How Does Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting Work?

Wednesday, 12 June 2024

The Key to Safe, Beautiful Landscape Lighting Systems

Whether you’re looking to spruce up your Bellevue, WA, home or build a new property, landscape lighting is a sure way to enhance your house’s beauty and safety. After dark, your architecture and greenery will be accentuated and highlighted in all the right places. And with more light, you’ll spend more time outdoors on summer evenings.

But if you’ve started researching landscape lighting, you may have come across the recommendation to install low-voltage lighting rather than typical line-voltage lighting. What does this mean? We’ll explain the difference and why it matters.

What Is Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting?

Low-voltage outdoor lighting uses a transformer to step down high-input electric currents to a safer voltage for outdoor use. The transformer can lower standard indoor 120V voltage to 12V or 24V.

Landscape lights connect to the transformer via low-voltage wiring, which is typically 12-14 gauge. Wiring can then be laid on the ground or trenched underground. With low-voltage lighting, there's much less risk of shock, so wires can be buried as little as 6 inches deep.

Why Is Low-Voltage Better?

Safety

First, low-voltage lighting systems are much safer outdoors than standard 120V line voltage. High electrical currents can easily cause electric shock. But 12V is completely safe for humans and pets and cannot cause electrocution. Even if someone accidentally plunges a shovel into the ground and makes contact with a low-voltage wire, they will be fine.

Flexibility

Low-voltage lighting also allows for more flexibility with fixture styles and placement. Most outdoor lighting fixtures are designed for low-voltage usage, and with fewer safety concerns, it’s easier to install lights on trees, rooftops, and other areas that would be dangerous for line voltage.

Installation

To install pathway or garden lights on the ground, line voltage (120V) wiring needs to be buried 18 inches underground. Burying that deep can require a permit in some areas, and a licensed electrician must also install line voltage work. While electricians are skilled at their job, they don’t typically provide lighting design services to strategically illuminate your home’s best features.

In contrast, low-voltage lighting only needs to be buried 6 inches at most, and your smart home integrator (like our team at Elite Automation) can complete the installation for you. We draft detailed designs and strategically incorporate fixtures, color temperature, and brightness levels to create a work of art with lighting. We can also integrate all your low-voltage outdoor lights into a smart control system, simplifying how you manage and automate landscape lights.

Ready for Landscape Lighting in Bellevue, Washington?

If you’re looking for a skilled, experienced company to install a lighting system tailored to your preferences and needs, Elite Automation is here to help. We are a CEDIA Certified Installer/Designer and are determined to provide a first-class service to all our customers.