My brother has found one of the best resources for purchasing outdoor low voltage lighting - fixtures and lamps. He’s making these fixtures and light bulbs available on the internet on his web site - low voltage landscape lights dot com - lowvoltagelandscapelights.com.

As a result of his interest in low voltage lighting systems I’ve been looking around the web to see what other resources are available. So far my research hasn’t turned up very much that I feel is ‘really good’ – although there is some.

For instance, I discovered this book about outdoor low voltage lighting, The Landscape Lighting Book that seems to be an incredible resource for anyone that is either in the landscape lighting business or interested in using outdoor low voltage lighting to improve their home and garden’s appearance and value.

There are also a few articles and do it yourself resources around. An example of the kind of article I think is useful is this one from the Journal of Light Construction – 2004. “Well-placed low-voltage lighting circuits can make a home’s surroundings useful, beautiful, and safe!”

This article covers all the bases – Nightscaping concepts, Low Voltage Fixtures, Low-Voltage Lamps, Transformers and Circuits, Voltage Drop, and Plan of Attack.

“Nightscaping,” as the industry terms it, can mean a simple enhancement like putting in a few path lights. Or it can mean a complex scheme for the whole property, with extensive illuminated scenes that involve house features, decks, paths, plants, and sculptures.”

As best as I can tell this article is only available through your local library (which can be accessed for free).

“Mood, safety, and security. Three broad purposes typically anchor the design thinking for a landscape lighting plan.”

I will continue to post examples of resources about outdoor low voltage lighting that I feel are useful and/or helpful articles and resources for anyone interested in adding

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1 Solar or low-voltage? Do you want to try using solar path lights in your garden or landscaping project? Solar path light can be simple to set up and do not require much upkeep, need no outlet and can be inexpensive (sometimes less than $30 for a set of 10 or 12 plastic fixtures). This can be a solution but there are some drawback. Solar lights do not work in shade or during cloudy weather and, although lighting technology is getting better, today’s solar light fixtures don’t cast a lot of light. One thing to consider is to use solar light fixtures for accents or to mark the edge of a driveway or path -  but don’t expect them to light the surface.

2 Good quality metal lights. Low-voltage landscape lighting consists of a transformer (sometimes called a power pack), a cable, and light fixtures. The transformer is used to reduce house current to a safe 12 volts and to control the lights. The cable is typically strung along the ground (sometimes buried) and connects the light fixtures to the transformer. The light fixtures are usually staked in the ground and attached to the cable with a clamp that makes the electrical connection. Kits with 50 feet of cable and six metal fixtures — enough for about 40 feet of path can cost between $120 to $200. Expect good-quality metal lights to last several years.

3 Plan ahead. Installing your first outdoor path lighting system can take as little as 90 minutes including unpacking, reading and understanding the instructions, measuring cable and doing the arithmetic to make sure everything is put together properly. In a recent review I read the person is recommending purchasing individual components and not going with a kit. Lights-on-a-stick styles cast a wide circle of light; floodlights can be aimed just at the surface of the path. Tip: On a dark night, use several flashlights to work out a plan before shopping. Make sure your transformer and cable have enough capacity for all the fixtures you buy.

4 Lay out the cable first. The first fixture should be 10 feet from the transformer and you must allow a foot of cable at the end. Install the transformer first then lay out the cable on the ground before marking the positions of the fixtures along the length that is available. It’s very important to measure these out and not just eyeballing it. Lights look much better at night if they are spaced evenly and poles are vertical. Once you are thoroughly satisfied, connect the lights to the cable and cover the cable with mulch or bury them about an inch under ground.

5 Be safe. There are some things to be aware of when installing a low-voltage lighting system. In addition to the transformer you will need an outdoor ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet, one that automatically cuts off if there is any anomaly in the electrical flow. If necessary, find an electrician to install one. It is important to run low voltage landscape lights from an outlet and not from an extension cord - and be sure not to overload the outlet. If you plan on running cable across a path please be sure to bury the cable rather than running a cable across a path where it can be tripped over.

I have recently learned about a new service offered by Amazon.com that allows people to pick from their wide range of product offerings and setup a virtual storefront.

This seems to be a nice way for people to hand pick specific items that may be of interest to friends and readers. I’ve gone through many of the items Amazon has listed under their Home and Gardening section and identified a few items that may be of interest.

So now, in addition to the great deals my brother has at his web site (lowvoltagelandscapelights.com) you can look through the items offered by Amazon to see if any of these items will help make your garden and landscaping project shine.

Check out my outdoor garden lighting store at Amazon.

Technorati Tags: low voltage landscape light, outdoor garden lights, outdoor low voltage lighting

Applying outdoor low voltage lighting to gardens is a specific application of low voltage landscape lighting. Every garden is unique and reflects both the gardener and the particular landscape effects the garden creates. In fact, there are just as many definitions of a garden as their are gardeners.

Most people today refer to flower gardens and not vegetable gardens when they talk about lighting. But gardens can be hedges, or trees, or cactus, or various combinations of any of these.

Janet Moyer, author of a complete resource book entitled, The Low Voltage Lighting Book, has some interesting advice for those people interested in adding outdoor lighting to their gardens. She says,

“We’re vertical animals, so the garden should be lit vertically, not horizontally,” she says. In a recent article published in the Seattle Times about Moyer, the author says, “Because we’re used to sunshine, light shining down from above looks most natural to us. So she is suggesting we attach fixtures above gardens on architectural elements or trees. In this way they aren’t knocked around by kids and pets as they would be if installed at ground level.

She goes on to say,

To help people feel comfortable outside in the dark, Moyer defines a garden’s boundaries, shape and volume with washes of light. She lights pathways just enough so you can see them safely, layering brighter light on the front door for a sense of welcome. And if you’re worried about lights drawing insects to the garden, Moyer suggests placing a bluer light far away from where you relax outdoors. Insects see blue light best, so will swarm to it.

Technorati Tags: low voltage landscape light, outdoor garden lights, outdoor low voltage lighting