Landscape Architect Articles

LCN April 2006 Landscape Lighting03-30-06 | News

Installing Well Lights

by Stephen Kelly, regional editor

A PAR 38 well light. The well housing is direct burial PVC pipe with a 9?EUR??,,????'?? dia. and 13.75?EUR??,,????'?? depth.

A well light, or ground-recessed fixture, is basically a lamp inside a tube that allows water and air in, as opposed to a direct burial unit (some manufactures call them ?EUR??,,????'??in-grade?EUR??,,????'?? or ?EUR??,,????'??in-ground?EUR??,,????'??) that is entirely enclosed. The direct burial types are usually wide but shallow in depth. The well light generally has a smaller width at ground level that the direct burial fixture, but is deeper.

The well light relies on good water drainage to function properly. If the soil has poor drainage, a drainage system must be in place, otherwise they should not be used. The drainage for well lights should include both horizontal and vertical drainage, which will require several horizontal channels from the main fixture hole.

Lighting designer Jan Moyer writes that fixture location is critical with well lighting, as they typically have a limited aiming capacity, often from 0 to 10 or 15 degrees, however, some newer units have an aim up to 35 degrees. A larger aiming range means the lamp is mounted closer to the top of the fixture, which makes shielding the lamp?EUR??,,????'???s brightness more difficult. Well lights can sometimes be installed at a slight angle to increase the aiming range. Some fixtures sit slightly above grade or have an inner housing than can be pulled above grade when a higher aiming angle is needed.

Some manufacturers make the below ground housing from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). ABS does not have strong ultraviolet radiation resistance.¹ As long as the housing is not exposed to sunlight, ABS is okay. Fiber-reinforced polymers are now being used for their UV stability and some manufacturers are using PVC and copper/bronze housings. The lens cap, at any rate, should not be made of ABS. Lens are usually high-impact, tempered glass, furnished with a silicone gasket for a positive, watertight seal. Direct burial tray cable is provided with a compression molded liquid tight connector and internally grounded, with the cord length sufficient to allow the fixture to be removed from the well for cleaning and reclamping.

Installation Concern

We asked M.J. Paul at Kim Lighting for the most important concern for contractors installing well lights. The answer is drainage, drainage, drainage. Dig a hole approximately four inches deeper than the length of the light. Some manufacturers include an integral drain entrance where you hook up to the external drain. Pour in a four-inch layer of pea gravel (sand is also used). The well light should be flush with the ground. Below grade installation will puddle water and above grade will be a tripping hazard. Pour pea gravel around the light for added stability, then backfill around the light with soil.

Run your cable to the lights, keeping one end of the cable near the location for your transformer. Connect the lights by pressing the clamps (included with the lights ) onto the cable. The clamps have sharp metal teeth that penetrate the insulation on the cable and tap into the copper wiring. Mount the transformer near an outdoor electrical outlet. The transformer should be at least one foot above ground level. Separate the wires on the end of your electrical cable and strip off about half-inch of insulation. Place the bare wire under the appropriate terminal on the transformer and tighten the terminal screw to secure the wire in place. Turn the transformer on to test the lights. Adjust the placement of the lights after sundown.

The well light requires drainage below the well. Some manufacturers include an integral drain entrance to hook up to the external drain.

Sources: 1. The Landscape Lighting Book. ?EUR??,,????'??+Janet Lennox Moyer.
2. Kim Lighting.

Illuminating Info

100: Feet, the maximum recommended distance for placing a transformer in relation to the location of well lights.

60: Watts. If six well lights are being installed, the load should be into two runs of 60-watts each to maintain proper voltage. Source: Residential Landscape Lighting and Design