Low Voltage Installation
  • Mounting the transformer
  • Mount the transformer next to a grounded indoor
    or outdoor outlet. If the transformer is installed
    outside, mount it at least one foot above the
    ground. It can be mounted on a wall, fence,
    post, etc. Follow the installation instructions
    provided with your power console.

  • Hiding the cable
  • Because you are working with low voltage, hiding
    the cable is simple. You may choose to cover it
    with some soil, mulch or other landscape dressing.
    Or if you are close to bushes or dense shrubbery, you can push it underneath
    and out of sight. You could also lay it along a fence or foundation nearby.

  • If you are crossing a lawn, you will want to wedge the surface at a 45-degree
    angle. Pull up the sod, place the cable at least 4" deep (to prevent future
    problems if the lawn is aerated) and replace the sod firmly.
Installing the fixtures
Each fixture is packaged with installation instructions that will tell you step by step how to
properly install your system. The following sections were designed to supplement the
instructions for fixtures that need extra care.
  • Inground fixtures
  • Ingrounds require some extra attention. They provide an unobstructed view of the
    landscape at night. Inground fixtures should be used primarily where they will
    remain permanently. For example, they could be used to light buildings, fences,
    mature trees, flag poles, etc. However, when installing an inground beneath a
    tree, do not forget cutting roots that may severely damage the tree, or even kill it.
    Try to use fixtures that are less than 12 inches deep for tree uplighting when
    placing the fixture under the canopy of the tree.

  • Another consideration to make with ingrounds is drainage capability. Because the
    fixtures are inground, there is always the problem of moisture. Provide a minimum
    3" drainage bed of granular material as recommended in the packaged
    instructions. Sealing the fixture as recommended in the packaged instructions will
    help ensure warranty coverage.

  • Underwater fixtures
  • Underwater fixtures are designed to enhance the natural beauty of a fountain,
    reflecting pool, or fishpond. The fixture is composite molded with a watertight seal
    around its lens. The materials used to construct our underwater fixtures will not
    oxidize over time as copper and brass would. Never use brass for underwater
    lighting. The corrosion of these metals can harm aquatic plant and animal life.

  • Tree lighting fixtures
  • When lighting a tree, you may choose to either light from the ground up, or you
    may want to actually mount some fixtures in the tree itself. It is a special situation
    when you think about mounting fixtures in a tree. Unlike soil and cement, trees are
    living things and require special attention. Since trees come in all different shapes
    and sizes, there are several ways to enhance them. You will not want to light an
    evergreen the same way you light a Chestnut.

  • Here are some installation methods for lighting various types of trees from the
    ground:
  • Conifers (Conical Evergreens) - The foliage is dense and narrow. Place
    fixtures away from the base and aim light toward the top of the tree.
  • Flowering Deciduous (Dogwood, Fruit) - Place the fixtures away from
    the base and aim toward the top. Their beauty is at the tips of their
    branches where blossoms and fruit grow.
  • Deciduous, Dense Canopy (Oak, Maple Chestnut) - Place fixtures
    along the outer edges to focus light into the foliage. These trees have
    interesting bark and elaborate branch structures. Use more than one fixture
    to highlight these areas.
  • Deciduous, Open Canopy (Birch,Walnut, Palms) - These open
    canopies and palms can be grazed with light from underneath. Place the
    fixtures close to the base of the tree. Avoid the moonlighting technique with
    these trees.

Moonlighting with Low Voltage Fixtures
Undeniably one of the most beautiful landscape lighting techniques, moonlighting, simulates
the natural light of a full moon, filtering through the branches of a tree. Moonlighting involves
the placement of fixtures on the tree itself. Therefore, special care has to be taken when
deciding where to place your fixtures.

  • The first thing to consider is that lamps in the fixtures will have to be replaced
    periodically. Make sure you have a way of maintaining the fixtures before you install
    them.

  • The second consideration is the means of fastening the fixtures. You must use
    fasteners that are constructed of stainless steel or cadmium-plated steel. Never use
    brass or copper fasteners in a tree. Brass and copper oxidize over time, poisoning the
    tree. Your fasteners should also be adjustable to allow for growth, upward and outward.
    We suggest using the CTM kit with its combination lag screws to secure the mounting
    canopy.

  • The supply cable should be attached to the tree trunk with nylon cable ties that are
    screwed to the tree to allow for growth.

  • Care should be taken when aiming the fixtures to eliminate direct glare from the lamp
    and the long directional shrouds should always be used. Consider that the tree will lose
    its leaves in the fall.

  • When creating the moonlighting effect, remember to place one or two fixtures above the
    eye level aimed upward to illuminate the top of the tree's canopy.

  • Colored lenses, such as the F33 (pale blue) or F66 (mercury vapor), help to set
    different moods and are available to you in our on-line catalog. The number of fixtures
    placed in the downlighting position is dependent upon the physical size of the tree as
    well as the density of its foliage.
Low Voltage Installation