A Beginner's Guide to Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Wire Lengths
Low voltage landscape lighting is the modern way of transforming your outdoors into more inviting spaces. As soon as the sun sets, your landscape lighting takes the lead, ensuring the splendor of outdoor gatherings doesn’t die out. However, homeowners tend to overlook one factor when installing their landscape lights: wire lengths.
While it may seem unimportant, this is a critical factor in determining how many fixtures you can add to the system without a voltage drop. Read on to find out all about low voltage landscape lighting wire lengths!
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Why Determining the Right Wire Length Matters
Unlike standard household lights, low-voltage landscape lights shine on 12-24 volts. Their significantly lower voltage than ‘line voltage’ makes them a popular choice among most homeowners wishing to brighten up their outdoors today. This makes it a safe option, leading to low energy consumption and light pollution.
Inevitably, the lower volts also mean your outdoor lighting system becomes prone to quick voltage drops. This results from the current dying out in the wire due to resistance. Unless you get the wire length right, it’s hard to avoid frequent voltage drops. The longer the wire, the higher the resistance, which ends up dimming your patios, gardens, and pathways.
If you don’t want to risk your exterior lighting investment, the right wire length is a must-have. While choosing the correct size might be tricky for first-timers, it’s worth investing some time into it beforehand!
Steps to Choose the Right Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Wire Length
When dealing with landscape lights for the first time, not knowing much about wire length is quite normal - you’re not alone. To make it simpler for you, here’s a lineup of steps to follow for a perfect outdoor lighting setup.
Step 1: Measure the Distance
First things first, check how far your light fixtures will be installed from the transformer system. Ideally, create a sketch and mark the locations of your fixtures. While you’re at it, remember to include the twists and turns in your wires to get the right length.
Remember: You can’t opt for a super long wire - it leads to frequent voltage drops. So, map out your plan accordingly.
Step 2: Determine the Total Fixture Wattage
Next up, determine the total wattage of all the fixtures you’ll add to your lighting setup. For example, if you add six 10-watt lights, your total wattage will be 60 watts. Naturally, there’s a limit to the wattage your wire can handle, so knowing it beforehand is necessary.
It’s worth noting that the total wattage also determines the wire gauge and the overall length of the wire you need to support your low voltage landscape lighting.
Step 3: Choose the Perfect Wire Gauge
Once you’ve worked out the distance and total fixture wattage, it’s time to pick the right wire gauge. The thicker the wire, the more voltage it can carry over longer distances. Here’s a general guide to help you through this step:
(Note: the lower the gauge number, the thicker the wire).
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16-gauge low-voltage wire: Ideal for short runs of 60ft and total wattage of up to 60W.
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14-gauge low-voltage wire: Ideal for medium runs of 100ft and total wattage of up to 60W.
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12-gauge low-voltage wire: Ideal for long runs of 200ft and total wattage of up to 60W.
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10-gauge low-voltage wire: Ideal for extremely long runs of 300ft and total wattage of up to 60W.
Step 4: Choose High-quality Wires & Connectors
Now, it’s time to choose wires and connectors to put your low voltage landscape lighting in place. While some homeowners end up picking out wires and connectors that seem convenient, it leads them to multiple performance issues in the long run.
Instead, you must invest in high-quality wires and connectors that are both durable and weather-resistant. Sure, they might not be as cheap, but they save up on dollars spent otherwise on replacements and maintenance.
Step 5: Install Your Low Voltage Landscape Lighting
Finally, it’s time to install your well-thought-out low voltage landscape lighting system. But before that, it’s advisable to test the system to check if all fixtures work properly. Pre-testing allows you to troubleshoot any issues beforehand!
Quick Tips to Install Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Effectively
Often, navigating the steps outlined above alone won’t achieve a perfect landscape lighting setup. Any major slip-up along the way, and you might have to re-do the installation process.
The good news? Here are some quick tips to install your landscape lights smartly the first time around:
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Use a shorter wire for brighter lights for your gardens or spaces you wish to illuminate.
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Opt for a high-power transformer, especially if it’s installed further away from your lighting setup.
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Spread the power load across multiple wires to light up all the fixtures evenly.
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Always invest in high-quality, weather-resistant connectors to ensure reliable lighting all along.
FAQs
How Far Can I Run a Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Wire?
Generally, how far your low voltage landscape lighting wire can run depends on the wire gauge, total wattage, and, of course, the distance from the transformer. For instance, a 12-gauge wire can handle 200ft of length and a wattage of 60W.
What Happens if My Wire is Too Long or Too Short?
If your low voltage wire is too long, you’re almost always at a risk of voltage drops and dimming of lights. On the flip side, if it’s too short, there’s little chance you might reach all fixtures, leaving some parts of your outdoor space completely dark.
Can I Bury Low Voltage Wires Underground?
Yes, you can almost always bury low-voltage wires underground. However, it’s advised to bury them at least six inches in the ground. This depth prevents the wiring from being disrupted during any digging and maintains the aesthetic appeal of your landscape.
Conclusion
Low voltage landscape lighting is incredibly cost-effective in making your outdoors look brighter than ever. However, the technical details, especially the wire length, must be taken into account. Otherwise, you might have to spend days fixing the system, which is the last thing you want.
We recommend learning how voltage drops work and planning your system accordingly. Once you’re ready to enjoy a well-lit yard, get in touch with Gardenreet for the best low-voltage landscape lights out there.