landscape lighting

[Paul Carpenter]

........

It's outdoor rated, but says to place it 1 foot above the ground. I
don't have a magnetic levitation device handy, and I'm really
reluctant to drill into my stucco just to accommodate this request.
Are they expecting arcing between the transformer, through the
plastic, to ground?

No the connections are not waterproof for immersion in water.
By being 1 foot above ground it covers MOST cases of rainfall and
other forms of water collection immersing the transformer or its
connectors, either causing shock hazards or corrosion problems.

--
Paul Carpenter | [email protected]
<http://www.pcserviceselectronics.co.uk/> PC Services
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<http://www.badweb.org.uk/> For those web sites you hate

 

[Joerg]

[email protected] wrote:

[...]

Anyone know where I can get LED landscape lights for cheap? At $4
each from a web vendor, I calculate breakeven time to be 3 years
electricity-wise. On the other hand, I won't have to worry about my
house burning down from hot lamps...

You can get some really fancy one from Lowes:http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=284364-...

Her are some more:http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productList&No=108&Ne=7000&cate...

Of course, in a front yard this stuff might grow legs overnight and vanish.

Yep, no kidding.

I was thinking of alternatives to these, at $4 each (for white):
http://www.superbrightleds.com/malibu.htm

I don't think Lowe's carries these, but I've been wrong before...

Well, I doubt they'd carry them at $4 a pop since people will then just
keep buying regular bulbs. Also, one would have to make sure that they
aren't run flat-out at 150% rating or so and that they don't all fry up
during a thunderstorm. Once they get to less than $1 I'd think Lowes
might carry them.

 

[Rich Grise]

On Jun 11, 12:29 pm, "Alvin Andries" ....

The wire is 18 gauge I believe. Those Chinese vendors...

Toss the wire or recycle it (or find somebody to buy it - I hear copper
prices are getting pretty high these days), and get some #10 or #8 wire.

If you can get 10-3 or 8-3, then the loop is an excellent idea.


+V ---------o----------o----------o----------o----------o
| | | | |
[lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp]
| | | | |
o----------o----------o----------o----------o-------,
|
|
0V -------------------------------------------------------------'

Good Luck!
Rich

 

[[email protected]]

On Jun 11, 12:29 pm, "Alvin Andries" ...

The wire is 18 gauge I believe.  Those Chinese vendors...

Toss the wire or recycle it (or find somebody to buy it - I hear copper
prices are getting pretty high these days), and get some #10 or #8 wire.

If you can get 10-3 or 8-3, then the loop is an excellent idea.

  +V ---------o----------o----------o----------o----------o
              |          |          |          |          |
            [lamp]     [lamp]     [lamp]     [lamp]     [lamp]
              |          |          |          |          |
              o----------o----------o----------o----------o-------,
                                                                  |
                                                                  |
  0V -------------------------------------------------------------'

Good Luck!
Rich

I just paralleled them into 3 separate loops. At first only 2, but
then one wire had to jump over the walkway: trip/fall issues. So I
split that one too...

No more than 6A on any wire, now. Wire doesn't even get warm. Works
great/bright lights.

Thanks,

Michael

 

[[email protected]]

On Jun 11, 12:29 pm, "Alvin Andries" ...

The wire is 18 gauge I believe.  Those Chinese vendors...

Toss the wire or recycle it (or find somebody to buy it - I hear copper
prices are getting pretty high these days), and get some #10 or #8 wire.

If you can get 10-3 or 8-3, then the loop is an excellent idea.

  +V ---------o----------o----------o----------o----------o
              |          |          |          |          |
            [lamp]     [lamp]     [lamp]     [lamp]     [lamp]
              |          |          |          |          |
              o----------o----------o----------o----------o-------,
                                                                  |
                                                                  |
  0V -------------------------------------------------------------'

Good Luck!
Rich

After thinking about it a bit, perhaps I should go for AWG10, or at
least AWG14.

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

Thanks,

Michael

 

[neon]

how can i put it ? ho yes remove all of those lamps and replace them with hi-intensity LED. now any #22gauge wire will conduct 20-30 ma neded per lamp site. cost of operating is reduced to 2% was 100w now 2watts.

 

[neon]

for 12v system and using leds using 4 hi-intensity LEDS and a 100 ohms resistor in series the power for lamp is ~300mw basicaly you can add more the 330 lamps for the same watts. leds come in different colors red blue green and some variables and blinking. that is the way to go can they run on 12 ac of course they are diodes to begin with and 12 v will not break them down since 4 are in series. i trew away my bulky 12v 100w transformer and used my 9v ac telephone transf. to run my lights since the cost to operating are in the 2-3w i don;t bother to shut them off no need to sense time or dusk or anything just let them 25 lamps burn continiuosly. transformer leds some resistors and your problems disapear.

 

[Joerg]

On Jun 11, 12:29 pm, "Alvin Andries" ...
Anything less than 2.5mm^2 (someone will have to convert this to the
maximum gauge for the
US,http://www.reade.com/Conversion/wire_gauge.html=> gauge 10) would be
silly and even risky due to heating.
The wire is 18 gauge I believe. Those Chinese vendors...

Toss the wire or recycle it (or find somebody to buy it - I hear copper
prices are getting pretty high these days), and get some #10 or #8 wire.

If you can get 10-3 or 8-3, then the loop is an excellent idea.

+V ---------o----------o----------o----------o----------o
| | | | |
[lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp]
| | | | |
o----------o----------o----------o----------o-------,
|
|
0V -------------------------------------------------------------'

Good Luck!
Rich

After thinking about it a bit, perhaps I should go for AWG10, or at
least AWG14.

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

Mind those Malibu "press-together" type contacts. They expect a certain
shape of cable. When it's too small you'll get flaky contacts, dirt in
the connection, followed by corrosion. When it's too thick the connector
might break into pieces.

 

[[email protected]]

29 pm, "Alvin Andries"
...
Anything less than 2.5mm^2 (someone will have to convert this to the
maximum gauge for the
US,http://www.reade.com/Conversion/wire_gauge.html=> gauge 10) would be
silly and even risky due to heating.
The wire is 18 gauge I believe. Those Chinese vendors...
Toss the wire or recycle it (or find somebody to buy it - I hear copper
prices are getting pretty high these days), and get some #10 or #8 wire.
If you can get 10-3 or 8-3, then the loop is an excellent idea.
+V ---------o----------o----------o----------o----------o
| | | | |
[lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp]
| | | | |
o----------o----------o----------o----------o-------,
|
|
0V -------------------------------------------------------------'
Good Luck!
Rich

After thinking about it a bit, perhaps I should go for AWG10, or at
least AWG14.

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

Mind those Malibu "press-together" type contacts. They expect a certain
shape of cable. When it's too small you'll get flaky contacts, dirt in
the connection, followed by corrosion. When it's too thick the connector
might break into pieces.

Break into pieces, house on fire... break into pieces, house on
fire...

There's always the cut/solder/electrical tape method... ;-)

Michael

 

[Joerg]

29 pm, "Alvin Andries"
...
Anything less than 2.5mm^2 (someone will have to convert this to the
maximum gauge for the
US,http://www.reade.com/Conversion/wire_gauge.html=> gauge 10) would be
silly and even risky due to heating.
The wire is 18 gauge I believe. Those Chinese vendors...
Toss the wire or recycle it (or find somebody to buy it - I hear copper
prices are getting pretty high these days), and get some #10 or #8 wire.
If you can get 10-3 or 8-3, then the loop is an excellent idea.
+V ---------o----------o----------o----------o----------o
| | | | |
[lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp]
| | | | |
o----------o----------o----------o----------o-------,
|
|
0V -------------------------------------------------------------'
Good Luck!
Rich
After thinking about it a bit, perhaps I should go for AWG10, or at
least AWG14.
http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

Mind those Malibu "press-together" type contacts. They expect a certain
shape of cable. When it's too small you'll get flaky contacts, dirt in
the connection, followed by corrosion. When it's too thick the connector
might break into pieces.

Break into pieces, house on fire... break into pieces, house on
fire...

There's always the cut/solder/electrical tape method... ;-)

That would corrode even faster.

 

[C. Nick Kruzer]

On Jun 12, 8:52 am, [email protected] (C. Nick
Kruzer) wrote:

Hi mrdarrett, you wrote:

Why did they bother to rectify the 12V output
power, I wonder... ?

Joerg's reply:

No idea. For light bulbs it doesn't make sense.
Only one reason I could think of: A cheap
switcher can only generate DC and maybe it
was a few milli-cents lower in cost than the
transformer.

Another reason for DC might be that it is safer
(from electric shock) than AC. Landscape
wiring means exposure to the effects of
weather.

insula

12V AC is less safe than 12V DC? How so?

Michael

Got me there. I was up late all night...I was thinking of a 120V AC that
would be powering the system, and I wasn't taking into account the
information you had provided about the power.

I wasn't intending to claim that 12vac is less safe than 12vdc, although
I certainly see how that is what it looks like. Mea culpa, mea stupida.

insula

 

[neon]

all the money spent for different things while 16 lights assy. at SAMS cost $99 brand new and the saving in power is in the order of 98% from what you are trying to inplement.

 

[Rich Grise]

[email protected] wrote:
29 pm, "Alvin Andries"
...
Anything less than 2.5mm^2 (someone will have to convert this to
the maximum gauge for the
US,http://www.reade.com/Conversion/wire_gauge.html=> gauge 10)
would be silly and even risky due to heating.
The wire is 18 gauge I believe. Those Chinese vendors...
Toss the wire or recycle it (or find somebody to buy it - I hear
copper prices are getting pretty high these days), and get some #10
or #8 wire. If you can get 10-3 or 8-3, then the loop is an excellent
idea.
+V ---------o----------o----------o----------o----------o
| | | | |
[lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp]
| | | | |
o----------o----------o----------o----------o-------,
|
|
0V -------------------------------------------------------------'
Good Luck!
Rich
After thinking about it a bit, perhaps I should go for AWG10, or at
least AWG14.
http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
Mind those Malibu "press-together" type contacts. They expect a certain
shape of cable. When it's too small you'll get flaky contacts, dirt in
the connection, followed by corrosion. When it's too thick the
connector might break into pieces.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

"gmail" domain blocked because of excessive spam. Use another domain or
send PM.

Break into pieces, house on fire... break into pieces, house on fire...

There's always the cut/solder/electrical tape method... ;-)

That would corrode even faster.

Yes - use weatherproof wire nuts.

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Joerg]

[email protected] wrote:
29 pm, "Alvin Andries"
...
Anything less than 2.5mm^2 (someone will have to convert this to
the maximum gauge for the
US,http://www.reade.com/Conversion/wire_gauge.html=> gauge 10)
would be silly and even risky due to heating.
The wire is 18 gauge I believe. Those Chinese vendors...
Toss the wire or recycle it (or find somebody to buy it - I hear
copper prices are getting pretty high these days), and get some #10
or #8 wire. If you can get 10-3 or 8-3, then the loop is an excellent
idea.
+V ---------o----------o----------o----------o----------o
| | | | |
[lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp] [lamp]
| | | | |
o----------o----------o----------o----------o-------,
|
|
0V -------------------------------------------------------------'
Good Luck!
Rich
After thinking about it a bit, perhaps I should go for AWG10, or at
least AWG14.
http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
Mind those Malibu "press-together" type contacts. They expect a certain
shape of cable. When it's too small you'll get flaky contacts, dirt in
the connection, followed by corrosion. When it's too thick the
connector might break into pieces.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

"gmail" domain blocked because of excessive spam. Use another domain or
send PM.

Break into pieces, house on fire... break into pieces, house on fire...

There's always the cut/solder/electrical tape method... ;-)

That would corrode even faster.

Yes - use weatherproof wire nuts.

Then some critter comes along, sniff, sniff, sniff, petroleum jelly! Yummy!

BTDT :-(

Now everything goes into home-made domes, made from ABS tubing and end
caps. Keeps the low voltage connections from the elements without
emitting a scent.