How to Install Your Garden Lights Easily and Efficiently

The first thing we need to discuss is safety. Electricity is dangerous and if you're not confident working with it, you should contact a properly accredited professional. The great thing about working with low voltage systems is as long as you stay on the 12 volt side of the transformer, you can not be electrocuted.

The next thing you need to do is to sketch out a basic plan of the yard making sure to include every tree, wall, driveway, pathway and garden bed, then mark out exactly where you want to place your garden light fittings. Once you've done that, you have to work out exactly what you need to have on hand to complete the job. You also need to make sure that your light fittings come complete with connector caps, if not then you'll need to buy them separately. If the wattage of your lamps comes to more than 200 watts then you would be best to use 12 gauge cable, but if your overall lamp wattage comes to less than 200w you can use smaller 16 gauge cable. This information will also tell you what size transformer you will need. Ideally, the one you choose should be a little bigger than what you require. That way, when you decide to add more lights to your yard, you won't need to go out and buy a bigger transformer. It pays to think ahead. Of course sometimes your project may be so big that you would need to buy more than one transformer.

You will also need to have a shovel or an edger, a utility knife, wire cutters, wire strippers, a screw driver, work gloves and electrical tape on hand.

One of the most important, but usually overlooked decisions is where the transformer is going to be placed. It is important to have the transformer as close as practically possible to where the lights are.

Always assemble your garden lights according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place them in the positions that you marked out in your plan. If necessary strip a little bit of the insulation off the end of the garden cable and connect them to the terminal screws on the transformer. In most cases the lead ends are already stripped and ready for installation. Plug your transformer in to the power point and layout your garden cable according to your plan. To make sure that the wires in the garden cable don't contact each other at the cut end, trim one side back a short way from the end of the other side and securely wrap both parts of the cable with the electrical tape. Connect each light to the cable with the cable connector caps making sure to puncture the outer insulation on the garden cable and make contact with the wire inside. It is best to have the power on when doing this step so that you can tell immediately that you have failed to make contact with the wire, as the lamp won't come on.

Starting at the transformer end, use your shovel or edger to dig yourself a shallow trench along the cable path and make a perpendicular trench where each fitting is going to be located. Drop the cable into the trench and push the garden spikes on the fittings partially into the ground to mark the position of each lamp. Once you are sure that all the lights are working you can adjust their beam spread as required and finish off by pushing them all the way into the ground. Fill in your trenches, and sit back and enjoy your brand new garden lights with a sense of achievement that comes with a job well done.

Remember it is your responsibility at all times, to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, codes and regulations as they apply to any garden lighting project you attempt to undertake. You must always take proper safety precautions and exercise every precaution when taking on any project where electricity is involved. If you have any questions or doubts regarding any element of your Low Voltage or D.I.Y lighting project, please contact the Technical Support division of the manufacturer of your fittings or consult a fully licensed and accredited professional.