If you have a path or walkway or some other area in your yard or garden that is difficult to see at night or could use a little something extra in the illumination department, why not consider adding some new pathway lights or outdoor accent lights. You can choose either low voltage or solar powered patio lights. Both are easy to install, fairly low cost and come in a variety of different styles. However, each does have its own pros and cons.
Pros and Cons of Low Voltage Lighting
As was mentioned low voltage lighting is easy to install and many homeowners do the installation themselves. Since the needed transformer steps the power down to only 12 volts it is safe enough for anyone to install. Another benefit of having only 12 volts of electricity is that you don’t have to install the wiring in conduit in order to bury it. The wires are thin and small enough that they are easily covered with mulch. Because of the popularity of low voltage lights, there are many styles of fixtures to choose from. You will also find many kits that provide everything you need so there is no guessing involved. Low voltage fixtures have traditionally used halogen lamps but are increasingly available with LED lamps that provide greater energy efficiency and longer life.
Of course there are some drawbacks. If you don’t have a electrical outlet near the area you wish to place the low voltage lighting, you will need to have one installed by an electrician. A transformer is rated to be safe for a certain amount of watts and you must make sure that you don’t overload the transformer. You may experience what is known as line drop even when the transformer is not overloaded. This means that the fixtures that are the furthest from the transformer may not burn as brightly as the ones nearer the transformer.
Pros and Cons of Solar Patio Lighting
In addition to the ease of installation, with solar lighting you can install them virtually anywhere on your property. Solar lighting requires no additional costs to operate, the sun supplies the power source. There will never be any worries about additional costs for adding outlets as they aren’t needed. You also won’t have to be concerned with covering wires, just place the fixtures and you are done. Solar powered lights used LED lamps to give the brightest possible light output.
One of the main drawbacks to solar powered lights is that even those with LED’s are not as bright as comparable low voltage lights, but solar is getting better all the time. Run time of solar lights is directly proportional to the amount of sunlight received by the solar cells, something you have no control over.
As you can see there are lots of good reasons for choosing either type of lighting for your outdoor needs. Each homeowner will have different requirements that may make low voltage patio lighting a better choice than solar powered patio lighting, or vice versa. Only you know your needs, but knowing the pros and cons of each type should make your decision somewhat easier.
Related posts: