Many individuals are taken aback when they discover that they are able to run low-voltage lighting for relatively long distances without experiencing any problems with the voltage dropping, provided that the total wattage of the fixtures on the line is no more than 100 Watts. To answer your question, how far can low voltage lighting actually be run?
What is low-voltage lighting and what are the benefits of using it in your home or garden?
What is low-voltage lighting?
Low voltage lighting as we know it today started with 12v halogen bulbs, which were just as bright and worked just as well as mains voltage halogen bulbs. Halogen lighting is now being phased out, but LED lighting, which uses much less energy, has taken over the low-voltage lighting market.
People everywhere are moving away from standard 230v mains voltage lighting and toward low voltage lighting, which has many advantages. Originally made for safe outdoor landscape lighting, the technology is now also used indoors. It works by using an LED driver or transformer to step down the voltage from 230v to 24v, 12v, or lower. The driver or transformer can be built into the light fixture or put in separately, but it must be there for the light to work.
What is the Advantage of Low Voltage Lighting?
People often argue about the pros and cons of low-voltage lighting, but some of the pros are clear. Let’s take a closer look at the most important benefits of low-voltage lighting and how this affects your home:
Most important advantages of low voltage lighting:
1. Safety
Low voltage lighting is much, much safer to use because the voltage running through the light fixtures is much lower. The lower voltage makes it less likely that someone will get a serious electric shock. It also makes it possible to install lighting outside that won’t be dangerous if it rains or gets wet.
2. Versatility
When the voltage is lower, light bulbs can be smaller, and lighting designs can be more creative and varied. With these smaller fixtures, you can light up smaller, tighter spaces that would be hard to light safely or well otherwise.
3. Long Lifespan
The last good thing about low-voltage lighting is that it lasts longer. Even more so now that LED is becoming the most popular type of low-voltage lighting, the lower wattage and LED technology make for bulbs that last longer than old-fashioned incandescent and halogen bulbs. LEDs are cheaper than ever because they use less energy to give off the same amount of light and need to be replaced less often.
How far can you run low-voltage lighting before needing a transformer
Low-voltage lighting is a versatile and energy-efficient lighting option for both homes and businesses. But how far can you run low-voltage lighting before needing a transformer? The answer depends on the voltage of the system.
Most low-voltage lighting systems operate at 12 volts. While this is enough to power small lightbulbs, it is not enough to power larger ones.
As a result, most low-voltage lighting systems require a transformer to step up the voltage to a level that can safely power larger lightbulbs. The distance that low voltage lighting can be run before needing a transformer will also depend on the size of the wire used. A thicker wire will be able to carry a current further than a thinner one.
In general, however, most low-voltage lighting systems will need a transformer if they are going to be run for more than a few hundred feet.
How to choose the right transformer for your needs
Transformers are machines that move electricity from one circuit to another or between more than two circuits. They come in many different sizes and shapes, and each one is made for a certain job. So, how do you know which transformer is right for you?
Follow these five steps:
- Step 1: Figure out how many KVA, Amperes, or watts the load needs. This will let you know how much power needs to be moved.
- Step 2: Find out how much power is coming in. This is the circuit’s voltage, which you’ll use to power the load.
- Step 3: Figure out how much voltage the load needs. This is how much voltage the transformer needs to give the circuit.
- Step 4: How often does the source of the supply change? There are both AC and DC types of transformers, so you’ll need to know which one you need. AC transformers are more common, but DC transformers may be needed for some tasks.
- Step 5: Find out the model number of the Marcus transformer. Once you know all of this, you can look up the exact model of transformer you need. Marcus has a wide range of transformers that can be used for any purpose.
It doesn’t have to be hard to find the right transformer. Just follow these easy steps, and you’ll be sure to find the right model for your needs.
How To Install Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting: 5 Mistakes To Avoid
5 Common Mistakes Made When Installing Landscape Lighting
- 1. Not Using a Voltmeter – With LED landscape lighting, you don’t need a voltmeter as much because there is now a wider range of voltage that can be used. But you still need this tool for systems with more than 10 lights or wires that run for more than 100 feet. And it’s an essential tool for fixing problems in a system.
- 2. Not using a waterproof direct burial splice. Since the cable for landscape lighting is buried underground, it is important to use the right splice. Good direct-burial connectors will keep the wires from rusting and the electricity from getting in the way.
- 3. Too much voltage drop: Unlike 120v currents, 12v currents lose voltage when the wire is long or when too many lights are connected to it. Remember the 100/100 rule: for every 100 watts of light, you can only use 100 feet of 12 gauge wire. Use a voltmeter to check the voltage at the fixture, of course.
- 4. Putting lights in the wrong place: If you put landscape lighting fixtures all over your grass, it will be hard to take care of your lawn. The fixtures can be damaged by fertilizer, lawnmowers, and weed eaters. Put the landscape lights in the flower beds and use well lights to light up the yard. Also, make sure your spotlights and floodlights are hidden when you decide where to put them. Most of the time, outdoor lighting looks better when you can’t see where it comes from.
- 5. Using low-quality fixtures: Buy fixtures that seal out moisture and will last a long time in the outdoors. Fixtures made of solid brass or copper will last a lifetime. Aluminum fixtures may be cheaper at first, but they will rust over time and need to be replaced. To put it simply, you need professional-grade tools to get a professional-grade result.
FAQ
How far can landscape lights be from the transformer?
Wire Gauge
The first essential consideration to make is the size of the wire gauge. The measurement of the diameter of the wire is referred to as the gauge of the wire.
This has an immediate and direct bearing on the maximum recommended wattage it can handle as well as the amount of voltage loss you should anticipate.
The word that is used to describe the loss of power over an electrical circuit is known as “voltage drop.”
The overall voltage that is transmitted along a line will be lowered by the resistance that is present in every component of the circuit, including the wire itself.
If the wire is thicker, then it will have less resistance, and this will result in a smaller voltage drop over a given distance.
It also indicates that the thicker wire can be run over a greater distance without causing the voltage to drop to an unacceptable level.
Any lights that are connected to the circuit will not receive the voltage that is necessary for them to function properly if you select a wire gauge that is not appropriate for longer distances.
It’s possible that they shine very weakly or flicker. If you make a mistake in your calculations, you will need to re-lay the entire wire in order to fix the problem.
Not fun!
The Total Amount Of Lights
The length of cable that can be run on a circuit is also affected by the number of lights that are connected to that circuit.
If you are running it for a long distance but only for two or three lights, the voltage drop may not be a problem; but, if you add more, it is possible that the length of the wire cannot cope with the additional load.
There shouldn’t be any issues as long as you use the correct wire gauge for the distance you want to travel and don’t exceed the maximum wattage that’s advised for that wire gauge. If you do those things, you shouldn’t have any problems.
How many low-voltage lights can I put on a transformer?
Conclusion
All in all, you can actually run low voltage lighting pretty far without any voltage drop issues, as long as the total wattage of the fixtures on the wire is 100 Watts or less. So if you’re looking to install some low-voltage lighting in your home or office, rest assured knowing that you won’t have any issues running it as long as you stay within that wattage limit.