A lot goes into how a low voltage lighting system functions and runs on the technical side. Balanced wire runs wired for an acceptable voltage load are needed in a well-engineered low voltage lighting system. As a result, the wires must be run so that power is distributed equally between each fixture. Furthermore, it would help if you connected the wires to the transformer to deliver the correct amount of power to a fixture.

Let’s take a closer look at what this all entails and how it works.

Wire Runs

The way the lines are laid out has a significant effect on the system’s success and how electricity is delivered. You can compare a sprinkler system to a low voltage lighting system. As you apply a sprinkler head to the waterline of a sprinkler device, the volume of water pressure is decreased. If you use so many sprinkler heads, the water pressure volume would be reduced, causing the irrigation system to perform poorly.

Low-voltage lights operate similarly to sprinklers, except that the voltage is lowered as the number of fixtures added to a wire run increases. Voltage drops are grim, but so is a voltage that is too high. If you overload a wire run with so many fixtures, the voltage would be unevenly spread, making it more difficult to provide enough power to each lamp. It’s also worth noting that voltage decreases with size. The longer the wire continues, the more voltage is lost in connecting the two ends. 

It’s also worth noting that daisy-chaining light fixtures aren’t a good idea. No, we’re not worried about putting roses on them. The first fixture in the wire will receive a lot of power as daisy chaining is completed. However, as other fixtures are introduced to the run, this control diminishes until the last fixture is visibly underpowered.

It is why you need to balance power distribution. Spit down wire runs the middle and center-fed to help uniformly spread power and reduce voltage drops.

Transformers

The transformer is a metal box that supplies electricity to the entire lighting system. There are two wires of direct burial cable used in landscape lighting. The common wire is connected to the common, and the 12V tap is connected to the other wire. In a smaller lighting scheme, the wiring is relatively simple. However, depending on the transformer’s capacity, there could be several terminal blocks and commons.

In this scale of the transformer, you’ll almost certainly see two comm. Since it is designed to run a larger system, a larger transformer would have more terminals and communication. To compensate for voltage losses caused by longer distances and higher counts, the voltage in a big or long run of lights can be increased by pushing the wire up to a terminal with a higher voltage. It is why different terminal blocks are used to distribute varying voltage levels to the grid.

Do you want to install a timer on the switch for the outside lighting? To learn more about how to install a programmer smart switch for the outside lighting or get a whole house rewiring, call US Electrical. Schedule a whole landscape light that needs rewiring with our team of experts! We also provide electrical fuse and electrical inspection services.