Answers
I was wondering why people see value in a light source that gives bad lighting, in radient lighting (outward cast of light) and color quality. Energy effient - great but so is an electric car. I see people spending money on LED landscape lights and they look cheap and the light is tacky.
Really good question! All the LED landscape lights I see are bad sources of light and if you look close you'll notice that the light "grays out" what it's lighting. Low Voltage lights are much better by far. LED's are better as a light source you look at, like signs, stop lights, tail lights in cars.
I think people want a a cheap easy fix. LED's give the perfect example of "Buy cheap - Get cheap". It's to bad people are so easily miss-informed & lead. If a so called expert says we should eat dirt you can bet someone will try it and say that it's great.
It's the same with the swirl flourescent bulbs. They do have mercury in them and mercury is a poison. The kind of poison that accumilates in a person (or envirnment) that doesn't go away, it stays in your system. Now do you think people will dispose of them properly? Are you going to go to the local city disposal site for a light bulb to be processed?
Sorry, a little off track there. If you want to see some good landscape lighting go to:
Add a new dimension to your pond or landscape by bringing it to life at night. With today#39;s busy lifestyle, it#39;s often difficult to enjoy ...
in long run with a larg number lights
i want add more fixtures to existing system without add another circuit and transformer by useing led mr16 bulbs
yes, the lights will be brighter with less drop.
.
I just installed solar coach lights for my pathway on Sunday. They are "supposed" to be a "bright white", according to the package. They are glowing mosquito zapper blue. They glowed this color for the last 2 nights. Is it b/c they need more days to charge? They came from Walmart. Please advise!
If they are "bright" this is normal. Since they are new I would say the "White" is actually brilliant blue. You can also look at the bulb (you have to take the base off. If the LED is blue-ish when it is off that is your answer. Mine are blue like you..
You can test this (only at night) by putting some alkaline batteries in to see what happens. It should be brighter but will probably still be blue. Don't ever leave alkaline (or any other non-rechargable battery in your lights during the day as they will explode).
I've been installing landscape lighting for almost 20 years and can't uderstand why people see value in LED & Solar lights. It's like the electric car - great in theory but proformance leaves alot to be desired. Fireflies in a jar, Fireflies in a jar.
Depends on your need for landscape lighting.
I find MOST bright landscape lighting unnecessary & garish. I find the soft subtle solar lights are perfect for most garden uses.
Remeber it is a garden - not the Las Vegas strip!!!
Just thinking thing over. Want to install a 120 volt AC to12 volt DC converter, as the ones found in most RV's. The 12 volt would be used power 12 volt light fixtures as one found in RV's, and Marine crafts. The 12 volts could be used with a solar panel. The solar panel would be used to charge a 12 volt battery(s), and the 12 volt battery could be used to power the lights during the night.
I thought of using resistors for each light within the low voltage lighting electrical wires to control even distribution of lighting.
The 12 volt distribution panel http://www.bestconverter.com/assets/imag ... can as a battery charger when needed. This panel is rated a 50 amps.
A few more 12 volt recessed lights http://www.swego.com/12_volt_recessed.ht ... mostly rated at 10 watts and these are xenon lights.
The electrical lines would be anywhere from 10 feet to the longest run of 70 feet. The electrical wire would be 12/2 CL2 rated for low voltage wires.
The 12 volt distribution panel will power the lights and can be used to charge a 12 volt battery when needed.
I would then add a toggle switch to shut of power to solar panel when not in use.
The reason I choose the 12 volt distribution panel because this system had the built in led lights for the blown fuse detection and the fuses are a safety feature in case things go bad with lights or 12 volt fixtures.
There for twelve of the 10 watt recessed lights will add up to 120 watts. 120 watts divided by 12 volts will equal to 10 amps. This would still leave 40 amps for landscape light or other 12 volt lights.
There are options on adding 12 volt fans, and 12 volt appliances. If needed I would add extra auxillary 12 volt transformer to power the heaver amperage fixtures .... etc...
I'm thinking this setup would pay for it self with a short time once in use.
what do you think?
"Hope this helps explain why 12 vdc systems are not economic or practical on a residential basis." please elaborate on this answer.
This will be for walkway lighting, nice and low lumens. This will be for areas that just need a little lighting.
I guess I should of added that my house will be wired for 120 volts thru out the home and outside of home. For the better lighting and lumens.
The 12 volts would be for general and walk area lighting.
Just not very realistic.
You're talking about 120W. of incandescent light for
an entire house.
It's about enough for one large room.
A refrigerator will draw about 800W. while running,
a microwave or toaster 1200-1500W.
LED Lights – Ideal for Landscape Lighting
LED’s first started coming into the open market around the 1960’s first as lights in computer and few other electrical accessories and later moving into mobile phones. With the advent of the features of LED’s being made popular, they are now occupying prominent positions in households and business areas as well. Because of their dim lighting and low power consumption they are apt for landscape lighting or outdoor lighting.
LED lights can be paired up with solar panels to produce the most energy efficient lighting systems for your home or business. Since LED lights are mostly directional they are not very bright and does not spread all that well. LED lights consume almost 90% lesser energy than the conventional 12 Volt outdoor lighting systems. As it does not contain a heating filament to emit light, LED’s burn much cooler than most conventional lights and emit less radiation. LED lights are best suited to give your garden or landscape that accentuated look and to highlight those fine nuances and architectural features. LED lights are dim, burn with less heat and are usually best suited for small places. They are also apt for stairways, as a night light to leave on during the whole night and also as a decorative design. LED lights for the outdoors or for the business areas are most preferred by interior designers as they give out less heat, thereby leaving less room for fire accidents due to overheating and other mishaps.
...Copper Led Architectural Lighting - Architecture – Real Estate ...
Lumiere Cambria Landscape and Architectural Accent Lighting
Cooper Lighting’s Lumière Cambria 203 architectural accent and landscape fixtures are now available with LED lamping. Designed for standard 12-volt systems, integrating this LED technology into new or retrofit applications is simple and seamless. The fixtures are available in 3000K, 4300K, or 6300K color temperatures in 7-, 20-, or 25-degree optical throws. Built like MR16 halogen modules, the lamps incorporate a thermal control circuit that optimizes performance and operating life. Up to three lenses, louvers, and filters can be combined for lighting effects. The fixtures are fully upgradeable as the technology evolves.
Lumiere Cambria 203 - Copper Led Architectural Lighting
Cooper Lighting; Peachtree City, GA.
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