Whether you’re looking at installing lights in your garden as part of a new landscape lighting setup, or you want to add some extra lighting to a bookshelf but are having trouble working out how to wire it, you will likely end up looking at low voltage options.
Low voltage lighting has many benefits over line voltage but also some disadvantages too.
While low voltage lighting is growing in popularity, it is still only for use in certain situations.
But what exactly is low voltage lighting?
Low voltage lights require a much lower voltage than your mains power to operate – usually 12 or 24V. This can make them more energy-efficient, safer, and more movable – they don’t require a permanent wiring installation.
There’s a lot to cover, so let’s explore:
- Which lights are considered low voltage
- The differences between line voltage and low voltage landscape lighting
- The advantages of low voltage lighting
What Is Considered Low Voltage Lighting?
Low voltage lighting is exactly how it sounds – it’s lighting that requires a lower voltage to work.
Whereas mains (line) voltage lighting uses the standard line voltage – 120 volts in the US, though this varies around the world – low voltage lights will only use 12 or 24 volts.
If you tried to install a low voltage light on a line voltage circuit, you’d definitely destroy the bulb and potentially create a fire hazard.
If you tried to install a line voltage bulb on a low voltage circuit, it wouldn’t work, but it wouldn’t be dangerous.
Low voltage lighting includes landscape lights, LED lighting strips, recessed lighting, and some full indoor lighting fixtures.
Often indoor lights will have their own transformer built into the fixture.
Line Voltage vs. Low Voltage Landscape Lighting
When it comes to landscape lighting, in particular, low voltage lights are a good solution because they tend to be safer to use outdoors and are easier to install.
Low voltage landscape lights need a transformer, just like any other low voltage lights. But they won’t be built into the lighting fixtures.
You’ll need to install a separate transformer to run the line voltage into. You’ll then run the landscape lighting circuit from this transformer.
Most transformers can be installed outdoors and are designed to be waterproof.
It makes sense to install the transformer as close to the landscape lights as possible, because that’s a good way to prevent voltage drop becoming as much of an issue – more on that below.
Are All Landscape Lights Low Voltage?
Almost all landscape lights are low voltage – specifically, 12 volts.
If the circuit becomes exposed to the elements, they’re less likely to create a serious, house-destroying hazard. However, they still need to be looked after properly.
The only lights you could classify as landscape lighting that would run on line voltage would be some patio lights that you would have installed on the side of your home, which would need to be sheltered from the weather somehow.
Generally it’s very rare to install 120V lighting outdoors.
If you want to check whether your lights are low or line voltage, just inspect them – the bulbs should have markings that tell you whether they are 12V, 24V, or line voltage.
To check a light fixture, you can use a multimeter:
What Are The Advantages Of Low Voltage Lighting?
There are a few advantages to using low voltage lighting over line voltage.
Energy saving
Well, sort of. Low voltage lighting doesn’t use any less electricity than some line voltage lights. Your energy use is measured in watts, after all – not volts.
They’ll use the same energy if you have a 9-watt bulb on a low voltage lighting setup and a 9-watt bulb on a line voltage circuit.
However – and this is important – all low voltage lights are low wattage.
So, when you decide to use a low voltage lighting setup, you’re forced to use the more energy-efficient bulbs.
Safety
A low-voltage lighting setup is safer because it has a lower voltage in the line.
You could even potentially handle 12-volt wire that is live without suffering serious damage – but that isn’t a recommendation that you should.
I’m saying that it’s possible only – and it’s also possible that it would still hurt you.
Always disconnect the power when handling wiring, even for low voltage. It’s ‘safer’ – not ‘safe’.
It does mean that it’s safer to use outdoors, where it could be more exposed to the elements.
You’ll still want to make sure all wiring is properly sealed but if there is any damage to the circuit, it’s not a good thing and needs to be repaired, but it’s not likely to cause a major disaster either.
Movability
Low voltage lighting is rarely installed in wall cavities – it’s designed to be used indoors in more accessible locations, or outdoors.
This means that it’s less permanent, and if you need to move it, you can do – although it may mean digging up the garden for landscape lighting.
It’s also worth explaining that there are some drawbacks to low voltage lighting too:
Voltage drop
Whenever you add a load to an electrical circuit, it creates resistance which lowers the voltage marginally for the rest of the line.
That marginal drop is felt much more when working at low voltages, which means lights further down the circuit may not get enough power to work properly.
There’s a great analogy of a garden hose – imagine connecting a nozzle directly to your tap, and then imagine using a 50-foot hose instead.
The water pressure from that nozzle is going to be very different.
You can manage voltage drop by using the right thickness of wire, or by running your lights on a parallel circuit, but it’s something extra you have to consider when planning your installation.
Limited load
Add a light bulb to a line voltage circuit, and it’ll work. But a low voltage circuit managed by a transformer has limitations.
Transformers can only handle a certain maximum wattage.
Exceed this, and you’ll overload the transformer, so either the lights will flicker, stop working altogether, or you may just damage the transformer.
Final Words
Depending on what type of lighting you want to install on your property, low voltage lighting might be worth considering.
Remember that it isn’t automatically energy-saving since it’s the wattage and not the voltage that determines how much energy you’ve used.
But it will only use low-wattage bulbs, and it has other benefits.
For landscape lighting, in particular, low voltage lighting is much safer, so almost all landscape lights you find will be low voltage – specifically 12V.
Do you have any low-voltage lights at home? Did you have any challenges installing them?