12V LED DESIGN + INSTALLATION GUIDE LO W V O LTAG E
STEP 1: MAKE A PL AN What do you want to light? Pick favorite trees, interesting plants, fountains, statues or other attractive architectural elements. These items will be the focus of your lighting plan. Think about how you use the property. Are there areas you would like to illuminate for work, recreation or entertaining? Think about areas in which added light would enhance safety, such as steps or a wall around the side of your home. H E L P F U L P L A N NIN G T IP USE OUR LANDSCAPE LIGHTING TECHNIQUES TO DETERMINE THE BEST METHODS FOR HIGHLIGHTING YOUR HOME'S EXTERIOR.
STEP 2: PREPARE YOUR EQUIPMENT LO W VO LTAG E L E D SYS T E M S Most residential LED landscape lighting is done with 12 Volt distribution. The system consists of a central transformer, weatherproof cable and low voltage LED fixtures and accessories. LED FIXTURES Decide on what fixtures you will be using as part of your complete lighting plan. Choose styles you like and select the appropriate LED WATTAGE for the application. T R A N S FO R M E R S Transformers convert your 120 Volt household current to 12 Volt. Outdoor transformers can be installed on the side of your house and plug into an exterior rated outlet. They must mount at least 12" above the ground. Transformers used indoors (such as in a garage or basement) must be listed for that application. For indoor use, UL requires conduit be used when running wiring through the wall. Calculate the total volt amperage (VA) your system requires. Then choose a transformer powerful enough to handle the total VA and still have some extra capacity if fixtures will be added at a later time. When choosing your transformer, add the Volt Amp values of each fixture to determine the total VA of the system you need. Total VA should be less than the wattage of the transformer. See page 139 for Tranformer and Transformer Controller options. CABLE 12 Volt LED fixtures take power from a weatherproof, flexible 2-wire cable that can be used above or below ground and generally does not need to be housed in conduit or buried as deep as 120 Volt Wiring. 12AWG cable is minimum gauge recommended for LED installations. Measure the distance from the last fixture on the run to the transformer to calculate the amount of cable needed. Add 1-2 feet of cable per fixture to allow for repositioning.
12V LED LOW VOLTAGE DESIGN + INSTALLATION GUIDE