Home Improvement : Enhance Garden With Low-Voltage Lighting : Illumination: Kits with lights that plug into regular outdoor outlets are easy to install. Energy cost is low.

If you ever thought that decorative outdoor lights around your home would be a nice addition, then you should consider the benefits of a low voltage system you can install yourself in an afternoon.

Low-voltage lighting kits are sold at most large home centers and building supply stores (Builder’s Emporium, Home Club, Home Depot, National Lumber, etc.). The most common kits are by Malibu, Toro and Luna Lights.

The kits include floodlights to highlight trees and shrubs or tier lights to illuminate walkways, or a combination of both. Also included is enough wire to complete the average installation and a timer or light sensor to control the system.

The systems plug into a 110 volt outlet on an outside wall of the house.

Although low-voltage lights are not as bright as standard lights and not desirable where security lighting is required, for decorative purposes they offer tremendous energy and installation cost savings.

Because each fixture uses a bulb of 13 watts on average, energy usage is very low. As Pop Larson, Builder’s Emporium’s answer man, says, “An entire six-fixture low-voltage light set costs about one-half cent per hour to operate in most communities. Over the life of the system the savings over standard voltage lighting can be enormous.”

In addition, the hardware (the lights, wiring, power pack and timer/sensor) is a fraction of the price you would pay for standard hardware. Complete kits start as low as $65.

Also, the installation is much cheaper than standard voltage lighting installation. Since standard lights carry high voltage, weather-tight fixtures, conduits and junction boxes have to be installed by a licensed electrician, all of which is expensive.

Low voltage lights do not carry enough current to be dangerous, and can be easily installed by a novice without concern about electric shock or fire.

Here is how its done:

1--You will need a 110-volt grounded outlet to plug the power pack into. If you do not have one on the outside of your house convenient for the power pack, you may wish to plug the power pack into an inside outlet and run the cable through the wall or through a window to the outside.

Or, you may prefer to have an electrician install a new outside receptacle in an ideal spot for the power pack.

2--Look around the area you wish to illuminate and determine how many fixtures you need, and whether tier lights (for walkways) or floodlights (for trees and shrubs) would suit you best. Most kits are sold with 4, 6 or 10 fixtures.

Also, estimate the length of power cable necessary so you can buy extra if needed.

3--Hang the power box off the ground and attach the cable to it.

4--Assemble the fixtures.

5--Lay out the cable and place the fixtures on the ground where they will be permanently located.

6--Attach the fixtures to the cable (be sure the sharp terminals pierce the center of the cable wire). Push the fixtures’ stakes into the ground to permanently anchor them.

7--Bury the cable between the fixtures.

8--Plug in the power pack and set the timer.

9--Check that all the lights are working. If not, check the cable connections and make sure the bulbs are held securely in the sockets.

10--Come nightfall, aim and adjust the lights for optimum illumination.

That’s it! You will be amazed at how great the lights look and how easy it was to do yourself. An entire six-light low voltage set can be installed by a novice in one afternoon or less.

Abrams is a Los Angeles general contractor and a free-lance writer.