Illuminate your property so you can keep enjoying your yard after the sun goes down
Low-voltage outdoor lighting is an easy way to illuminate walkways for safety and convenience, accent your landscape features, keep your home safe from intruders, and add drama and interest to your property. Low-voltage lighting runs on a 12-volt system, making installing it a safe and easy weekend DIY project for handy homeowners. Learn how to install landscape lighting the right way to improve your home’s after-dark curb appeal.
Before doing any digging in your yard, mark out existing wires, pipes, or sprinkler systems that are buried less than a foot deep. In addition, ensure your transformer is the correct capacity to handle the wattage of the lights you’ll be installing. If you have additional ideas for exterior lighting and anticipate adding lighting in the same area in the future, purchase a larger transformer than you need for your initial project, so it can accommodate additional lights. The transformer will make up a significant amount of your landscape lighting costs, so ensuring you won’t have to upgrade to a larger unit will save you money down the line.
Placement is important as well when determining how to install outdoor lighting. You’ll want to install your transformer where it can be plugged into a GFCI-protected outdoor outlet, at least 30 feet from any water features, with the first light in the system at least 10 feet away. You’ll also need to install an in-use weatherproof outlet cover to protect the transformer’s power connection from the elements.
Most importantly, whenever we get into DIY electrical territory, there is a clear line between what is safe and legal and when it's time to call a local electrician.
Start by mapping out your lighting. Place fixtures on the ground where you want to install them, and set the electrical cable on the ground running from the outdoor outlet all the way to the farthest fixture. Leave at least 5 extra feet of cable at either end so you don’t run short and so you can make adjustments if necessary.
Next, use your drill and mounting screws to mount the transformer near the outdoor outlet it will be plugged into. Transformers can be mounted directly to the side of the house or on a post or stake near the outlet. Ensure that the area where you’re mounting the transformer is free of obstacles for a foot in every direction.
Connect one end of the electrical cable by using wire strippers to remove about an inch of the wire insulation, then attach the stripped wires to the terminal screws on the transformer. Terminal screws are usually located at the bottom of the transformer. Do not plug the transformer in yet.
Using a shovel, dig a trench 6 inches deep to bury the electrical cable. When digging along a pathway, position the trench so it’s 6 inches to a foot back from the edge of the path, so the lights will be installed between the cable and the pathway. If you’re making your trench in sod, carefully lift the sod and then dig down to the desired depth. Lay out the cable into the trench, but do not fill it back in yet.
After determining where you want your lighting fixtures, dig a hole for each fixture. Most outdoor lighting fixtures are set on stakes, although some are installed directly in the ground. Stake holes can be dug using an aluminum stake and a hammer. Ensure that fixtures are evenly spaced and not overhanging any pathways or areas where people will walk.
Next, connect the fixtures to the electrical cable using weatherproof wire clamp connectors. Many fixtures have connectors preinstalled; if not, install a connector to the wiring protruding from the fixture. Clamp the connector to the cable until you hear a click, which indicates that the connector has pierced the cable’s insulation and created a contact point with the wiring inside.
Once your fixtures are connected to the cable, plug the transformer into the outdoor outlet and confirm that each fixture is connected by checking that all lights are illuminated. If any lights are not illuminated, unplug the transformer and try reconnecting the fixture to the cable. If it still isn’t working, check that the bulb in the fixture is installed correctly.
After confirming that all the fixtures are connected, set each fixture into the ground using its attached stake. Check that fixtures are level and stable and fill in any remaining space around the fixture with soil.
Once your fixtures have been installed, bury the electrical cable in the trench by replacing the soil or sod. When working with sod, you may want to cut the sod to accommodate the lighting fixtures without any lawn bald spots.
While a straightforward walkway lighting system is a fairly easy DIY project, more complicated outdoor lighting designs may require a local outdoor lighting contractor to ensure all the electrical components are installed safely and correctly. The cost to have outdoor lighting professionally installed varies, but expect to pay between $2,000 and $6,000.
You may also want to enlist the help of an electrician if you don’t have a suitable outdoor outlet for your low-voltage landscape lighting system. The cost to install an outdoor outlet ranges between $150 and $300.
Ginny Bartolone contributed to this piece.
A low-voltage landscape lighting system using 15 to 20 LED lights for six hours a night will average about $5 to $10 a month in electricity costs. This is considered affordable lighting for many homeowners. Most modern landscape lights use LED bulbs, but some older styles may use halogen or incandescent bulbs, which can cost up to five times more than LEDs in electrical costs.
Solar landscape lighting is the easiest type of outdoor lighting to install. Because these lights don’t require being hardwired to an electrical connection, installation consists of simply staking the lights into the ground, with no wires required. Solar lights are a good option for houses without outdoor outlets or for areas that are much farther from the house itself.
There are a number of reasons that landscape lights burn out, including an incorrectly installed transformer, inconsistent voltage, and burned-out or faulty bulbs. Troubleshoot landscape lighting problems by first determining whether it’s a system-wide problem or an issue with just one light, which will help you get to the bottom of your outdoor lighting woes.
