low-voltage lighting

LOW-VOLTAGE LIGHTING

Lighting

VOLT: the force that moves electricity– Like water pressure

• 240 volts for heavy equipment

Lighting

120 volts for house voltage

Lighting

12 volts is low voltage and safe

Lighting

CURRENT or AMPERAGE: the flow of electricity– Like water flow

Lighting

Ohms: measure of resistance– Like friction loss in irrigation

• Resistance reduces voltage

CIRCUIT PANEL

• Each circuit 120 Each circuit 120 VoltsVolts

• OverloadOverload, current , current exceeds capacity exceeds capacity and overheatsand overheats

• Circuit breakerCircuit breaker prevents overloadprevents overload

CIRCUIT PANEL

• Circuit fuse prevents overload

LIGHTING BULBS

Incandescent

• Voltage through coiled filament

• Converts to 90% heat and 10%

• Filament evaporates tungsten (darkens bulb)

LIGHTING BULBS

Halogen

• Voltage through coiled filament

• Halogen gas in the bulb binds the tungsten to prevent darkening

LIGHTING BULBS

Halogen

• <10.5 V does not heat up enough– Color shift

LIGHTING BULBS

Fluorescent (CFL)

• Electricity travels through argon gas

• Require ballast to supply start-up current

• Contain mercury

LIGHTING BULBS

Solar Lights

• Utilize LED light

• Bluish light

LIGHTING BULBS

LED (Light emitting diode)• No filament• Doesn’t heat up significantly

– Efficient

• Directional

LIGHTING BULBS

Incandescent• 1,200• 60 watts• $325/annually

CFL• 8,000• 12 to 15 watts• $76/annually

LED• 50,000 hours• 6 to 8 watts• $32/annually LED Incandescent CFL

LIGHT FIXTURE

TRANSFORMERS

• Converts 120 V to 12 V• 12 V taps (or higher)• Multiple taps

TRANSFORMERS

TRANSFORMERS

• Wattage capacity– 300W, 600W, 900W, or

1200W

• Timer and photocell

TRANSFORMERS

Wattage Requirements

• Add the wattage of all fixture connected – Use only 80% of transformer

wattage

Cable

• WIRE SIZE, or AWG (American Wire Gauge)

• The lower the number, the thicker the wire

Cable

Single circuit cable• 12/2

CABLE

Splicing cableSplicing cable

• Quick connectionQuick connection

Splicing cableSplicing cable

• Wire nuts (DBY)Wire nuts (DBY)

Cable

If wire is too small• Higher amps• Increased resistance• Increased heat• Fewer volts will get to lights

Reduce Voltage Drop

• Shorten cable

• Increase cable size

Reduce Voltage Drop

• Center transformer

• Reduce number of lights

• Reduce bulb wattage

Voltage Drop

Cable length X Total watts X 2 = Voltage

DropCable constant

BASIC TYPES OF LANDSCAPE LIGHTING

• Path lighting


• Up lightingUp lighting


• Down lighting (Moonlighting)Down lighting (Moonlighting)


• Silhouette lighting


• Grazing


• Spot lightingSpot lighting


• ShadowingShadowing

• MR-16

• PAR

Central Control

• Smart controllers– Weather stations

adjust minutes– Moisture sensors

adjust programming• Watermark

• Wireless Sensor

• Controllers– Central Control

Systems

Central Control

• Home Networking– Lighting– Irrigation– Appliances– Etc.

Zone Lighting

• http://www.fxl.com/product/power-and-control/luxor

http://www.fxl.com/product/power-and-control/luxor

http://www.fxl.com/product/power-and-control/luxor

Cost of Lighting

Cost estimator

• http://www.citytrf.net/costs_calculator.htm

• Kilowatt-hour (kWh)– 1000 watts used for an hour

http://www.citytrf.net/costs_calculator.htm

http://www.citytrf.net/costs_calculator.htm

Cost of Lighting

• SCE&G– $0.115 kWh

• Pond pump (340 watts) 0.33 kWh in an hour

• 0.33 x 0.115 = $0.038 per hour

• 24 hours x 0.038 = $0.91 per day

• 30 days x 0.91 = $27.32

Cost of Lighting

• Small pond pump

• 0.01 kWh in 2 hours

• 0.005 kWh per hour

• 0.005 x $0.115 = $0.00058 per hour

• X 24 hours = 0.014

Landscape lights, 130W


• X $0.115 = $0.015

• X 4 hours a night = $0.06

• X 30 days = $1.80 a month

• Christmas lights, 100 bulbs – (1 strand)

• 0.035 kHw per hour

• X 0.115 = $0.004

• X 10 strands = $0.04

• X 6 hours = $0.24 a night

• X 30 days = $7.20 a month

• 12v, 10w halogen: 200 lumens

• 12v, 1w LED: 50 lumens

• Refrigerator, 1.37 kWh per 16.5 hours


• $.0095 per hour

• $0.23 per day

• $6.87 per month

• Computer station at home

• 1.81 kWh / 15 hours

low-voltage lighting

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