Outdoor Lighting | Garden Lights

LED´s

Low Voltage and LED outdoor lighting

What is an LED?

In simple terms, an LED (Light Emitting Diode), is a diode (a device enabling the conversion and flow of an electrical current) that is chip-mounted in a reflector cup and held in place by a milled steel frame connected to a pair of electrical wires. When a current flows across the junction of the two different materials, light is produced from within the solid crystal chip. HADCO uses bright white LEDs as standard, which are developed by coating a blue LED with a phosphor, and thereby generating a white color.

Why use LED?

LEDs have a lifetime which is up to 20 times that of standard incandescent lamps, which in turn results in low maintenance. As they are solid-state devices, LEDs have no moving parts, glass components or filaments which could break.
LEDs produce no heat. Therefore lighting fixtures and lenses are cool to the touch.
LEDs are small in size and resistant to vibration or shock. They contain no mercury and are environmentally friendly. LEDs are more efficient, using up to 90% less energy than other light sources based on watts.
LED fixtures are available in both low voltage and line voltage, and can be used in a range of situations including accent lighting, path lighting, step lighting, in-ground and underwater lighting.

The Benefits of Low Voltage Lighting

   There are many reasons why low voltage (12 volt) lighting systems are popular for landscape lighting. This type of illumination is ideal for creative highlighting of gardens, trees, artwork and other features. It is simple to install low voltage fixtures and the cable can be hidden in a shallow trench, run through conduit or buried underground. Water pipes and electrical cables for low voltage lighting can co-exist. If the cabling required for your outdoor lighting is the same as that which your house is utilising (240 volts) then in most cases any trench required would need to be dug to a depth of 600mm (23.6 inches) and should be installed by a qualified electrician. However, if you´re installing low voltage outdoor lighting you can do this yourself without fear of electrocuting yourself or others who may visit your garden.

   A low voltage lighting system is flexible. Should you need to accommodate plant growth or change lighting effects, you can move the light source with ease. Because transformers reduce the standard voltage from 240 volts to 12 volts, low voltage systems are much more safe. Should a cable be cut accidentally, there is no risk of electrical shock to children or animals. Low voltage lamps use less wattage which makes them more energy efficient although with perhaps not quite the brightness of 240 volt, higher wattage lamps (that as a result have higher running costs).

   Before designing any landscape lighting system you need to determine what you would like the light to achieve. Walk around your property, look out of your windows and doors, and decide on the kind of mood you wish to create. Are there features of your exterior space for which you would like to use dramatic accent lighting? Would you like to include soft but safe pathway lighting? Consider creating romantic shadows with subtle moonlighting or make entertainment areas come alive with bright party lighting.

   The next step would be to select the accent lighting technique that you feel would best achieve the ambiance you wish to create. Some light will "spill" from the accent areas so work outward from these locations to fill in the unlit areas with path or spread lighting.
Balance and subtlety are key aims in path and spread lighting. Experiment with different techniques and have fun discovering the beauty of your garden at night. When installing your light fixtures remember to ensure that they will not interfere with lawnmowers, traffic or be source of irritating glare inside your or your neighbours’ home.

   Having designed your lighting plan, select the style of fixture and lamps that best fit your requirements. Sometimes less is more and instead of bright illumination shining out from individual fixtures, the use of several lower wattage installations may provide a better effect.