Landscape Lighting Installation Blueprint
How To Plan Landscape Lighting:
Basic Layout Components:
Low Voltage Transformer
This is the power supply for the system. Ideally, it is mounted to a stand near the house, or attached directly to the structure – keep in mind the bottom of the transformer needs to be at least 12″ from the ground. Alternatively, the transformer could be located inside the house – usually the basement or garage. But running the wires through the wall requires the skills of an electrician since special codes apply. Outdoor installation is preferred for do-it-yourself installation.
Fixtures
These are, of course, the producers of light. They get their power from the transformer. Each lighting fixture contains a light source – either an integrated (built-in) LED source or a replaceable lamp (bulb). The lamp could be the older incandescent (usually halogen) type or it could be an LED lamp. The voltage supplied to the fixtures is critical and we will discuss that below.
Wire
This is the cable that connects to the transformer and supplies power to the fixtures. The wire is rated according to the size of its conductors. Selecting the proper size wire is one of the most important aspects of the lighting plan; we’ll elaborate below.
Wire Connections
The wire from the transformer needs to connect to the wires from the fixtures. These connections can be made in several ways that involve any of various connector types. Again, these are described below.