Low-Cost Way to Light the Yard
If you ever thought that decorative outdoor lights would be a nice addition to your home, consider the benefits of a do-it-yourself low-voltage system. These systems can help take the edge off a dark area of your yard or improve the look of your garden during the evening without spending a lot of money or adding much to your electric bill.
The lights are easy to assemble and extremely versatile in how they can be laid in a garden area or mounted on a wall, tree or fence.
Low-voltage lighting kits are sold at most major home centers and large hardware stores. The most common kits are by Malibu, Toro and Luna Lights.
The kits include floodlights for trees and shrubs or “tier” or pagoda-shaped lights for walkways, or a combination. Also included is enough cable to complete the average installation and a timer/transformer or light sensor to control the lights.
The systems plug into any 110-volt outlet. Low-voltage lighting is a very inexpensive alternative to standard 110-volt lighting. Since standard lighting systems carry high voltage, they require weather-tight fixtures and junction boxes, and all conduits have to be buried. All of this requires the expensive skills of an electrician and costly components.
Because low-voltage light kits do not carry enough current to be dangerous, they can be installed by the novice without concern over fire or electric shock. Also, as each fixture uses only 11 watts of power on average, an entire six-fixture set will cost less to operate than most single 110-volt floodlamps.
Do-it-yourself kits include plastic fixtures. Prices range from $75 to $125. Higher-end low-voltage lighting sets are made with metallic fixtures which hold up better in areas where they may get banged around by gardening equipment. They are subject to corrosion, though, and are less “user friendly” to install.
Replacements for damaged fixtures are found at most dealers and are relatively inexpensive, as are their lightbulbs.
All do-it-yourself kits come with clear instructions and are fairly easy to install.
*
Gary Abrams is a general contractor who has written about home improvement for The Times for 10 years. Comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 711, Thousand Oaks, CA 91319. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
