may be the way to go. Already installing low voltage lights in the landscape? Then you may want to continue with low voltage right into the hardscape. You can also combine both solar and low voltage to strike a perfect combination.

The solar light has tabs on the bottom of the light that slip under the pavers on either side; it also has angled lugs on each of the sides to lock the light into the paver system. Once the paver system is in place, the light is almost impossible to extract.

How difficult are the lights to install?

The solar lights win this with ease. Basically, you just set it and forget it. The size of the light is the same as a standard 4” x 8” paver so it fits perfectly. Taking the place of a paver, the light installs as easy as the paver itself. The solar light can be installed with any size paver with some cutting of larger pavers to fit. The solar light has tabs on the bottom of the light that slip under the pavers on either side; it also has angled lugs on each of the sides to lock the light into the paver system. Once the paver system is final and sanded, the light is almost impossible to extract. The solar light can also be installed in pool decks without the fear of electrical shock.

The hardest part of installing the solar paver light is determining how far to space the lights apart. A good rule of thumb is to space the lights about 8 to 15-feet apart. The smaller the project, the closer the spacing.

With the advent of new solar technology, solar lights are as bright or brighter than their low voltage counterpart.

The low voltage in-ground lights have the same shape as the solar lights and the spacing should be the same. The installation is very different. Each low voltage light usually carries a standard 7 watt light bulb. The quantity of lights must be multiplied by 7 watts. If the lights are a higher wattage, multiply using that wattage. The total wattage is the minimum required for the transformer. You must also consider voltage drop in the wire if you have long runs. Make sure the wire is listed SPT-3, underground low energy circuit cable. Route the cable to the desired fixture locations making sure you leave plenty of slack in the cable to allow for ease in connecting the fixtures. After the entire installation is complete, hide cable as desired. It is recommended that the wire be run underneath the pavers in the sand.

Solar lights can be installed with any size paver by cutting some of the larger pavers to fit. Solar lights can also be installed in pool decks without the fear of electrical shock.

Do you need a special license to install in ground lights?

This is becoming a trickier question each new season. Check with your State Contractors Board or licensing agency as they are requiring more specialized licenses each year.

Can the lights handle heavy vehicle traffic?

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Homeowners are spending more money and time to improve their landscapes. As a result, the need and desire to light things up has increased dramatically. With the advent of new solar technology, solar lights can be bright or brighter than their low voltage counterpart.

Low voltage or solar? Safety, security, or just icing on the cake?

In-ground lighting is fast becoming the mainstay in paver and hardscape applications. As the hardscape industry offers more varieties of products, consumers will want to show off their newest hardscape project. Day and night.

About the author:

Mark Hain has been a landscape and paver contractor for over 25 years. As a result, he developed the Northern Lights Company which manufactures solar in ground paver lights. Check him out at www.NorthernLightsCompany.com