Low-voltage landscape lighting systems run on 12 volts — transformed down from standard household current (120V) by a transformer installed at the house. The low-voltage wire can be buried shallowly (3–6 inches) or even laid on the soil surface under mulch. The fixtures themselves are lightweight, the bulbs (LED in modern systems) run cooler, and the system can be modified by a homeowner without electrician involvement.
What Low Voltage Means
Low voltage is the right choice for: path lighting, uplighting trees and landscape features, accent lighting in planting beds, and step and riser lights integrated into hardscape. Essentially, most residential landscape lighting.
What Line Voltage Means
Line-voltage outdoor lighting runs on 120V — the same as your indoor outlets. Line-voltage fixtures are brighter, can run longer wire runs without voltage drop, and are required for certain fixture types. They require deeper burial (typically 12–18 inches depending on conduit requirements), licensed electrician installation, and are subject to electrical permit requirements in most municipalities.
Line voltage is the right choice for: high-output security lighting, area lighting for large spaces like driveways, permanent outdoor outlet installations, and any fixture that requires more power than a low-voltage transformer can provide.
Voltage Drop: The Practical Limitation of Low-Voltage Systems
The practical limitation of low-voltage systems is voltage drop — as wire runs get longer, voltage decreases, and fixtures at the end of long runs are dimmer than fixtures close to the transformer. On large Lake Norman lots with long wire runs, this requires either a higher-capacity transformer, multiple transformers, or strategic fixture placement to keep runs within effective distance. Modern LED fixtures tolerate voltage drop better than older incandescent fixtures, but it's still a design constraint.
If you're installing a low-voltage system now and anticipate adding fixtures later, choose a transformer with more capacity than you currently need. Upgrading a transformer after conduit is buried and fixtures are placed is more disruptive than sizing correctly at installation.
We incorporate lighting design into outdoor living projects throughout Lake Norman. Ask about lighting when you request your estimate — 704-460-2019.
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