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Lighting your garden |
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Lighting your garden can bring a totally different look to your garden. There are two types of garden lighting, electric and flame. We will deal with electric in this topic. Electric lighting can be split into two types low voltage and mains. MAINS Mains lighting is generally used for flood lighting or lighting a very big area and and is best carried out by a qualified electrician. LOW VOLTAGE Is relatively easy to install and cheap to run, costs vary according to quantity of lights. As it is low voltage this means it has a transformer to reduce the mains voltage to a safer low voltage (either 24 or 12 volts depending on brand of lights) most but not all low voltage transformers can actually be placed outside (check the instructions) but should be connected indoors (although you can always put the transformer inside a weatherproof box) It is safe because if you should accidentally damage the low voltage cable no one will be hurt.
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| Solar | |
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No cost to run, not a big choice of
lights, most have an amber L.E.D as opposed to a lamp for illumination therefore
a bit dim, expensive to purchase, but we have found this one which has TWO white
L.E.D.'s and is fairly inexpensive. Please note: the duration of the light will depend on amount of sunlight available to charge the batteries, so do not put the lights in shady places, and often the light is described as "lasts for up to 8 hours" please be aware of the words "up to" |
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There are many types of lights for your garden, spot lights are good for lighting a specific area say a statue, tree or nice plants. This light has been painted green to help it blend in during daylight hours. Also when purchased the light was white but a coloured filter was added. |
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CHOOSING The easiest way is to buy a "kit" and some stores now have "select" lighting where by you choose the lamps in your desired style, a suitable transformer to operate them and the cable. Although kits are good please bear in mind that some are only designed to have either that number of lights or one or two more added, please bear this in mind when deciding. Which ever you choose please follow the instructions carefully. POSITIONING Although most lights come on a "spike" which means you put them in soil, why not if you have it put them in a high tree and point them down. If you want to light a path then put them near it but not too bright a light as you do not want to "blind" any one from any obstacles. Coloured lighting can give a dramatic effect, but green and blue are best suited to a garden, red and orange are good for lighting a water feature. If you have lit your garden why not send us a picture?. CONNECTING Depending on which make you purchase depends on how the individual lights connect. Some, like the next picture use a " press to clamp" others use a screw it down clamp, but the both rely on you running a main cable and "teeing off" for each light. Both cables should have their lights connected then buried just under ground, with the transformer being kept elsewhere. It is o.k. to do this as the lights are LOW VOLTAGE do not put MAINS cables below ground. Please read the instructions BEFORE installing any lights, use an R.C.D If in doubt consult a qualified electrician. Why not go and treat yourself your garden will look better for it. You may also want to see this |
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