Coleman Cable 09513 12/2 Low Voltage Direct Burial Garden Light Cable, Black, 100-Feet


Coleman Cable

List Price: $44.30
Price: $38.00
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Product Details

  • Rated turn burial for low voltage garden lights
  • 100-feet of wire
  • Industrial gradation quality

How to Wire Landscape Lights

The most refractory part of installing landscape lighting is correctly wiring the spotlights. Thankfully, learning how to wire landscape lights is ...


Low Voltage Landscape Lights: Wiring and Spacing Questions?

May 16, 2007 by drbernice843 | Posted in Garden & Landscape

I am installing low voltage lighting and have a four of questions: I'm working both with 4 watt and 11 watt tiered path lights. I propose to use the 11 watt fixtures on corners and at steps. How far apart should I space the 4 watt fixtures along the circuit? Also, can I change out the 4 watt bulbs with 11 watt bulbs if some areas need extra lighting? Is it accurate that I can pierce the low voltage cable and if I'm not happy with the location, that it is OK to remove the fixture and place it elsewhere (sense the cable is really self sealing?) I have about 240 watts of lights to be controlled by a 300 watt transformer, on 12 gu radio, and the run is approximately 150 feet. Should I run two, 75 foot cables to the transformer, or have one long 150 foot chain to it?

Using only paths lights and that many trail lights along a walkway is going to produce the runway affect. Do you ogle at airport runways every on occasion you drive past at night ? Maybe you should consider a little variety in your walkway lighting design.

If you have 240 watts of lights and a 300 watt transformer, you will not have the facility to change out the 4 watt bulbs for 11 watt bulbs because you are going to overload your transformer. There is something called voltage decline on the wire.Your 12-2 copper wire has resistance just like each light bulb. When you pass a current through the wire, you give rise to a voltage drop on the wire due to this resistance. You typically deload a transformer to 80% of its maximum to account for voltage drop away on the wire. That means that you have 240 watts available for light fixtures (300 watts x 80% = 240 watts), which is what your prevalent total load is with the 11 watt and 4 watt bulbs in those fixtures.

The National Electrical Traditions only allows 12-2 copper wire to carry a load of 192 watts at 12 volts. 240 watts of lighting on one wire exceeds the capaity of 12-2 copper wire. You poverty to run at least to runs or use larger wire.

Putting all your lights on one 150' run means there is at least 140' between the first light and the last light (Malibu transformers endorse that lights are not closer to the transformer than 10'). This means you are going to have a significant voltage difference on your lights. The first lights will be authentic bright with lights getting progressively dimmer until you get to the dimest lights at the end of your run. It is recommended that you have no more than 50' characteristic from the first light to the last light. To maintain this requirement, you probably will need three wire runs.

Were you planning on using the diasy fetter wiring technique? A better wiring technique is to use the "T" wiring technique. With the "T" wiring gift you will get a more consistent voltage to each fixture and more consistant lighting from each fixture. So plan on three wire runs using the "T" wiring craft. Good luck.

A Well Lit Garden | May 16, 2007

Wow a lot of questions - lets see.

If the territory is very dark space the lighting 6 to 10 feet. Are you running them on both sides of the walkway or one? I would stagger them if on both sides - evenly.

Look at the scold itself and it will tell you the max rating for a bulb, without knowing the brand I would be guessing.

If you spike the cable and move the light, condign wrap electrical tape around the wire where the holes are. Self sealing may occur but weather wears out anything that gets corroded - even plastics.

If all the lights are in a row run one cable not two, if you are running down each side run two if the transformer is located central. The least amount of cable run is best.
Carl P | May 16, 2007

Using only paths lights and that many course lights along a walkway is going to produce the runway affect. Do you ogle at airport runways every continuously you drive past at night ? Maybe you should consider a little variety in your walkway lighting design.

If you have 240 watts of lights and a 300 watt transformer, you will not have the cleverness to change out the 4 watt bulbs for 11 watt bulbs because you are going to overload your transformer. There is something called voltage decline on the wire.Your 12-2 copper wire has resistance just like each light bulb. When you pass a current through the wire, you introduce a voltage drop on the wire due to this resistance. You typically deload a transformer to 80% of its maximum to account for voltage take off on the wire. That means that you have 240 watts available for light fixtures (300 watts x 80% = 240 watts), which is what your bruited about total load is with the 11 watt and 4 watt bulbs in those fixtures.

The National Electrical Maxims only allows 12-2 copper wire to carry a load of 192 watts at 12 volts. 240 watts of lighting on one wire exceeds the capaity of 12-2 copper wire. You distress to run at least to runs or use larger wire.

Putting all your lights on one 150' run means there is at least 140' between the first light and the last light (Malibu transformers suggest that lights are not closer to the transformer than 10'). This means you are going to have a significant voltage difference on your lights. The first lights will be legitimate bright with lights getting progressively dimmer until you get to the dimest lights at the end of your run. It is recommended that you have no more than 50' change from the first light to the last light. To maintain this requirement, you probably will need three wire runs.

Were you planning on using the diasy gyve wiring technique? A better wiring technique is to use the "T" wiring technique. With the "T" wiring MO = 'modus operandi' you will get a more consistent voltage to each fixture and more consistant lighting from each fixture. So plan on three wire runs using the "T" wiring approach. Good luck.
A Well Lit Garden | May 16, 2007

Landscape lighting - hard-wired electrical vs solar-powered?

Jul 23, 2006 by taxmannyc | Posted in Garden & Landscape

Electrical contract for is already available so what are pros and cons other than ease of installation for solar-powered? This is for a walkway from our driveway to front steps.
Also, how about low-voltage vs conformist voltage?

To declaration your question properly, one would need to know why you are wanting landscape lights & the location of those lights.

Most people only demand a decorative effect & therefore don't need full-blown hard-wired lights. Good value solars will be fine for them.

carl l | Jul 23, 2006

How do you wire solar panels to an inverter for electric landscape lights?

Jan 19, 2007 by gm1281@sbcglobal.net | Posted in Alternative Fuel Vehicles


i cogitate on you need a charge controller for the storage batteries. why inverter? use 12v lights

Wattsup! | Jan 19, 2007

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