ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades Garden Lighting?

This one's great, Mike. Neighbors dueling with exterior lighting!!! Exterior lighting here is low-voltage, or line-voltage (120 volt), or the two combined.

The low voltage is usually decorative, on the order of 7-10A bulbs at 12 volts.

Line voltage is usually for security, or lighting large trees, or to light the house from the yard. A typical installation would be with a timer, or motion-sensor. The better motion-sensors can be adjusted for sensitivity and distance. Unfortunately, they can't tell the difference between cats and people.

If my neighbor installed a 400W metal-halide fixture, I'd be tempted to call the building department, it's a commercial fixture, not residential.

Might I suggest some type of shield for the motion-sensor fixture, so that even though the cat sets it off, it won't shine into the neighbors bedroom.

The dream setup really depends on what you want in the decorative or security category. I have both. My dream control which I have finally found, but not yet purchased and installed (for the low-voltage) is a combination photo-sensor with timer. It goes on at dusk, and stays on for the number of hours set on the timer. No need to reset the timer for changes in sunset, or power outages!!!

Let us know how the battle of the watts goes.

Dave

I am thankful my neigbors do not complain about my 1000 watt MH flood, but I like it off before 9:00 pm.(its used a couple times a month.)Leaving something on like that for spite is dirty pool.

Well,
The great "light-off" came to a head tonight, and it was solved by good old Kiwi
reasoning.
Neighbours A and B were told to sort themselves out or one of two things would happen.
The police would be called and/or I would pull both of thier Mains fuses, all of us people in the general area are sick to death of all the arguing, ranting and raving about each others lights.
And now that I have ADSL, the phone rings while I am onthe Net, so, the donkey's back was broken, if I may coin a phrase.
I'd had enough!.
So it was all sorted there on the spot, they agreed to get their lights looked at.

But getting back to the original topic if I may?.
You don't need a great deal of wattage to create a half decent lighting effect in a garden.
As Bill said above and I would tend to agree 50W dichroics can light a large area if positioned correctly.
Copper coated fittings with the Verdigris effect on them are selling like hot-cakes here.
And you hardly even notice they are there until they are switched on at night.
I'm pricing out a job at the moment to do as a Foreigner, while I'm on holiday and it will be a challenge, but, I'll also come away with some great before and after pics if I have things worked out properly.
Also, I'll be using the new Philips Plus line of 40W Dichroic bulbs.

The best thing i have come across lately are 150watt MBI lamps.. these are in various colours, mainly, blue, green, white, orange,.. superb for lighting effects in the garden, and low wattage but very bright,,

Another item to add is the sets of solar-powered lights now on sale in man yDIY stores. The wattage isn't that great, but they do make some nice effects. Of course, you don't get a full charge during the middle of a British winter.