You may spend a great deal of time and money on your landscape. In fact, it is something you are very proud of, but at night it is hard to appreciate without the right kind of lighting. LED walkway lights can greatly enhance your property’s appearance and make it safer for everyone. Here are some helpful tips on getting the installation right the first time.
Pay Attention to Splices
If you want to install a large system of LED walkway lights, you may need to make splices to add more than one system together. When you make splices, be certain to make the right kind of splice. A simple wire nut splice with electrical tape is not sufficient for outdoor splices. Make sure to create a waterproof connection.
Voltage Drop and Cables
If you are unfamiliar with voltage drop, it can damage your lighting systems. Here is how it works. As electricity travels through a conductor, the voltage drops a little. A principle of electricity called “Ohms Law” states when voltage lowers resistance increases. Increased resistance can cause wires to get overheated and can damage light bulbs.
Standard 120-volt AC circuits do not have a lot of voltage drop, but this is not the case with low voltage systems. It is important to keep cable length to a minimum. For example, when running one hundred feet of cable, you should not have more than one hundred watts of lights on the same cable. After installation, be sure to check the voltage with a dependable voltmeter.
Voltage Drop and Transformers
Voltage drop happens when you have too many LED walkway lights on one transformer. Check your transformer rating and the wattage on your light bulbs. If you plan to exceed this limit, you need more than one transformer. You might have to install an extra 120-volt outdoor receptacle too.
