Outdoor Low Voltage Lighting
My brother has been telling me about the value of outdoor low voltage lighting for years.
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 and attempting to pull together some bits of wisdom for designing and installing an outdoor low voltage lighting system.
"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.
" Outdoor low voltage lighting serves both aesthetic and practical purposes and can provide safety and beauty to your home - and it doesn't have to cost a fortune to install.
There are, however, some things you need to know about low voltage outdoor lighting in order to make the most of this valuable landscaping resource.
From a Journal of Light Construction - 2004 article, "Well-placed low-voltage lighting circuits can make a home's surroundings useful, beautiful, and safe.
" Outdoor Garden Lighting Janet Moyer, author of the must-have 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.
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.
In a recent article published in the Seattle Times about Moyer, the author says, 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.
Summary Outdoor low voltage lighting is one of the more affordable, yet more dramatic improvements you can make to your house and yard.
Adding lighting elements to a deck, pool, patio, path, or garden can add both beauty and safety as well as value to your home.
Outdoor low voltage lighting can be easily installed whether you are already familiar with low voltage lighting systems or new using them.
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 and attempting to pull together some bits of wisdom for designing and installing an outdoor low voltage lighting system.
"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.
" Outdoor low voltage lighting serves both aesthetic and practical purposes and can provide safety and beauty to your home - and it doesn't have to cost a fortune to install.
There are, however, some things you need to know about low voltage outdoor lighting in order to make the most of this valuable landscaping resource.
- Know what you want to accomplish.
Are you looking to improve the aesthetics of your home and garden? Or is security your primary goal? - Make a plan.
What ever your goals are it is best to make a plan and design your low voltage outdoor lighting system to achieve your goals. - Get the right transformer.
A systems capacity is determined by size of transformer, wattage of fixtures, and the gauge of wire which helps to determine voltage drop over distance.
Your transformer should be able to handle the total number of watts connected to it (as determined by adding up the watts needed by the number of fixtures connected to that transformer).
Let's say we are planning to use 8 spot lights with 20 watts each, and 5 path lights with 10 watts each.
This set up gives us a total of 210 watts. - Pick the right fixtures.
Find high quality fixtures that have a good warranty and will last a long time. - Go for it! Install your outdoor low voltage lighting system and enjoy the rewards.
From a Journal of Light Construction - 2004 article, "Well-placed low-voltage lighting circuits can make a home's surroundings useful, beautiful, and safe.
" Outdoor Garden Lighting Janet Moyer, author of the must-have 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.
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.
In a recent article published in the Seattle Times about Moyer, the author says, 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.
Summary Outdoor low voltage lighting is one of the more affordable, yet more dramatic improvements you can make to your house and yard.
Adding lighting elements to a deck, pool, patio, path, or garden can add both beauty and safety as well as value to your home.
Outdoor low voltage lighting can be easily installed whether you are already familiar with low voltage lighting systems or new using them.
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