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A successful outdoor lighting plan requires selecting the right fixtures, then placing and wiring them correctly. Waterproof pond lights should be used for illuminating pools, fountains and other water features. Offset path lights for lighting walkways. Cone lights should highlight walkways and the surrounding plants. Tree-mounted spotlights can be used to simulate moonlight, and flood lights should be used to illuminate trees, buildings and other large elements.
Take the time to install your outdoor lighting correctly. Your lighting fixtures will last longer, cast more light where you want it, and require less maintenance.
The farther a light is from the transformer (and the more lights installed between it and the transformer), the less light it will put out. A good rule of thumb is to put no more than 100 watts of lighting on one line. If you want to put ten 20-watt lights on a circuit, make a tee connection with five lights on one line and five on the other. You can also minimize voltage drop by using a thicker gauge wire.
Leave a little extra wire as you hook up the lights. This will give you the freedom to move a light later.
Burying the wires should be your last step. Lay everything out, hook up your lights, test your voltage, and view your results at night before burying the lines.
Purchase a larger transformer than you will initially need so you can add lights later as your landscape expands. If you'll be installing 400 watts of lights, buy a 600-watt transformer.
Purchase a transformer with a built-in photocell and timer. Orient the photocell in a western direction so it doesn't turn on the lights too early.
Avoid over lighting. Outdoor lights look best as accents. Flooding sitting or planting areas with "stadium lighting" can make them look washed out.
For path lighting, decide whether you want to light only the path or both the path and the features around it. As a rule, the broader the area you want to light, the higher the light pole you'll need. Path lights with a 20-watt halogen bulb at a 24-in. height should be spaced every 10 ft.
Consider seasonal factors. Install lights where they won't be easily damaged by plows or shovels. And keep in mind that some plants, like hydrangea bushes, sumac and dogwoods with colorful stems, look well when they are lit up -- even when they're leafless.
A wide selection of quality outdoor lighting can be found at LightingShowplace.com.
article at HomeRenovationGuide.com