Landscape Lighting 101

There are certain things to know before purchasing a landscape lighting system.

Make sure  you purchase the 3 main components - A Transformer, Wire, and Lights. The transformer is the power house of your system. All electrical current from the house is converted into a low voltage system that is safe to power your lights. To figure out what type of transformer you need make sure that you add up the total wattage of all your lights and then multiply that total by 1.5. The total will then be your  wattage that you will need for your transformer. The wire that needs to be purchased is a standard 12 gauge wire. This is suitable for all low voltage installs. Lights come in all shapes, sizes, and quality. We will go over the various lights and the pros and cons in a different blog.

Find a power source where you can plug your low-voltage transformer into a GIF grounded outdoor power outlet just like you would any common household electrical item. Make sure you find an outlet that's close to where you want to install your lighting.

Pick a location on your property where there isn't any need to dig very deep. The wire is usually installed no more than 5 inches below the ground using a flat shovel. Sometimes you can simply run the wire  along the ground and tuck them behind plantings or covering them lightly with dirt or mulch. Most light fixtures include stakes so you can simply insert them in the ground.

Go with led lights. They use less energy, and allow you to run your system on a smaller transformer that takes up less wattage. They also last a lot longer than other bulb types, with hardly any maintenance.

Make sure you create layers for your lighting by using various style lights like path lights, bullet lights, wash lights, moon lights and other creative options. You will want your lighting design to showcase specific areas of your house and landscaping.

Do you live in the Greenville, South Carolina area and want to learn more about Landscape Lighting?

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