Archive for the ‘Lighting’ Category
The Outdoor Lighting Expert on ‘Choosing the right size Transformer’
By Maria Bargellini
Transformers are used when installing low voltage lighting. Its function is to step down your line voltage, which is approx. 120 volts, and reduce it to 12 volts to operate your landscape lights. Transformers are typically the most expensive part of your landscape lighting project and often the least thought about. Properly sizing your transformer is the first step in your installation. Not sure what that means? No worries. This post will help you choose the right transformer for your outdoor lighting needs.
First Step (Math)
Adding up the total wattage: If you are using (5) – 50 watt up lights, (6) 20 watt path lights and (2) 35 watt well lights your wattage total will be 440 watts. Note: Just because a fixture comes with and is rated for 50 watts doesn’t mean that you have to use a 50 watt bulb in there. 20 and 30 watt bulbs are often used in place of 50 watt bulbs. You can adjust your total wattage according to what you plan to actually use. If you plan to add more fixtures in the future add that wattage as well. It is less expensive to oversize your transformer in the beginning than to buy a larger one or an additional one later.
Second Step (More Math)
Transformers are sold by wattages. The most commonly found sizes are 300w-600w-900w-1200watts. Here’s where it gets tricky, you can only use 80% of the wattage that a transformer is rated for. So that 300 watt transformer can only hold 240 watts from your fixtures. For the project listed previously you will need a 600 watt transformer to run the 440 watts with only 40 watts available for additional fixtures. Confused yet?
- A 300 watt transformer can be used for 240 watts of fixtures.
- A 600 watt transformer can be used for 480 watts of fixtures.
- A 900 watt transformer can be used for 720 watts of fixtures.
- A 1200 watt transformer can be used for 960 watts of fixtures.
If you are planning to install landscape lighting in the front and back, unless you plan to have them turn on and off at the same time you will need 2 separate transformers, as you cannot run 2 different timers off of 1 transformer. If you do want them to be controlled by 1 timer then go ahead and add all the wattage together and make sure you are within 80% of the transformers capacity.
For pictures and more information clink on these links: Alliance Fixtures Kichler Fixtures
Related articles: Outdoor Lighting Fixtures Whats up with up lights Landscape lighting design DIY landscape lighting Area Lights / Path Lights
DIY Landscape Lighting
By Maria Bargellini
If you want to highlight your home with outdoor lighting but you don’t have it in your budget to hire a professional – don’t worry. We can help you. This post along with many others on this site will help you figure out what to do, what to use, and most importantly – what not to do. This post will help you get started.
What to light: Invest in a few new flashlights to use to figure out what areas you want to light and how it all looks together. You can always use more flash lights so it’s a good investment. Place the flashlights in the areas you are thinking of lighting. You may need a rock to prop it in place.
What to look for: Once the lights are set go into your home and make sure there isn’t any glare or lighting entering the house in an uncomfortable way. Once your happy take a walk around your landscape lighting display and make sure you’re not getting blasted in the face with light. Don’t forget your neighbors and cars. Look at your outdoor lighting from different vantage points.
What you’ll need
- 20 amp outlet
- Outdoor Transformer
- Digital timer
- Fixtures
- Direct burial cable (properly sized for your project)
- Direct burial wire nuts (connectors)
- Shovel
- Hand tools (pliers, screw driver, electrical tester, etc.)
- Power tools (drill and anchors to mount the transformer)
If you are buying a kit follow its instructions. I personally do not like the kits because landscape design isn’t a one size fits all project. There are 2 ways to wire your fixtures, daisy chaining and the hub method. We generally use the hub method although in certain cases where we are using LED landscape lighting fixtures, daisy chaining is OK. Consult a professional whenever you can. You should be able to talk to a professional when purchasing fixtures or the electrical components. Browse our other articles for more information on installation and maintenance. If you do not see what you need drop us a line and we’ll make sure to post the information you requested.
For pictures and more information clink on these links: Alliance Fixtures Kichler Fixtures
Related articles: Outdoor Lighting Fixtures Whats up with up lights Landscape lighting design Choosing the right size Transformer Area Lights / Path Lights
The Outdoor Lighting Expert on ‘Landscape Lighting Design’
By Maria Bargellini
Help is here for the do- it- your-selfers and researchers wanting to find out more about landscape lighting design. If you know what you want to light but don’t know what to use below is a short and sweet list of which fixtures to use for the most commonly illuminated areas of a home.
Lighting Trees
What to use: Well lights, Bullets, floods or tree lights
How many fixtures to use: 4-6 depending on how big the tree is, where it is, and from how many degrees you want to view it.
Plan: Typically you’ll see that most outdoor lighting designs will have 2-3 well lights on the ground illuminating the foliage and grazing the trunk and 2-3 down lights in the canopy highlighting the trunk, foliage, or other areas.
Don’t: Make the tree a lot brighter/dimmer than the rest of your design. Don’t put the lights in open grass areas. Don’t angle the lights into windows or cars
Bulb: Depending on which fixtures you buy and the wattage your using for the rest of your design. For 35-30′ trees I like to use 50 watt bulbs on the ground and 20-30 watts in the canopy.
Planting beds
What to use: Path or Area lights. If it’s a heavily trafficed area during the day consider a more stylish fixture.
How many fixtures to use: 1 every 8 – 15′ for long paths and every 4-6′ for short paths . It depends how long the path is and if there are safety concerns.
Plan: Plan to layout lights next to elevation changes (tripping hazards) first, then layout the rest of them.
Don’t: Never put them across from each other or put them to close together. Less is more.
Bulb: These type of lights typically come with or max out at 20 watts.
House
What to use: Bullets or grazers (wall washers)
How many fixtures to use: 5-8 lights
Plan: Flanking windows, by ornamental trees, or at the ends of the home are good places to start.
Don’t: Flood light into the home and don’t allow your design to be unbalanced. It doesn’t have to be symmetrical but it does have to be balanced.
Bulb: 20 -50 watts depending on the color and height of the house. Lighter house can use less wattage.
Walls, Fences etc
What to use: Well light, bullets or deck lights
How many fixtures to use: Depending on beam spread and what you’re trying to accomplish 1 fixture every 6-8′ (middle of fence panels)
Plan: If you are illuminating a fence line without any landscaping you can place them at every fence section (middle) or every other panel. If there’s landscaping forget the fence and highlight the plants.
Don’t: Light every section of fencing. if you are doing all 3 sides you can do just the corners, 3 on each side etc. Having all the panels lit will not only be a waste of money but will not be pleasing to the viewer.
Bulb: Most people use up-lights but I prefer using 10 watt deck lights, which are down lights.
Focal Points
What to use: Flood, bullet or grazer.
How many fixtures to use: 2-3 uplights, or 1 -2 grazers. Depends on how wide the item is.
How: If you cannot hide the fixture when using up-lights use down lights mounted up high instead. If you can use up-lights. make sure to cross your beams to ensure even lighting.
Don’t: Create dark spaces. Illuminate the item fully to see detail.
Bulb: Just because it’s a focal point doesn’t mean it has to have a higher wattage than the other lights in your design. Fully lighting the item should make stand out on its own.
For pictures and more information clink on these links: Alliance Fixtures Kichler Fixtures
Related articles: Outdoor Lighting Fixtures Whats up with up lights DIY landscape lighting Choosing the right size Transformer Area Lights / Path Lights
The Outdoor Lighting Expert on “Whats up with Up Lights”
By Maria Bargellini
What are Up Lights? Well they are just that- landscape lights that point up. OK, that’s a little broad. Up lights is a term used to describe outdoor lighting fixtures that shine light upward away from the fixture itself. The source of the light is never meant to be seen or to be focused on. It is the effect of the light on the item or location that is supposed to be viewed and felt. The most common uses for these types of low voltage fixtures is to accent trees, graze walls, or highlight special items like fountains. There’s a right way and a wrong way to use up lights. This post will help you trouble shoot your landscape lighting design and learn what not to do.
The Wrong Way
- Angle: Do not point them into windows. No one wants to sleep with a 50 watt MR16 pointed into the bedroom. If you cannot angle your fixture away from the windows it must be moved.
- Pedestrian and Vehicles: Care must be taken that you do not point these lights in the direction of where people will be walking or cars will be driving. It is both unpleasant and unsafe to be blasted in the face with light.
- Location: Don’t install landscape lights in open grass areas. They are not meant to withstand a mowers wrath nor is it aesthetically pleasing to have them lonely in the turf.
- Groupings: Don’t group too may together. If you cannot get a wide enough beam you are using the wrong bulb or light fixture. Try a flood bulb or grazing fixture instead.
- Installation: Don’t use up lights as tree lights and vice versa. Landscape lighting fixtures are constructed to move water away from their lenses and to keep water out of there internal components. Turning one around may allow water to enter the fixture.
- Bulbs: Only use bulbs rated for outdoor use. They will last longer because they are made to withstand the elements. They might be more expensive but you wont have to replace as many.
Most people buy landscape lights first and think about the design after. The best way to highlight your home with outdoor lighting is to create your landscape design first and then buy the low voltage fixtures needed to accomplish your vision. Up lights are a great way to light your home and can be used effectively on there own or in combination with other types of fixtures.
If you would like more information on Outdoor lighting you can call us at 214-257-8813 or Check out our site The Outdoor Lighting Expert for more articles on landscape lighting and more.
For pictures and more information clink on these links: Alliance Fixtures Kichler Fixtures
Related articles: Whats up with up lights Landscape lighting design DIY landscape lighting Choosing the right size Transformer Area Lights / Path Lights
Outdoor Lighting Fixtures
By Maria Bargellini
If you’re thinking about installing low voltage fixtures it helps to know what types of outdoor lighting fixtures are available and how to use them. This post will help you identify which fixtures you need – to get the results you want. There are two types of landscape lighting fixtures to chose from, up lights and down lights. Up lights shine light up from the fixture and down lights shine light downward. Read below to find the types of low voltage outdoor lights you will need.
Types of Up Lights
- Bullets: These landscape lights are used for precise lighting. They shine a narrow beam (beam spread may be adjusted with bulb selection), upward onto trees. Up lights are the most commonly used fixtures in the industry.
- Flood Lights: Look similar to bullets but are larger, typically in width. These low voltage lights will give you a much wider beam and would be used for larger plant materials and walls.
- Well Lights: These are larger outdoor lighting fixtures that are most commonly used to light very large trees, usually away from the house or structure. They have many styles available and typically will come with a metal or glass cover to protect if from mowers. It is best suited for placement in a landscape bed.
- Wall washers or grazers: These landscape lighting fixtures are wider and flatter than most. It’s used to wash or graze large flat surfaces like fences and walls, and are dimmer than floods or up lights.
Types of Down Lights
- Tree Lights: These landscape lights look very similar to bullets but they are constructed to mount onto specific hardware and divert water away from the internal components of the fixture. Typical placement in a tree is 20′-25′
- Deck/Step Lights: The most common type are the half moon and grated rectangle. These outdoor lighting fixtures are used on fence post and panels but can also be used in stone walls
- Eave Lights: There are several fixtures available for this function but the most commonly used are recessed or puck style lights. They install under the eaves to shine light down onto a home’s walls all around the perimeter of the house. The lights are typically spaced equally around the entire house but can be used in any number of design layouts. They can also be used to direct light onto seating areas and focal points when trees are not available.
- Path lights: Now there are tons of path lights available and they come in many finishes, styles and prices. These outdoor lights are used to light a pathway, illuminate elevation changes or any other safety or aesthetic function. For more on path lights click here.
- Area Lights: Same availability as path lights just slightly different construction as these fixtures are used to light the area around the fixture and not in front of it. They can be used to light a pathway as well and are typically chosen for locations that have interest below and or behind the low voltage lighting fixture.
For pictures and more information clink on these links: Alliance Fixtures Kichler Fixtures
Related articles: Whats up with up lights Landscape lighting design DIY landscape lighting Choosing the right size Transformer Area Lights / Path Lights
The Outdoor Lighting Expert on ‘landscape lighting maintenance”
Your landscape lights have been installed and life is good – for now. Just like your landscape your outdoor lights need to be maintenance as well – just not as often of course. The Outdoor lighting Expert represents the outdoor lighting installation division of Dallas Curb Appeal Inc. And with each installation our clients get a year’s free maintenance, this includes bulb changes. For those of you who had your lights for longer than a year or installed by someone else maintenance can also be provided and customized for your specific needs.
A typical maintenance service will include the following;
Lens Cleaning: After time rain and sprinklers, soil and debris can accumulate on your lenses affecting the light output. We will clean all lenses and remove any debris that has accumulated by the fixture.
Fixtures: Can become loose over time, require gasket or other maintenance. We will evaluate and adjust your fixtures accordingly.
Landscape: Clearing or trimming plant material can be done by this division or our landscape division.
Transformers: Not only hum be they create heat. This heat is perfect for ants and other insects to hang out in all winter long.
Timers: Digital timers will be reset for the proper time.
Wiring: Over time wires can become exposed. These wires will be re buried if exposed.
Bulb Replacement: With first year installations bulb replacement is included. Replacing bulbs is also part of your general maintenance
Light position: Wind and foot traffic can change the way your lights are facing. We will reset the fixtures to their original angles unless otherwise requested.
First years bulb replacement includes both the labor and material. For all other maintenance customers material replacement is not included. This maintenance package is for ground level lights only.
Additional Services offered
Tree lighting: It can be tough to get up in your trees to change your light bulbs yourself. Let our professional climbers do this for you.
Tree maintenance: Over time staples. Screws and wires can become incased in the trunk of your tree. To avoid this wires and tree mounts must be maintained. It’s safer for the tree and better for your fixture operation.
Repositioning: With our tough storms and heavy winds its not uncommon for tree limbs to be compromised and for fixtures to have to be moved to other limbs. We can disconnect and relocate your lights.
Dallas Holiday Lighting, DFW Christmas Lights, The Outdoor Lighting expert and Lawn Sprinklers Dallas, are operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc., a full service landscape contractor
The Outdoor Lighting expert with more Landscape Lighting tips
What goes into a landscape lighting design? More than what you think. This post will discuss symmetry, balance, perspective and comfort as it relates to landscape lighting design.
Balance-Daylight doesn’t have the contrast between light and dark like nighttime lighting does nor does it limit the viewing area. During the day you take in the whole of what you see all around you, making it more difficult to see or feel unbalanced, whereas at night, with its greater contrast between light and dark you can focus on just the lit portion of the viewing area and see quickly whether there is balance. Balance doesn’t mean you put 3 lights on the right and 3 lights on the left and boom – ya got things balanced. Balance is lighting your home in such a way that it feels complete, and is pleasing to the viewer. It should make sense and be consistent. A balanced landscape lighting design should not leave the viewer asking questions. Why is this dimmer than that, why that tree and not this one etc. The only why you want your visitors asking is “why can’t we light our house like this?”
Perspective- In most case your home has 4 sides and has 360 degrees of viewing area around it. When you think about your lighting design it is important to take in all those perspectives areas. Additional consideration has to be taken for the inside as well. It’s great that the house looks great outside but if it’s stopping you from sleeping what good is it. Think about how your home is entered and exited, how the conversation areas are used and even what a burglar might think when looking at your house. How does grandpa react to the poorly lit pathway? Is it unsettling for him? Take yourself out of your comfort zone and take a few walks around your house. See your home from different perspectives.
Comfort: Beingan electrician for 15 years and in the landscape lighting business makes me hyper aware of lighting everywhere. Landscape lights that have too much glare, are too bright, have mix matched colors, or are not at the same wattage make it uncomfortable for me and also most viewers, to view and enjoy it. Sometimes landscaping has to be added in order to hide your landscape lights but doing so can elevate your design. A good design never shows the source of the light just the effect.
Symmetry-Most models are recognized for their facial symmetry. In landscape lighting design symmetry is also desirable. If you have a home with very linear qualities and is otherwise symmetrical it is only fitting that it is lighted to reflect that. Not doing so would compromise the overall design. A row of columns just like a row of trees should be illuminated the same throughout. There should not be difference in light output or in how they are lit.
Some say Landscape Lighting Design is art; I say it’s more of a science. There are rules to be followed in order to have a successful design. I don’t think abstract landscape lighting will ever be a trend- at least I hope not.
Dallas Holiday Lighting, DFW Christmas Lights, The Outdoor Lighting expert and Lawn Sprinklers Dallas, are operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc., a full service landscape contractor
The Outdoor lighting Expert on LED Landscape lights
By Maria Bargellini
LED landscape lights are becoming more and more popular these days. In my business I have seen a push toward LED landscape lights and away from line or 120 volt lights, mercury vapor fixtures and even standard low voltage landscape lighting. Technically LED and low voltage landscape lights are both low voltage outdoor lighting because they both require a transformer to step down the voltage from 120 volts to 12 volts. I consider LED lights to be “low wattage” landscape lights.
Here’s the technical info to explain why. Transformers and bulbs are rated in watts. So if you have a 300 watt transformer you should be able to operate (6) 50 watt lights…. right? Wrong. You can only use 80% of the wattage so that’s 240 watts that can be used. You can use either (4) 50 watt lights, (6) 35 watt lights, or (12) 20 watt lights, or any combination totaling 240 watts. LED lights use fewer watts to provide the same amount of illumination, allowing you to use more of them. So for a 300 watt transformer you can use over (20) 9 watt LED fixtures and get the same or similar light output as you would if you used 50 watt bulbs in a standard low voltage light fixture. Confused yet?
You can use a 9 watt LED light where you would use a 35-50 watt standard low voltage fixture. Although LED’s cost more per fixture they will cost less in the long run when you consider energy savings and more. Below is a quick list of Pros and Cons to help you decide if LED is the right choice for you.
LED Fixture Pros
- Uses less energy, in some cases 75%
- Last 40-50,000 hours
- Ability to add more lights
- Needs a smaller transformer
- You can use smaller gauge wire
- More precise lighting
- 15 year warranty
LED Fixtures Cons
- LED fixtures cost more
- Not a huge variety available
- Not many finishes available
- Hoods are often sold separately
- Fixture may need to be replaced when the bulb is out
The Outdoor Lighting Expert, Dallas Holiday Lighting, DFW Christmas Lights, and Lawn Sprinklers Dallas, are operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc., a full service landscape contractor
The Outdoor Lighting Expert: Aesthetic landscape lighting
- Aesthetic Lighting- What does this mean exactly. There are hundreds of fixtures on the market today but I am not only referring to the look of the fixtures but also the overall look of your landscape lighting design. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and not everyone may agree on whats beautiful or what emotion is felt by a design. 2 people can view the same design and simply experience them differently. Of course the only one that matters is you. For the most part the majority of people will react in the same way to the lighting design. Landscape lighting designers use lighting to evoke emotions and set a mood. Do you want your yard to look lively and ready to accept visitors or would you rather a more subtle lighting scene where you can be by yourself and read under the star. You have to first figure out how you want to feel in the space and work with your landscape lighting designer before they can determine what you want to light and what type of fixtures are to be used.
- Fixtures: For the most part fixtures are not to be seen whenever possible. It is the effect of the light that should be seen, not the actual light source. Poorly placed fixtures will create hot spots on the items to be lit and may even create uncomfortable glare from in or outside of the home. In fact, in designing a landscape lighting scene, care should be taken as to how the lights will be viewed from the inside. Landscape lights should never point into the house as in through windows. I often see newly constructed homes that have had the forethought to provide for landscape lighting but have failed miserably in the execution. They often use inappropriate fixtures, use those fixtures in an up facing position when they are made to point downward, they use bare bulbs, and often place the lights too high off the ground. These are mistakes can make your landscape lighting look awful.
- Consistency and balance: A landscape lighting design should have a balanced amount of light output throughout the design. Sure your path lights may use 20 watts and your up lights may use 35 watts but the difference in the fixtures and a grouping of fixtures should not have a noticeable difference. Most people in fact even some professionals can’t see a 1-10 watt difference in the light output but larger differences, hot spots and color discrepancies can interrupt the flow of your landscape lighting scene. In addition, your landscape fixtures should be using the same amount of voltage throughout to function properly and increase bulb life and consistency in the design.
- Focal Points and Other Objects: Here’s where common design mistakes occur. What happens when you have too many focal points or “special things” lit at the same time? Vegas happens. Lots to look at, a little over whelming, and your head zips back and forth like you’re being exorcised. This is good for Vegas– bad for your back yard, unless your a bachelor and you want your female visitors disoriented and confused. Your special object may be able to stand alone with less light or may need to be lit from different areas to get the true detail and feel of it, either way care is to be taken as to not diminish it’s relevance or make it disappear into the design. Before you get your landscape lights installed make sure to go over these points with your landscape lighting designer.
Dallas Holiday Lighting, DFW Christmas Lights, The Outdoor Lighting expert and Lawn Sprinklers Dallas, are operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc., a full service landscape contractor
The Outdoor Lighting Expert: Landscape Lighting for safety and security
Take a professional approach to your Landscape Lighting.
Landscape Lighting is more than just throwing lights in the ground. Professional landscape lighting designers have to be trained in this field both as an art form and it’s electrical aspects. Unless otherwize educated the typical DIY homeowner may try to design and install their own landscape lighting, but their efforts are thwarted by changing and available technology, access to high quality products, lack of design knowledge or current information, and an electrical understanding.
This post will explain the goals of landscape lighting. It is designed to give you a better understanding of the possibilities, opportunities, and tips to achieve a balanced , and well-designed landscape lighting scene.
Landscape Lighting Goals
The goal of landscape lighting is be useful and for the overall affect to be aesthetically pleasing. A good lighting design addresses both your needs and your wants.
Lighting for security: Well lit homes are less likely to be burglarized. A lesser known fact is that the placement, coverage, and quality of the security lighting help elevate the level of security. Most houses will have a few powerful flood lights directed towards 1 or 2 areas on the property. In most homes this lighting is way to bright to use for any other purpose and is limited in terms of coverage. A burglar or crazy ex-girlfriend can pass freely onto the property once they know where the “holes” are. Creating a strategic lighting plan that illuminates key areas of the property with mid to low levels of light in the safer option. The lower levels allow you to see objects in those areas and still see details in the unlit areas. The human eye can compensate for a narrow range of light, traditional big bulb security lights offer large contrast to the unlit areas. The human eye is unable to compensate fast enough when canvasing from very bright to very dark areas. Identifying these key areas and providing mid- low levels of light will give you not only a safer home but one that’s comfortable to be in and lights that aren’t like staring into the sun.
Lighting for safety: Safety and security is not the same thing. Safety refers to providing safe passage throughout your property. Special considerations are given to steps, pools, water features, and tripping hazards. Safety lighting follows the same principal as with security lighting, the light should be at a mid-low level. You only need enough light as to see details. If you make them too bright they will obscure surrounding dark areas. Professional landscape lights will almost always have shields in place to reduce the glare from the bulbs. Your lights should not blind your visitors. When thinking about fixtures consider the the age of both your visitors and yourself. Seniors require more light and are more likely to loose their footing when surprised by light beams. Also, in terms of maintenance, changing bulbs that are low to the ground and that may require tools is not for people with back problems or people who can’t bend.
Dallas Holiday Lighting, DFW Christmas Lights, The Outdoor Lighting expert and Lawn Sprinklers Dallas, are operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc., a full service landscape contractor