All About Outdoor Lighting And Planning The System

Outdoor lighting is much more than a fixture for the front porch. On just the practical side, a well-designed lighting system illuminates driveways, doors, stairs, and gates.

It also provides security around the house by eliminating shadows where intruders could hide. On the less practical but equally relevant side, lighting enhances a garden after dark for greater enjoyement.

It makes evening activities possible, such as relaxing and entertaining, and it also brings an enchanting air of magic and beauty to your garden that can be enjoyed indoors as well as out.

Planning Your System

The goals of a complete outdoor lighting system are to provide safe lighting for activity and security, to illuminate plants, pools, and other garden features, and to create what ever moods and effects the character of the garden suggests. There are various techniques and equipment for accomplishing these goals, but they should always be used with these safety principles in mind:

Think safety. Always install all wiring with the proper permits and according to code. Outdoor electrical systems require special care, equipment, and materials.

Don't overlight. A small amount of the right kind of lighting is much more effective than indiscriminate "ballpark" lighting.

Vary the brightness. Vary the levels of brightness. In some areas, the lighting should be dim; in some, medium; and in others, bright.

Use one type of lamp. There are many types of lamps available, such as incandescent, fluorescent, sodium, and metal halide.

Define space. Use light to define spaces and emphasize what's important. Bright lights that contrast with dimmer surrounding lights will point out pathways, steps, and activity areas for visitors, as well as illuminate interesting focal points.

Hide the source. To avoid glare, place lights high above the ground, shield fixture behind plants or other features, reflect the light off colored walls, or use fixtures that have grills and baffles. Keep fixtures out of the way, and match their style. They should not interfere with walking, gardening, or plant growth.

Make the system flexible. Use several circuits, each on it's own switch -- use a dimmer where possible. I suggest using a photocell in conjunction with your system so your outdoor lights will automatically come on at dusk, and shut off at the first sign of daylight.

Switches. Place switches at central indoor locations. On larger systems, you should also include auxiliary switches at the point of use.

Tapping Existing Wiring

Inside outlets. For one or two outdoor fixtures, you may be able to tap into an existing circuit at an inside outlet. For several fixtures, it is better to wire them on their own circuit with their own switches. Any outdoor receptacles must be GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) protected.

A porch light. If a fixture is already located on an exterior wall, you can extend the wiring to additional fixtures. Any exposed wiring must be enclosed in conduit. The new fixtures will be controlled by the same switch as the porch light.

Installing Outdoor Lighting

The first step is to plan the exact location of all the lights and receptacles, using the lighting techniques that best suit your landscaping. Consider safety and area lighting first, and then any accents or special effects you want to include. Then, determine whether your system will provide enough lighting for security, and make adjustments for any deficiencies.

Include switch locations in your planning. They should be indoors, with auxilliary outdoor switches in areas of high use.

Next, determine how many circuits the lighting system will need. Receptacles are usually kept on a separate circuit from lights. They must be GFCI receptacles, unless the entire circuit has a GFCI breaker or the outdoor portion of the circuit is protected by an indoor GFCI receptacle wired for "downstream" protection.

If the garden is small and there are only a few lights, they can probably be wired into extensions of existing circuits. For a larger system, you will want a separate circuit for every 6 to 12 fixtures, depending on the total wattage of lamps per circuit.

Plan circuits so you can group certain fixtures on the same switch, using dimmers for increased flexibility. You can also install some lights on special switches for greater security, such as timers, photocells, or sensing devices that turn on lights when they detect motion.

Once you have determined the location of all the fixtures, switches, and receptacles, you should make a sketch to help you obtain necessary permits. Note all outlets, the size and type of wire, and the location of the main service panel. You probably will not need a permit for a low-voltage lighting system from an existing outlet.

It is a good idea to have a licensed electrician go over your plan first, even if you will be doing all of the wiring yourself.

All wiring runs should be buried or enclosed in conduit, except low-voltage wiring. In most code areas, you can bury type UF wire directly; in others you must run buried wiring through conduit. You may have a choice between rigid metal or PVC plastic conduit. Metal resists rodent damage and usually does not have to be buried as deeply as PVC, but it will also corrode in time.

PVC is much easier to work with, but must be buried 18 inches and is subject to chewing by rodents. For wiring above ground, use metal conduit with weathertight connectors.

If you run low-voltage wiring, all you have to do is connect the transformer to a 120-volt outlet and then run the correct low-voltage cable that is specified for the fixtures. You can attach the wiring to trees, fences, or sheds; lay it on the ground, or bury it. The outlet for the transformer should be controlled by a switch.