Types of Yard Lighting
There are countless different reasons why you might want to use yard lighting but there are always some common goals. For example, the electricity cost of using yard lights is something that always needs to be minimized. In this article I’ll be discussing three different types of yard lighting so you can make the right choice.
Solar Yard Lighting
Solar powered yard lights and becoming increasingly popular because of the reduction in cost and the increase in awareness of energy usage. The great thing about using outdoor solar yard lights is that they can be placed anywhere in the garden so you don’t have to worry about running a cable to them. However, you need to keep in mind the amount of sunlight they get during the day if you want to improve their effectiveness at night.
Low Voltage Yard Lighting
As the name suggests, these lights connect to the mains power supply but have a lower voltage than regular lights. Because of this you need to have a step down transformer to use them. You also need to keep in mind that they’re usually not as bright as other types of garden lighting. For this reason they’re often used in situations where individual brightness isn’t important such as when a lot of lights are used to illuminate a pathway.
They’re a great option if you don’t want to rely on solar power but also don’t want to run up large energy costs. You should keep in mind that if you’re using a large number of lights the transformer needs to be able to handle that amount. Make sure you check the capacity before you buy.
Standard Voltage Yard Lights
If you need to connect your lighting to the regular power supply of your home then these are the best option although they aren’t as energy efficient. They have the advantage of not requiring a transformer to use though so are definitely an option if energy cost isn’t a consideration for you. You can also buy more powerful standard LED yard lights compared to other types.
With the threat of climate change becoming ever more apparent everyone should be taking steps to reduce their energy consumption if at all possible. For most gardens solar or low voltage yard lighting will provide the necessary light without using much energy so they’re definitely an option to consider. However, there are certain occasions when standard voltage lighting is required for solar yard lighting or path light.