Landscape Lighting

[bman36]

QUOTE: Originally posted by iandor

Brian Mate;

This has got out of hand but I', glad it ended ok I still don't quite understand the whole thing

Rgs

Your Mate ian.

Ian...Mate...Bud...
If you're happy, I'm happy! [:D] Rgs eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

Brian Mate;

This has got out of hand but I', glad it ended ok I still don't quite understand the whole thing

Rgs

Your Mate ian.

[Anonymous]

All that matters is that the family likes the new lighting! And your happy with it.

[bman36]

Ok, Ok embarrassment time. [:I] The story goes like this. Strung out three 14/2 wires. One was for the lights, the other two were feeder wires for my two tracks. Marked one for the lights with masking tape so I knew which one to attach all the lights to. In order to know which other wire was which I bared the ends and wound them together. This way a quick check with my Multi -Meter would show me the open and closed circuits. This quick check I learned from installing alarms. [tup] Remember I said I was rushing??? [:0] Guess which line I tied together thinking it was the track feeder? YEP...the landscape lights. PERFECT SHORT. Repair...cut the end off and plugged em' back in. [V] Fixed. Later eh...Brian. [D)][D)][D)]

[Anonymous]

How do the individual lights connect to the main wire? Is there some sort of clip with pins that stick through the insulation? I suspect that is the source of your problem. Some of the clips are not making a good connection to the main wire.

I have several sets of landscape lights around my backyard (lighting up the area around the pond, pathway, etc.). Whenever I wire landscape lights, I turn on the power and connect the light with the power on so that I can make sure I'm getting a good connection. I find that certain brands are easier than others. I don't recall the exact brand, but whatever brand that Lowes sells is the most difficult to get to work IMOHO. Whatever brand Home Depot sells is easier, but still not foolproof.

Even after you get them to work, there is no guarantee that they will continue to work forever. Since you are poking a hole through the insulation, eventually, the elements may cause corrosion and you may lose electrical connection.

The most foolproof way to ensure you have a good electrical connection is to solder the wires. I have a few lights that have consistently given me connection problems; so, this is what I've resorted to and haven't had a problem since. Strip a little bit of insulation on the main wire (without cutting the wire) and strip the end of the wire for the light. I typically offset the two points on the main wire a couple of inches apart. Then solder the light wires to the main wire. Finally, apply several coats of liquid electrical tape to seal and waterproof the connection.

If you don't want to solder, something else you can try is waterproof wire nuts. They are like regular wirenuts, except, they are a bit larger and filled with some sort of grease to seal and waterproof the connection. They are typically used in sprinkler setups; so, you might find them in the plumbing department of your favorite home improvement store. I've never actually tried them on landscape lights; so, I can't provide a personal testimonial; but, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't work. The only problem I foresee is that they are often a bright orange or yellow color; so, it may be difficult making an unobtrusive connection in a garden landscape.

Jon

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bluebonnet - 71

We really are concerned about you now Bman#8230;..<leased the guys at my shop. they like Matt too they think he is cool> if 2 + 2 = 3 then we in bad shape! [:D]
It is ok, I have already lost all sanity. [|(] I tell people I am crazy and play with big trains. Thing is no one will believe me! [:-,]

BB71, Two power feeds one common neutral, Kind of like 220, two 110 power feeds one ground one neutral.

[Anonymous]

We really are concerned about you now Bman…..<leased the guys at my shop. they like Matt too they think he is cool> if 2 + 2 = 3 then we in bad shape! [:D]
It is ok, I have already lost all sanity. [|(] I tell people I am crazy and play with big trains. Thing is no one will believe me! [:-,]

[Anonymous]

brian
maybe you needed 4 wires 2 for train and 2 for lights ben[:D]

[bman36]

That's an interesting twist! BUT strike two. One more and I won't tell. Later eh...Brian. HINT: There were three wires...one was labelled

[Anonymous]

Ok, how about this the track was wired into the lights causing a "draw" on the circuit?

[bman36]

Hey Matt,
Strike one! Good guess though. Congradulations on getting 3 pretty green stars next to your name. Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

I'm guess you had the power supplies backwards, train transformer to lights with the trottle set on reduced voltage. The light transformer was giving 12 volts constant to the track? Am I right? And you found out when you went to put your Shay on the track and it took off out of you hand[:0]

[bman36]

Hey everybody,
Boy o boy has this grown since my last post. Well good news my friends. The lights are working!!! Have to admit...I feel really stupid about how it was fixed...sooooo lets see who can guess what dumb thing I did based on these facts. 1) Ran three wires all along the same route. 2) All the same wire used 3) Two wires are being used for track power on two seperate loops and one for the lights. 4) Marked the one with masking tape for the lights. 5) Mosquitos were trying to do blood tests during the installation. 6) I was rushing knowing I had to pick up my kids from school. 7) I'm a guy. Guesses??? Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

Brian
i had the problem with the garden lites to, the transformer was the problem not putting out enough power,the place where i bought it gave me another transformer to try, it work . ben

[Anonymous]

Well I been hholding some stuff I have been thinking about for mine Bman.
Fiber optics and the only cheapist roll I could find is http://www.oakridgehobbies.com/g_scale/g_90a.html but there not shielded so I would have to lay sand. <I think>
Nice site for fiber optic kits and other nice stuff http://www.fiberopticproducts.com/Kits.htm
I better buy the fiber optic kit before I really decide to light a entire city with them.

Also I have seen walk paths, landscape lighting, pond lighting and so on lighted by fiber optics.
Could this be the best way to go? One light making many lights! [?][?][?]

[Anonymous]

.With all these suggestions Brians going to have to print this off, walk a round in the garden rereading posts with a flashlight[:D]

[grandpopswalt]

Brian,
You can go back and punch the guy in the head just for the fun of it but not for selling you a set with broken wires. I think you do have an IR drop problem because you indicated that the lights DO get progressively dimmer the farther out they are. Take your voltmeter and check the output of the transformer. Then check the voltage again at a socket beyond the last bulb. Ideally, both readings would be the same but if they're substanially different, you have a voltage drop caused by too great a resistance in the wires.

Walt

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by iandor

As usual i disagree with everybody, distance and wire guage have nothing to do with it. it can only be the lights themselves or the connections to them. You may have two circuits hence half lights up and half doesn't. I think you have bought a bad set and you should take them back punch the guy in the head that sold them to you and get a new set.


Rgs Ian.

PS do not punch him in the head if he is too big for you, if it was a girl type person you could make a nasty remark about her hair, that should suffice.

Ian, RIGHT ON BROTHER!

[Anonymous]

As usual i disagree with everybody, distance and wire guage have nothing to do with it. it can only be the lights themselves or the connections to them. You may have two circuits hence half lights up and half doesn't. I think you have bought a bad set and you should take them back punch the guy in the head that sold them to you and get a new set.


Rgs Ian.

PS do not punch him in the head if he is too big for you, if it was a girl type person you could make a nasty remark about her hair, that should suffice.

[grandpopswalt]

Brian,

One last comment. I doubt they're wired in series (I'm assuming you only have two wires feeding the lights). If they were in series, they'd all be on (if all the bulbs were O.K.), or they'd all be off (even if only one bulb or socket was defective).

Walt

[Anonymous]

Brian, I know what you mean by winter closing in, I've gotten little personal stuff down around the home and very little RR in. Buisness has picked up so looks like I will start my porches in the winter, once there built It's RR and landscaping time[:D]

[bman36]

QUOTE: Originally posted by carpenter matt

Brian, Have you thought about e-mailing the manufacture regarding your troubles?

Hey Matt,
Went to the web-site and went through their FAQ's section. Until I have exhausted all that first I plan to wait. They list a lot for trouble shooting. I want to be able to say "Done that" before I hit them up with my problem. Who knows...maybe it will be all OK by then. [tup] I know I sounded awfully frustrated when I first posted this but with winter closing in I hate stuff like this slowing me down. You guys have been great with suggestions. Now it's time to calmly get through this. Not worried...I'll get it working the way it should be. Well time to go run McFood out to Yorkton. Then I can sit in my hotel room tonight, read GR, and drool over all that cool stuff. Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

Brian, Have you thought about e-mailing the manufacture regarding your troubles?

[bman36]

Hey Guys,
Did a little checking last night. The transformer is putting out 12.2 volts steady. Yes the lights get progressively dimmer the farther away they are...so I would say it is voltage drop here. Mosquitos are downright nasty again at night so I will re check the actual connections later. The wiring is in series not parallel. Haven't checked all the wire over yet. Being new we assume it is fine. I like the idea of getting a "Tim Taylor" 300 watt transformer and lighting my whole line with it. Thanks again for all the feedback ! Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

Hi Brian,
I'll chuck my 'two penneth' in. If your lights are getting progressively dimmer then they are wired in series, like most christmas lights. To maintain equal brightness they must be wired in parallel.
Series: Live cable goes to each bulb in turn and the neutral returns from the last lamp.
Parallel: Both live and neutral go to each lamp in turn.
You don't say if they are mains or transformer voltage (I don't know what your electrical regs allow), mains would be better.
I have 4 solar lights in my garden but plan mains floods next year in the bushes. If you use mains remember to protect the cable, armoured is the only way.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]
Remember, if it's mains and you get it wrong it's [angel]

[grandpopswalt]

Brian,

If the first four lights are uniformly bright and the last four are just not "on" then the problem is a broken wire. If it were "voltage drop" each of the last four lights would be on but might be dimmer.

What's the watt rating of each of the lamps? and what is the voltage of the lamps? I checked an ampacity chart but 16 gauge wire isn't listed. Just for reference, #14 is usually rated for 15amps and #12 is good for at least 20 amps. So let's assume that #16 is rated for 10 amps. If the lamps are rated 12 volts I'd expect that wattage would be 5 or 6 watts. At 24volts, the wattage goes up to 10 watts(assuming this is a 20 bulb string).

Again, if it were a voltage drop poblem, each lamp would be progressively dimmer, but they'd all be on.

Walt

[Anonymous]

Bman,

If you have or any one tried older solar lights and were perhaps dissatisfied, you will be surprised at the light output, styles, and features of the new ones. The old dim incandescent bulbs have been replaced with high-tech bright LEDs (light-emitting diodes), fluorescent, and halogen bulbs.
<I would stick with LEDs>
Solar-powered lights that use LED bulbs are the most efficient and provide the most hours of light at night. You would not be able to read by one, but after a sunny day, they can offer eight to ten hours of light. LEDs are most effective for accent lighting and marking pathways.

Now the brightest solar-powered lights use four- or five-watt fluorescent bulbs. At night with no other lights on, they are quite bright. The fluorescent bulbs, like LEDs, last a very long time.

Well I hope you have a better time with Solar. Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

Hey bman , I picked up a 300 watt power supply last year when we did the front yard . I am using 14ga wire and have had no problems . This same unit is also powering the lites in my station and by the greenhouse . My neighbor told me I had to add up all the bulb wattages together and make sure it didn,t exceed 300 watts . I,m not no electrician but I got it to work so far so good , knock on wood . I did bury the wire and did nothing special to the wire ends . Good luck with yours !

[bman36]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the advice here. Marty: No, the kit was not real expensive so I guess I got what I paid for. Won't have time before Sunday or Monday to mess around again with this. Will let you guys know how I make out. Worse comes to worse it's all going back and I will just buy a solar set instead. It's clearance time for this kinda' stuff. We'll see where it goes. Later eh...Brian.