Low voltage garden lighting

Edward.francis · 11 January

Hi everyone,

I’m starting to think about designing lighting for my garden. I’ve considered a mains powered system however I like the idea of being able to install myself and to be able to add to it in the future. I’m now considering a low voltage lighting system with elements of it plugged into mains sockets which I will get installed in the garden.

I can’t find a definitive guide to best low voltage lighting products. Are there some good ones people can recommend and some avoid brands too?

I have Phillips hue lights in my house but they are very expensive. I do however love the fact you can control each light individually from your phone.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Ed

clematisdorset · 11 January

I think something that is of minimal disturbance to wildlife would be a good element to consider, e.g. brightness, duration and placing of the beams of light.

AnniD · 11 January

Screwfix have a range of garden lighting available. I have no connection to the company, but a neighbour used them in his garden.
https://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical-lighting/garden-spike-lights/cat841078

@clematisdorset makes a good point about the effect on wildlife, there are various articles available online on the subject

amancalledgeorge · 12 January

We used Techmar lights in ours which is easy to deploy and fully modular so you can add lights when you need them. Also have some nice remote controlled central units or ones that react to dusk and can programme the hours of illumination needed. Very well made and not too expensive they only trouble we've had in five years is the foxes chewing through some cables but can be mended easily.
https://www.techmar.com/en

I too love hue around the house but absolutely ridiculously priced for outdoor use.

Edward.francis · 12 January

amancalledgeorge said:

We used Techmar lights in ours which is easy to deploy and fully modular so you can add lights when you need them. Also have some nice remote controlled central units or ones that react to dusk and can programme the hours of illumination needed. Very well made and not too expensive they only trouble we've had in five years is the foxes chewing through some cables but can be mended easily.
https://www.techmar.com/en

I too love hue around the house but absolutely ridiculously priced for outdoor use.

Great, thanks for the review and I have seen Techmar in my search. The more I research the more I think low voltage is for me. I'm not quite ready to install yet but I thought I better think about what we want before I finally finish the groundwork etc so I can install conduit where necessary.

I'm only 3 years into the landscaping so there's plenty of time yet.

Obelixx · 13 January

I try not to light up the garden as it does disrupt nocturnal wildlife. However, I was given some solar lights - 2 hanging in the polytunnel and with a switch so I can turn them on if needed, tho I haven't yet.

The other is a spot/uplighter which I have placed to light up the crown-lifted stems of our silk tree. This one comes on automatically at sunset then recharges all day.

Oh has nets of lights he spreads over a bush and our well at Xmas. The former is new and solar powered and deos its own thing. The latter needs wires as it is mains powered so needs extensions and turning on and off. PITA.

Think about using individual solar powered lights rather than a complex plugged in system. Think also about where your lights were made. A certain very large oriental country has a bad rep for using slave, imprisoned or otherwise restrained labour.

bcpathome · 13 January

I never light my garden ,I’m afraid it will upset the foxes ,badgers ,etc that wander about round here . I do have a security light however which lights up when someone or something comes up the driveway . The night skys are not dark enough now for star gazing or star watching and garden lights just make matters worse . Just my opinion not preaching at you .

amancalledgeorge · 13 January

I'd love to upset the foxes that seem to shit all over the place but no such luck so far 🤣 Subdued lighting of specimen plants, sculptures and paths can be such a great idea. I'm in South London with a lot of lights already everywhere so not sure what wildlife it would be detrimental to for four hours of evening illumination. The output of the Techmar lights is not as bright as the hideous motion activated spotlight my neighbours have for instance.

So don't understand what the pearl clutching about lighting gardens has to do on this thread. We only live once, we pick our battles and take into account the local context.

My next garden which will hopefully be more rural it won't be treated the same way.

Obelixx · 14 January

Mine is rural @amancalledgeorge and there are no streetlights. We have owls and moths and, I hope, bats and I like to see the moon and stars. We get the Milky Way on moonless nights and garden lights would spoil that.

bcpathome · 15 January

Yes I suppose it depends where one lives . We are/ were rural here but new builds have put paid to the quiet . We do however get owls ,bats ,foxes , badgers ,rabbits etc that do still roam ,how much longer for I can’t predict, the more building that comes . Also the new houses have brought cats into the equation as well as lights so not sure what the future will be for the wildlife here .My new Neighbours have all decided to light their gardens , it’s a fashion that I hope will disappear soon .

SueAtoo · 15 January

I have wondered about having solar lights but then thought - why would I want lights when I'm indoors not looking out into the garden or have the curtains drawn. So maybe I'll go for controllable ones just for when I want them.

Low voltage garden lighting

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