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Started By
Message
Landscape lighting is ridiculously expensive
Posted on 6/26/21 at 11:52 pm
Posted on 6/26/21 at 11:52 pm
So I’ve dabbled around with it but never fully went “all in” on lighting around my house. Started with this 10 light + transformer color changing bullshite on Amazon. Was like $120. Figured the kids would like it. After I get it I see the transformer can’t get wet (shoulda known & returned it right there lol). It lasted about 2 weeks. Bought a 300w and hooked the lights to it. They were cool as hell…for a month. Got condensation in them and bonked out. All 10. ****PSA: DO NOT BUY ANY OF THE COLOR LIGHTS FROM AMAZON**** They’re all the same Chinese bullshite product with a different bullshite company name on it.
Now I’m looking into the proper design and what I need/what works. Found another site and “good lighting” x “number & style” needed is stupid expensive.
Seems like everything is either cheap as shite with horrible reviews of “broke after a month…10pack for $89.99” or “5-star!!! Changes color, with a remote!!!…$239.99 each”
Anybody got some ideas on quality stuff that won’t run you $5k for a front yard?
Now I’m looking into the proper design and what I need/what works. Found another site and “good lighting” x “number & style” needed is stupid expensive.
Seems like everything is either cheap as shite with horrible reviews of “broke after a month…10pack for $89.99” or “5-star!!! Changes color, with a remote!!!…$239.99 each”
Anybody got some ideas on quality stuff that won’t run you $5k for a front yard?
This post was edited on 6/26/21 at 11:53 pm
15
Posted on 6/26/21 at 11:56 pm to Schmelly
Volt is what you should look into if you are serious about having it last and doing it yourself.
Volt Lighting Website
You can also just go to HD or Lowes and buy their kits which work pretty well at a lower price point, but Volt is definitely superior.
Volt Lighting Website
You can also just go to HD or Lowes and buy their kits which work pretty well at a lower price point, but Volt is definitely superior.
Posted on 6/27/21 at 12:02 am to tide06
I was looking at some YouTube videos of the Costco kit. They use Volt lights. It’s like 6 + trans for $400 I believe. Quality stuff & gonna look at them but the problem is I already bought a dam 300w trans
Posted on 6/27/21 at 12:03 am to tide06
I think the Costco Kit is the one on that link under “easy install”
Posted on 6/27/21 at 1:18 am to Schmelly
quote:
Anybody got some ideas on quality stuff that won’t run you $5k for a front yard?
I recently had landscaping put in and they installed a new control box and ran wiring well over 100ft underground and set up lighting for under $1000.
Edit: At least 150ft wiring. 5 spot lights and 6 ground lighting set ups.
Sorry, my mistake, it was $1600. The irrigation was under $1000
This post was edited on 6/27/21 at 10:01 am
Posted on 6/27/21 at 3:25 am to Schmelly
quote:
DO NOT BUY ANY OF THE COLOR LIGHTS FROM AMAZON**** They’re all the same Chinese bullshite product with a different bullshite company name on it.
Can confirm.
Posted on 6/27/21 at 7:04 am to Schmelly
It’s super easy to do the low voltage stuff yourself, Home Depot has solid basic white color spectrum changing lights that clip into a single strand of wire.
I got the transformer wire and lights to do a small spot light project on some new junipers I planted for under 200.
I’ve always wanted to get the hue outdoor bulbs to color change the area around my pool but even those have very mixed / bad reviews.
I got the transformer wire and lights to do a small spot light project on some new junipers I planted for under 200.
I’ve always wanted to get the hue outdoor bulbs to color change the area around my pool but even those have very mixed / bad reviews.
Posted on 6/27/21 at 9:56 am to LSU-MNCBABY
Yeah, I ran all the wire myself. Need to just change out those colored lights for some quality ones and add more
Posted on 6/27/21 at 1:54 pm to Schmelly
I'm looking for mr16 fixtures. I see the volt are mr16 but 400 for 6 is still steep.
Posted on 6/27/21 at 2:46 pm to Schmelly
My neighbor worked at Notoco and offered to help me with mine. I bought the Best Pro Lighting 120v transformer off of Amazon for $50, and he laughed and said it would never last. Four years later, still working like a charm and kicks on at dusk (can do timer or whatever you want). He said he was impressed with the Pinnacle wall wash lights (still available on atlas landscape lighting.com) I got to shine up on the house, even bought some to add to his house. I don’t love the pack I bought from Amazon to shine up my trees, a bit too white and have hot spots for me while the wall washes are warmer like I like, but it was close enough that we adjusted them and kept them. We did the span of my garage and house (about 100 ft) for about $400. He helped me out with a deal on the cable, said a company would’ve charged me quadruple that easily. I definitely agree with DIY. I recently saw the kits where you just punch the light connecter through the wire, and would try that in the future if we redid it instead of the old school way we did it.
This post was edited on 6/27/21 at 2:52 pm
Posted on 6/27/21 at 4:15 pm to Schmelly
Go to Lowes and get some good Kichler fixtures. Make sure the LED’s are replaceable. They are about $50/fixture but they’ll last.
Posted on 6/27/21 at 4:37 pm to Schmelly
Just finished installing the Costco/volt kit on Friday if last week. High quality stuff and incredibility easy to install. 6 spots, 3 path, 2 hubs and a really nice transformer. Burying/trenching the cable using a spade shovel was a PITA, but overall I'm real happy with the purchase. It's 500 bucks but it was on sale last month for 400.
Posted on 6/27/21 at 4:56 pm to BallsEleven
quote:
DO NOT BUY ANY OF THE COLOR LIGHTS FROM AMAZON
Don’t buy anything electronic off Amazon unless you know the brand. It’s all terrible
Posted on 6/27/21 at 4:59 pm to Schmelly
OP is dead on about there being no real middle ground alternative for RGBW lighting. I sell lighting and it’s either crap or pricey. It will come around soon though. Downlight retrofits in RGBW have become reasonable. I’m waiting it out a little longer until the price vs quality finds an equilibrium
Posted on 6/27/21 at 5:27 pm to bee Rye
Even the wifi bulbs from china have dried up. I just ordered one of the only ones from china to see if i can flash tasmota on.
Posted on 6/28/21 at 9:52 pm to Schmelly
This is a stupid question… but I’m curious & learning how to DIY a few things around the house...but what do you do with and where do you connect the transformer? I’d love to install landscape lights; if I know what I’m talking about when I pitch it to my husband, he’d be more adept to moving forward with that project.
Posted on 6/29/21 at 2:53 am to Cleopatra
It just plugs into an electrical outlet. It changes the voltage from the outlet to the lighting. For the lights, you’ll see “low voltage” on all the landscape lighting and they’ll be something like 6v, 8v, 12v. Some are higher. But you just add up the voltages of each light you need to determine what size transformer you’d need. Orrrr, you could not have a clue what size you need and you’ll just figure that shite out later so you buy the biggest one that Home Depot sells cause you’re a dude, and that’s what dudes do. Luckily, you’re not a dude, so you can avoid this.
ETA: 6watt, 8watt, 12watt. Add them up. Not volts. Sorry
ETA: 6watt, 8watt, 12watt. Add them up. Not volts. Sorry
This post was edited on 6/29/21 at 9:41 am
Posted on 6/29/21 at 7:23 am to Schmelly
quote:
you just add up the voltages of each light you need to determine what size transformer you’d need
Holy crap, do not follow this advice LOL.
Choose one voltage; 12V is very common. Once you have chosen your lights, add up the Watts for all lights and choose a 12-Volt transformer that has at least 20% more power. For instance, if buy 10 7W lights, choose a transformer that provides 100W of power.
Or like me, choose one with way more power than you normally need so you can add a crapton of low-voltage christmas lights on that supply.
This post was edited on 6/29/21 at 7:35 am
Posted on 6/29/21 at 9:26 am to tide06
quote:
Volt Lighting Website
i can vouch for volt. their lights are awesome. bulbs are lifetime guarantees. I've replaced two already, they had bulbs shipped to me immediately following simple email requests.
Posted on 6/29/21 at 9:36 am to guedeaux
Lol, my bad. Relax homie. I meant wattages, not volts. That’s the only thing you said different. It was 3am cut me some slack
This post was edited on 6/29/21 at 9:45 am
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