Equipment Notebook: July 2001, ILLUMINATING IDEAS: Night Light

"People spend thousands on their landscaping, and if they don’t have lighting they can’t enjoy it after the sun goes down," noted Michael Southard, national sales manager, Kichler Landscape Lighting, Cleveland, Ohio. "Plus, lighting is a visual thing – it’s dramatic and it accentuates part of the landscape and the house itself."

Whether clients choose to brighten their properties for beauty or safety, landscape lighting is a growing add-on service that appeals to homeowners – especially those who wish to enhance architecture, light up dark areas or draw attention to specific trees or plant beds. "It can extend your living space to the outdoors – that’s really the fun part of it," Southard added.

BRIGHT IDEAS. Spread lighting, path lighting, accent lighting, water lighting – with a variety of illuminating techniques, contractors must consider site needs before choosing a fixture. Wattage, light intensity and design are key components to lighting installation, Southard said.

Southard’s installation mantra is, "less is more." Start small and then add lighting fixtures where necessary, he advised. Overlighting an area results in a "runway look."

Many contractors overlook design elements when installing lighting systems, agreed Steve Riggs, president, Illuminations U.S.A., Orlando, Fla. "Each fixture does a different job and there are many fixtures to accomplish that – you might use downlighting or backlighting," he said.

Riggs recommends installing a variety of lighting to avoid "black holes," or dark, neglected spaces. Popular effects include a wall wash, which spews a burst of light rather than a beam, he described. This type is best to backlight or directly light an area, but is not ideal for tall trees. As with any fixture installation, "You need to determine the beam spread for what you’re using – the width of the beam you’re throwing out," Riggs noted.

A mini spotlight will accent the peak of a house or a far distance, Riggs explained. "But if you light up a shrub with a mini spot, you will end up with a spot of light on the shrubbery," he added. "If you have something close to the light you need to use a large spot that puts out a really wide beam."

In addition, homeowners might consider lighting areas for reasons other than aesthetic improvement. "There are studies that show that outdoor lighting cuts down on crime," Southard pointed out.

TECHNICAL TIPS. Wiring and wattage trip up many contractors during lighting installation. "The hardest part is designing your wire run so that you avoid a voltage drop," said Southard, explaining that running more than 100 watts through 100 feet of wire can cause power problems. "Try to limit your wattage and your distance between your wire runs, and use multiple runs if you can," he suggested. "Also, make sure that you add up your wattage and don’t exceed the capacity of the transformer."

Lamps that burn out quickly indicate excessive voltage, he added. Contractors should use a voltmeter when installing lighting and not surpass 12 volts for each lamp.

Clearly, contractors need more than intuition to properly install outdoor lighting displays. Nate Mullen, owner, Unique Lighting Systems, Escondido, Calif., offers additional tips for successful installation:

• Check for proper voltage – Use the proper formula (voltage drop = amps x distance x 2 x resistance per foot). Use Ohm’s Law (amps = watts/volts) to determine amps. The resistance per foot for #12-2 wire is 0.00162.



• Check your amperage on all secondary wire runs – Limit your secondary runs to 16 amps.



• Check your amperage on the primary side (transformer) – Use an amp meter to ensure that you haven’t overloaded the transformer.



• Use smart wiring techniques – Use efficient wiring methods such as the Hub or Loop System to get equal voltage to lamps.



• Use long lasting lamps – Halogen and Xelogen lamps provide the longest life available (between 4,000 to 10,000 hours).



• Date the back of your lamps – This tracks bulb life and provides proof of installation.



• Use lithium-based grease on connections – This stops corrosion from oxidation and rust.



• Size your transformer for expansion – Allow room on the transformer to add fixtures.



• Offer maintenance contracts – This can provide a steady stream of revenue.



• Document your voltage and amperage – Write the voltage and amperage of secondary wire runs on the inside door of the transformer.