How to Install Outdoor Landscape Lighting | Ask This Old House

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In this video, master electrician, Heath Eastman demonstrates how to install landscape lighting along a garden path.
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Adding landscape lighting to a walkway or path can improve the look and experience of the area. Once Heath figures out what kind of landscape lighting he wants, the location, and where the power source is located, he can then make the connections.
Heath uses a low voltage wire and decides to replace the plastic connectors with brass connectors to make the connections last longer. He also installs a transformer so the homeowner can control when the lights power on and off.
Time: 5 - 10 hours
Cost: $5 - $200 per light
Skill Level: Difficult
Tools:
Flat blade shovel [amzn.to/2XjXN6J]
Wire stripper [amzn.to/38kPGNC]
Allen key [amzn.to/3pO7XJ0]
Level [amzn.to/3i0X18l]
Shopping List:
Landscape lights - pathway [bit.ly/3rXCuWC] / uplight [bit.ly/3ollwz7]
Low voltage cable [amzn.to/3pWWjvy]
Transformer - optional add-ons include photocell, timer, and built-in wifi component [bit.ly/2LmiFYd]
Brass barrel connector [amzn.to/2LuCVqt]
Step 1: Find your nearest power source
This will be your starting point.
Place lights in desired locations.
Step 2: Run a low voltage cable
Run a low voltage cable in the trench but do not bury. A low voltage cable is used as it is only 12v and if it accidentally gets cut, nobody will get hurt.
Step 3: Start making connections
Heath recommends a higher quality brass connector because the plastic ones that come free with the landscape wire are more susceptible to damage and corrosion.
Cut and strip the wire.
Make the connection with the brass barrel connectors with an allen key. Before securing the second side slip the shrink sleeves over the barrels,
Apply light heat to the sleeves
Step 4: Install the transformer at the receptacle
Take the low voltage cable and put one wire in the hot terminal and one wire in the common terminal of the transformer. The transformer converts the power to low voltage and can control when the lights power on and off.
Heath picked out a system that has a photocell that plugs into it. That way the lights come on at dusk and off at dawn. If you don’t want the lights on all night you can add a timer to the system.
Test the system.
Step 5: Dig a pathway for the cable
Use a flat shovel to dig a 6” trench along the pathway for the cable. This way it will be much easier to find if it ever needs to be dug up and keeping it on the edge should protect it from getting cut while gardening.
Bury the cable to the bottom of the 6” mark. Hands will work fine but if a tool is desired make sure it is blunt enough to not pierce or damage the wire.
Resources:
Heath installed two different types of landscape light fixtures that are both manufactured by Illumicare [www.illumicaregroup.com/]. The up lights used to highlight the shrubs and the brick archway are Jasper 12V Solid Red Brass LED Spot Lights [bit.ly/3ollwz7], and the path lights are Misty 12V Small Solid Red Brass LED Path Lights [bit.ly/3rXCuWC].
To coordinate the individual lights to turn on and off, Heath installed an Above Grade RXT Series Transformer [bit.ly/2LmiFYd], which is manufactured by Focus Industries [focusindustries.com/]. The transformer comes with optional add-ons, such as the photo-cell sensor, the timer, and the built-in wifi component.
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How to Install Outdoor Landscape Lighting | Ask This Old House
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Опубликовано:

30 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 68

@waynedietrich572 2 года назад

This was good but would be nice to show more about the actual wiring from light to light. It seems he laid 1 main wire that travels from transformer, but where did that 1 wire run to, and how are a series of lights connected. Does the wire from the transformer just run to the first light input, and then an output wire from the 1st light runs to the 2nd light, and so on ??? Please explain this.

@dobsonmartin 2 года назад

Hey Wayne 2:53 he attaches the light’s wiring to the feed wire for one side of the brass connector. The other side of the brass connector is then the “out” wire going to the next light.

@aklighting8292 3 года назад

I'm really impressed with this video! Great job! Great tips.

@Sapnek 3 года назад

He reminds me of roger!!! I miss roger... hope he's doing good...

@malekodesouza7255 2 года назад

What about long runs with multiple lights on one wire? How do you connect those?

@AelaDeCosta 2 года назад

Wow you made that a lot more simple than I thought it was going to be ty! Will be attempting this next spring

@hamzahassan7730 3 года назад

This is long awaited. They did make a landscape lighting video before but it was really old video. Also I have never seen a 5 dollar path light or spotlight fixture (Except for the plastic ones)

@jreymus 3 года назад

I love this! Thank you THIS OLD HOUSE! I wish I could meet you all.

@GreenArt753 Год назад

I learn a lot of things from this vedio, thanks

@andyneipert2527 3 года назад

That look beautiful

@johnsonni8094 Месяц назад

thanks, this really helps a lot. I just had my landscape light in my backyard, the technician made terrible connections, once raining start, no light

@lgl543211 2 года назад

Leaving Slack in the wire is wise! The next Homeowner will thank you!

@exclusivelynyc 3 года назад

Thank you for sharing

@gavinirwin9675 2 года назад

Thank you

@Batsonoutdoordesigns 3 года назад

I do installations professionally and one important future proof trick you forgot is using landscaping u-staples to secure the wire in place. Over time, weather makes solid expand and contract and if you just put it directly in the ground that wire will make its way up, especially if you put it in above weed barrier where it wouldn’t be secure. Heat shrinking tubes are decent, but I have never had an installation get water in the system using dielectric grease fittings. Make sure to get appropriate sizes based on home many splices are in one connection. If running long distances, make sure you get proper gauges of wires and run separate home run lines.

@mcgarbagenuggets8793 3 года назад

Here in Arizona we bury the wire

@Batsonoutdoordesigns 3 года назад

@@mcgarbagenuggets8793 Arizona weather and the Midwest weather is vastly different. We get a ton of rain and snow, which leads to soil expansion. When that happens, even a buried wire can rise up over time.

@bobufo5729 Год назад

Not if it’s up to code (6 inches to the top) depends on your stats though . Should be buried at least 10 inches. U staples can be a hazard . Children or animals could step on them if they get unsettled . U staples is for stapling landscape fabric . That’s it.

@bobufo5729 Год назад

You should not run it above the weed barrier . That’s job security though ! Plenty of maintenance

@bobufo5729 Год назад

I do lights too . Not knocking your style but you should check the code. Good Heat shrinks are the highest quality connector (most durable , best connection , most waterproof ) the best heat shrinks is “ lighting shrink “ fxl sells them and they come with there water lights because it is so good at keeping out water even more than silicone nuts , but there expensive . Only necessary for a water light.

@robertrobinson2479 4 месяца назад

You said there's a glue inside the heat shrink. The heat shrink itself or some additional element that creates additional sealing properties ?

@TamNguyen-xf1gd 3 года назад

THANKS !!!

@kamalwalia2700 2 года назад

hi what brand of lights are you using they look amazing

@QuaabQueb 3 года назад

Very interesting connection method. This seems way more reliable than those "easy" connectors that you press together to pierce the wire which inevitably lets moisture in and corrode the connection. The heat shrink tubing with adhesive inside indeed the best thing to use. You should also use some dialectic grease inside the brass barrel connector to further mitigate water ingress and corrosion. I personally ripped all mine out and soldered everything together then heat shrink.

@AxcelGamer97 3 года назад

Dialectic grease would definitely help with it. I would use heat shrink tubing with silicone grease to waterproof the whole thing. If you do all of those things, the connections should be as safe as can be from what I can tell.

@RoastBeefSandwich 3 года назад

the pierce connections are easy but yeah they don't last terribly long.

@Arieeeee 3 года назад

Wire nuts with dielectric grease work just as well and let you easily remove the fixture when it's time to replace or repair it. In my experience, the biggest source of a disconnection is either a landscaper hitting the wire with a shovel or an animal chewing the wire. I agree that those snap on connectors are terrible.

@nickduggan3084 3 года назад

Direct burial Wirenuts will make the job go much faster

@Pebblesego 2 года назад

What size brass barrel connector 0.8 or 1.0

@PTYourVoice 2 года назад

What brand is that and where can i get those?

@kubelhossain4211 2 года назад

nice

@dostonjones7183 2 года назад

Why is there a step in the middle of the paver walkway in the first place?

@211teitake 3 года назад

Would like to see more of the end product.

@nabrent61 8 месяцев назад

You need to list the product s you use. Light and connectors and electrical box with components.

@shayd1984triton 3 года назад

At 2:52 I'm amazed he's not using his lineman pliers

@nckcastello 3 года назад

lol right

@rocketrider1405 11 месяцев назад

Ya, after a few … that’s gonna leave a mark! Ouch.

@tubetop123 3 года назад

Just like the cheaper solar lamps, after a few weeks they start to tilt. How to prevent that?

@kangkim150 3 года назад

Get like a 2 liter bottle and cut it half way and fill it with portland cement and stick the light in there and prop it up. Bury it when it hardens.

@infiniti2015 3 года назад

@@kangkim150 quite a smart idea. Ty

@ijazmohammed588 9 месяцев назад

Throw it away 👏

@27613James 2 года назад

Error at 1:46 this is AC low voltage so hot and neutral not positive like DC.

@user-nl2ed7wt1m 3 года назад

сечение провода можно и поменьше взять, для лампочек многовато на лицо переплата

@deanslegos1990 3 года назад

Thumbnail told me to come see him at the plaza hotel

@lowcivicman99 3 года назад

So right off the bat I am 4 mins into this video and he really didn't show us how he connected all the wires to the lights or connected all the lights together and with the terminal, he didn't show us how it connects to the power source.

@MrBowler1234 Год назад

Actually he did. That’s what the brass screw in connectors with the heat shrink is doing.

@davidh5543 8 месяцев назад

You have to use a voltage transformer.

@mikehydroseed1282 7 месяцев назад

He literally showed you how to do both, if you didn’t get that you shouldn’t be doing this yourself. I hate when people say what I just said but in this case I feel like I’m justified.

@tikitime 5 месяцев назад

You have to watch the whole video. Transformer is at the end

@robmangano9522 3 месяца назад

I see you. He shows the connection for the light to the power source, but that wire runs to the end. So if this is the last light in the chain, then this is correct, but how about the splices in the middle to add the other lights? There would be 3 wires in each connection....light, power in, power out to next light in the chain.

@richardsanchez5444 8 месяцев назад

2:27 i wouldn't say never. Any connection point is a potential point of failure. Very unlikely but still.

@lindaharter6091 2 года назад

＆

@lindaharter6091 2 года назад

1。

@ddenuci 3 года назад

The problem with an integrated LED pathway light is that when the LED burns out, the entire pathway light needs to be replaced. It's not like you can just replace the LED. Seems ridiculous. I know they may claim 50,000 hr operation, but that has not been my experience.

@billymacktexasdetective5827 2 года назад

You skipped the most important information. Wattage and wire length are pretty important for calculating wire gauge and transformer size. Basically, this video is worthless...

@justynook9110 Год назад

Guys be careful with these I found a c4 planted in mine

@jhall9811 2 года назад

Cut the distracting, annoying music off! Thanks

@jesuisdiva 2 года назад

Omg this is soooo complicated

@DavidKoseckyCZ 3 года назад

> It has adhesive inside and it's never going to be a point of failure You might as well also install fire alarm right next to it even though it's just low voltage while you are at it.. Like seriously what's so difficult in getting silicone paste or worst case scenario fill that up with crazy glue if you have to use heatshrink "with adhesive" outdoors..

@hamzahassan7730 3 года назад

Install a fire alarm outside? If your talking about commercial fire alarms, you only wire them to a FA control panel, not to a lighting transformer.

@FeelBadForTheFuture 9 месяцев назад

Skipped the part where you show the apprentice’s how to run the conduit up into the box……

@bobufo5729 Год назад

I do landscape lighting and I am the lebron james of landscape lighting. I am the fastest installer in the entire world that I know about , and in my opinion my lighting designs are among the best. If anyone is interested in landscape lighting at there property I would be happy to share some of my work, or if anyone has any questions about a installation , maintaining your system , product advice , or anything else to do with landscape lighting leave a comment and I’d be happy to provide my email address. The high end systems I install can range from $2,500~ for a very small system with basic functionality and fixtures to upwards of $100,000 for a large high end system with all the features such as zoning , dimming , and color changing. I am passionate about my work, and very proud of the beautiful outdoor living spaces I have had the chance complete. If anyone needs any advice for installing a system yourself or would like the highest quality system installation possible by me , please leave a comment with your email or I can provide mine. I install anywhere in the continental USA.