Outdoor Lighting falls into two catagories. Low voltage outdoor lighting and line voltage (110v). Most properties use low voltage outdoor lighting, which in most cases is the better choice, however there are issues with quality and longevity. In this article we will be discussing why the problem exisits and how to insure a quality, trouble free outdoor lighting installation.
First an overview. Low voltage outdoor lighting generally falls into two catagories-- consumer grade and professional grade. The majority of consumer exposure is to the consumer grade outdoor light fixtures found in home centers, and the experience is not a good one. These systems are intended to be disposable and often have very short life spans and performance. An aluminum fixture with a quick connect splice costs about $3.50 to make in China, is sold to Home Depot for $10 and retails to the consumer for $20. At $3.50 manufacturing cost, you can not expect to get an electrical item that will last when exposed to constant ground moisture. Inexpensive $20 fixtures are affordable but they will dissappoint. Moreover they bring down the reputation of outdoor lighting.
To get an outdoor lighting system that will perform and last you need three things: 1. Quality solid brass fixtures that will not corrode, powered by a multi-tap low voltage transformer than can compensate for voltage drop (so all the lights are bright even on long runs). 2. A professional installation. This includes a low voltage layout that compensates for voltage drop, multiple runs to equalize loads, connections made using a direct burial splice (for example grease filled connectors), and a quality installation. 3. A designer that understands outdoor lighting design. Outdoor lighting is an art and the effect is largely determined by the lighting designer. You want a variety of effects, fixtures to be placed where there will not be maintenace issues, using risers where appropriate, avoiding glare and direct viewing of any fixture, use of downlighting to balance the up lighting, and to be dark sky friendly.
Regarding the first item-- outdoor lighting fixture quality, there are alot of misconceptions even with "professional" fixtures. First, just because a fixture is sold thru contractor distribution does not mean its a professional fixture. The majority of professional fixtures sold are made of aluminum. Aluminum is a poor choice if you are looking for longevity. Brass will last many times longer. Additionally, the construction should be thick cast brass (not sheet brass) and be designed with quality components (water tight sealed bodies, orings seals, dielectric grease and greas on all connections and threads, heat shrink tubing over internal splices, etc..
Regarding professional installation, opt for someone experienced with low voltage outdoor lighting, preferrably someone who does it as their primary business. Often electricians, landscapers and other contractors do not understand the nuiances of low voltage outdoor lighting as well as you would think. Some of the things to ask for are what kind of connectors they use to make their splices. If they answer with a direct burial splice (e.g. grease filled cap, 3M direct burial tubes, Ace Connectors (metal crimp sleeve that has heat shrink tubing over it), Blazing DBR, etc. you likly have a pro. If the answer is a quick connect/pierce point connector (like found on Home Depot outdoor lights) or if they use regualr wire caps and electrical tape...run away.
Outdoor Lighting design. This is a harder one, and an area that differentiates the true pro's and craftsmen from the rest. Frankly, if you have amrquee property and are willing to pay the premium, you will see the results pay off. Not everyone can afford a great designer, but you should at minimum insure your contractor is using high quality solid brass fixtures, direct burial connectors, a multi-tap trasnformer, and understands voltage drop and proper layouts. With those basics, you can enjoy a high quality, long lasting, outdoor lighting system that has minimal maintenace needs. Over time, it will also cost less than replacing the consumer grade systems every couple years.
This is a little off topic from our usual Landscape Lighting discussions, but I wanted to help people who stumbled across the same problem I did at my home.
We had a beautiful Canary Island Date Palm in our front center island. These are prized (and expensive trees) that generally run around $600/foot wholesale. Ours had 15' of clear trunk and was about 25' overall, so when it showed signs of disease and eventually died, it was a big disappointment. I did not find much online regarding photos and documentation of diseases fro the Canary Date Palm (Phoenix Canariensis), so I wanted to share ours in hopes that it will help someone.
History: We moved into our house in 2002 and the tree was already there. Starting in about 2004 the began a slow decline until we had it removed 9/09.
First new fronds (sprouting at the top) were getting shorter, then old fronds began dying (turning a freeze dried brown) before they even got to horizontal. We had to trim off dead fronds but that meant the canary's fronds never went to horizontal (and you are not supposed to trim them above horizontal). We babied the tree and gave it proper attention with both watering, fertilizer, but nothing stopped the deterioration.
The problems: 1. The previous owner/landscape company had the misting sprinklers aimed at the tree trunk which kept the trunk continually moist (a no-no). This caused ants and insects to attack the lower trunk. When we noticed this in 2004, we changed the sprinklers to drip irrigation and spread insecticide to kill the ants. But the damage was done, holes, insects and moisture made the palm susceptible to disease. 2. A variety of diseases from Lethal Yellowing to Butt Rot have been spreading throughout florida and attacking date palms. Its is possible it would have died anyways, but it is likly that the disease came from either the insects and holes in trunk (due to watering the trunk), or from the tree co that trims the branches and did not bleach sterilize the blades in between jobs.
Results: Gradual decline over 4 years that could not be corrected even with special attention and proper care.
Right before the tree was removed, the lower 4' of the trunk sounded hollow when to tapped on it. You could even push your fingers thru the bark and into the tree which was now soft and rotted. It however never produced a "conch" -- a mushroom like growth on the trunk that is a sure sign of butt rot.
The photos of tree removal showed: -cross section of the canary date palm showed the outer third of the trunk was rotten and had turned from solid wood white/yellow in color to soft rot that was brown/black in color. The rot looked like dirt. -The top of the tree (where the frond grew from) just fell from the trunk. The inside had the consistency of oatmeal--all mush and had a terrible smell. -Most of the fronds (except for the very top newest growth) was freeze dried, dead brown, Fronds would quickly turn from green to brown -- and did not turn the typical yellow first as shown in lethal yellowing disease or potassium deficiency.
Here's a video slide show with pictures of a Canary Date Palm (Phoenix Canariensis) that appears to have butt rot.
Landscape Lighting World -Wholesale Landscape Lights to the Trade - Online MegaStore Tampa, FL
America's Wholesale Distributor for low voltage landscape lights announces it new online megastore. The online superstore is more than a shiny website, it is backed up by a huge inventory of over 15,000 professional quality, low voltage outdoor lights available for immediate delivery nationwide.
This new online SuperStore has the nation's largest inventory of landscape light fixtures and boasts a 20,000 sq ft warehouse. Contractors can purchase online and have professional brands like Kichler, VistaPro, Hadco, Focus Industries, Unique Lighting Systems shipped directly to them the same day and at the guaranteed lowest price.
This model enables contractors and professionals to bypass the mark-up of contractor stores and irrigation distributors that drop ship, and buy direct form the nation's largest source of professional low voltage landscape lights.
Quality. All fixtures are professional 12v outdoor lighting fixtures made from solid brass, copper and cast aluminum. They feature lifetime warranties, tinned copper wiring, and high end components.
LLW has been appointed the exclusive factory direct distribution arm of Volt Corp, and distributes other products from Kichler, Hadco and Vista. They believe the most efficient distribution is online -- direct from the factory to the contractor. This model saves contractors about 40%. However, streamlined distribution is not about cheaper prices... it is about higher quality for better prices.
The online site features the industry's largest online how to install low voltage outdoor lighting with over 50 pages of instruction on how to install landscape lights, tips, techniques, design and best practices. There is a secure wholesale outdoor lighting section for contractors to buy at true wholesale discount prices.
LLW is proud to sponsor of lawnsite.com the industry's contractor forum on landscape lighting and irrigation. Landscape Lighting World is also a member of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals (AOLP), and the American Lighting Association (ALA).
Contractors, if you are looking for an edge -- Contact: Landscape Lighting World, Tampa, FL 813 978-3700
Commercial Landscape Lighting often uses 120v (110 volt current) instead of low voltage current. There are several types of line voltage, 110v landscape lighting catagories: -HID outdoor lights (High Intensity Discharge Outdoor Lights) which include a variety of bulb types including: Metal Halide outdoor lights, High Pressure Sodium lights and Mercury Vapor light fixtures. -Incandescent line voltage (120v 110v) Landscape Lights that use traditional screw in bulbs and halogen lamps. -Fixtures that look like Low voltage landscape light fixtures but that are wired for 120 v / 110v.
Here are the differences and applications for each: -HID Lights are very high output. Metal halide bulbs produce a bright white light used in parking lots and industrial settings. High Pressure Sodium give an amber hue and are often used in tall highway post lamps. Mercury Vapor give off a greenish tinge and are often used in Moonlighting. HID Wall Packs are frquently used for security lighting and attached to commercial building. From a landscape lighting perspective HID outdoor lighting fixtures are generally only used in commercial and public applications like for illuminating a park. For residential or commercial applications that are looking for ambiance over security HID outdoor lights are good for properties with very large trees and uplighting large thick tree canopies. Also for downlighting from large trees, mercury vapor is often used for the landscape lighting technique called Moonlighting.
Other than security lighting, industrial applications the main use for HID lighting in an outdoor landscape lighting application is for very large trees and uplighting tree canoopies. If it is a very wooded area, it may be impractical to install the number of traditional fixtures needed to properly uplight the canopy, in which case a few HID outdoor light fixtures can do the job.
Upside: lots of light, fewer fixtures, energy efficent for the amount of lumes you get. Downside: does not create the ambiance, intrigue, beauty of traditional 110v or 12v fixtures. There is also a limited variety of styles and the fixtures themselves are strictl utilitarian in design.
At Landscape Lighting World we carry a large line of 120v commercial outdoor light fixtures (line voltage 110v) that are identical to our low voltage landscape lighting fixtures except they are wired for 110 volts. This gives the ability to have a large selection of designer fixtures and styles to suit every application.
They are not listeds on our website, accordingly please call for inquiries on these items. Landscape Lighting World, Contractor HOTLINE: 813 978-3700
Deck contractor & Porch builders MA & RI.- "We are Massachusetts & Rhode Island's one-stop shop for all of your home Improvements, decks, clapboard and vinyl siding needs."
Landscape Lighting World announces its new online megastore of wholesale landscape lighting. 15,000 prograde fixtures in stock for immediate delivery at the nation's guaranteed lowest prices.
Tampa, FL April 12, 2009 -- Landscape Lighting World, America's Wholesale Distributor for low voltage landscape lights announces it new online megastore Wholesale Landscape Lighting Landscape Lighting World inventories over 15,000 professional quality, low voltage landscape lights available for immediate delivery nationwide. Same day delivery, guaranteed lowest prices on quality brand low voltage landscape lights and everything you could need for professional low voltage landscape lighting supplies.
The advantage of using Landscape Lighting World? Unlike other distributors and websites, Low Voltage Landscape Lights has the nation's largest inventory of landscape light fixtures - the inventory over 15,000 low voltage landscape lights in their 20,000 sq ft warehouse. Contractors nationwide can purchase online and have professional brands like Kichler, Vista and Hadco shipped directly to them the same day and at the guaranteed lowest price. Landscape Lighting World enables contractors and professionals to bypass the mark-up of contractor stores and irrigation distributors that drop ship, and buy direct form the nation's largest source of professional low voltage outdoor lighting.
Quality. Landscape Lighting World features professional landscape lighting fixtures made from solid brass, copper and cast aluminum. They feature lifetime warranties, tinned copper wiring, and high end components.
Landscape Lighting World has been appointed the exclusive factory direct distribution are of Volt Corp and is a wholesale distributor for Kichler, Hadco and Vista. Landscape Lighting World believes the most efficient distribution is online -- direct from the factory to the contractor. This model saves contractors about 40%. Landscape Lighting World's model is not about lower prices. It is about higher quality for better prices.
Landscape Lighting World features the industry's largest online how to install landscape lighting area with over 50 pages of instruction on how to install landscape lights, tips, techniques, design and best practices. There is a secure wholesale landscape lighting section for contractors to buy landscape lighting a true wholesale discount prices. Some products include: low voltage spot lights, path lights, area lights, well lights, flood lights, garden lights, yard lights, low voltage outdoor lighting, multitap transformers, landscape lighting transformers, low voltage landscape lighting wire, landscape light bulbs, landscape lighting connectors, splices and accessories.
Landscape Lighting World is proud to be a sponsor of lawnsite.com the industry's contractor forum on landscape lighting and irrigation. Landscape Lighting World is also a member of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals (AOLP), and the American Lighting Association (ALA).
Contractors, if you are looking for an edge -- competitors won't be able to compete on quality or price when you use fixtures purchased from Landscape Lighting World.
Contact: Landscape Lighting World Tampa, FL 813-978-3700
Landscape Lighting is often the finishing touch for landscapes. However for the great looking landscapes, it is not an after thought. Great care has gone into the overall landscape design to create an interesting layout so that you have something beautiful to highlight.
Before starting any landscape project, the first step is to do research and planning. Once you know what you want, the artistry of design comes into play. For both landscaping and landscape lighting, design is what separates the outstanding from the common. Design is difficult to teach, as each professional has their own style.
We are proud to be mentioned in about.com as an authority and resource for profesional landscape lighting. Dave Beaulieu is an editor for about.com and writes knowledgeable articles about a vast area of outdoor home improvement subjects such as building a deck, concrete patio projects, landscaping, landscape design and of course landscape lighting. For more information about Dave Beaulieu and outdoor project information from about.com please visit Dave's Blog http://landscaping.about.com/b/
