Enhance the nighttime cut down appeal of your property—and upload a degree of safety and security—with low-voltage panorama lights. This outdoors-grade furniture is typically located alongside walkways and driveways, but they’re additionally perfect for illuminating steps, timber, stonewalls, fences, and different distinguished landscape functions. And because the gadget operates on the best 12 volts of energy, it’s completely safe for do-it-your self-set up.
At the stately Thirties-some thing home shown here, we installed 12 Intermatic furniture in 3 one of a kind areas. Alongside the walkway leading to the entryway are six ornamental aluminum pieces of furniture that have a curved shepard’s hook profile.
Two 20-watt wall-wash furnishings are used to light up the white-painted lattice fence on both facets of the walkway. At the base of each of the four evergreen shrubs developing towards the residence is a 20-watt shrub uplight. The 12 furnishings are linked with a 12-gauge cable and powered via a 300-watt transformer.
Step 1
Landscape Lighting Overview
Low-voltage landscape lighting fixtures is a simple development that can make a large distinction in how your own home looks after dusk and in its protection and security as nicely. Installed alongside walkways, steps, and driveways, or pointing up at bushes, partitions, and fences, the typical low-voltage lighting fixtures machine calls for simply three additives: a transformer, low-voltage electric cable, and the furniture. You don’t ought to be secure with wiring—or even have ever accomplished any—to install this sort of system.
The transformer steps down the one hundred twenty-volt residences cutting-edge to simply 12 volts. It ought to be plugged right into a GFCI-protected outside electric outlet equipped with an “at the same time as-in-use” cowl, and an oversize plastic field that closes over the strength cord. The transformer should have sufficient capacity to support the overall wattage of the lights within the system. Between fixtures, the cable is buried in a shallow trench. As lengthy as you have got a close-by outlet, you will be able to give your private home and backyard a welcoming glow when the sun goes down.
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Step 2
Layout the Components
Set the pathway light fixtures on the ground in which they will be mounted — normally approximately eight to ten ft aside.
Lay the low-voltage cable alongside the concrete walkway, following the road of light furniture. Use 14-gauge cable for lighting fixtures structures that overall 200 watts or much less and 12-gauge cable for structures which can be greater than 200 watts.
When you come to an impediment, along with a fence or shrub, string the cable under or around it.
Tip: Put the first fixture at least 10 feet from the transformer.
Step 3
Turn over the Sod
Take a flat-blade shovel and slide it underneath the pinnacle layer of grass, about 12 inches in from the brink of the walk. Then raise on the deal with to split the grass from the soil, and fold over this scalped portion of sod. Continue in this manner all along with the walking path.
Use the nook of the shovel’s blade to scratch a three-inch-deep trench in the soil where the twine will pass.
Tip: If necessary, set the mild furnishings on top of the folded sod to save it from flopping back off.
Step 4
Bury the Electrical Cable
Set the low-voltage electrical cable within the trench. Leave a chunk of slacked cable at every fixture point for making the relationship to the light furniture.
Smooth the soil over the ditch, but go away the cable sticking up out of the soil near every fixture.
Make a slit in the indifferent sod in which the fixture will sit down and fold the sod returned over the soil, maintaining the cable for each fixture above the grass.
Tip: Don’t bury the cable greater than 3 inches or you may have difficulty connecting the mild fixture.
Step 5
Plugin the Transformer
Run the cable as much as the out of doors electrical outlet. Then use cord strippers to reduce the cable and strip off ½ inch of the rubber insulation.
Slide the stripped wires under the 2 terminal screws on the bottom of the transformer. Tighten the screws all the way to maintain the cable securely in the vicinity.
insert timber stake in the ground next to the outlet. Then screw the transformer to the stake. (It can also be established directly to the wall of the residence.)
Lift the “while-in-use” cowl on the outlet and plug within the transformer.
Step 6
Prepare Holes for the Fixtures
Set all of the mild fixtures again into position, checking to make certain they are similarly spaced.
Position the first fixture near the brink of the walkway as viable without any a part of it hanging over. (If the fixture extends into the walkway, humans will constantly be bumping into it.)
Make a hole within the ground for the fixture’s stake with a huge screwdriver or lengthy steel punch. Never use a hammer to pressure the fixture into the floor.
Tip: Don’t place a light inside 10 ft of a pool, spa, or fountain.
Step 7
Make the Electrical Connections
Slip the 2 connector halves striking from the lowest of the mild fixture over the cable it is sticking out from the sod and pinch them together till you hear a click. This settles the sharp prongs within the connectors to hole in the cable and connect the wires internally.
Since the transformer is plugged in, the fixture needs to light up, confirming the relationship is ideal. If it doesn’t, USA and resnap the connector, or check the bulb.
Tip: If none of the bulbs lighting fixtures up, you could have a defective transformer or outside electrical outlet.
Step 8
Install the Light Fixtures
Insert the mild fixture into its metal floor stake.
Using both arms, push the fixture and its stake into the floor until the top of the stake is flush with the floor. Eyeball the fixture to ensure it is no longer tilted to at least one aspect.
insert the cable and connector inside the sod and stuff them into the soil, almost 2 inches deep.
Continue installing the remaining fixtures inside the same way.
Step nine
Replace the Sod
Once all of the mild furniture is installed and running properly, smooth out the sod around the furnishings.
If essential, reduce the sod across the light furniture with the shovel.
Firmly press down at the sod, then use a lawn hose to soak the place with water.
Tip: In everyday use, right away update a burned-out bulb or it’s going to shorten the life of the alternative bulbs.
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