Bill Campbell

Let's take a look at your house. You have worked hard to maintain it and make it a pleasant sight inside and out. Landscape plans with paths, plants, and perhaps deck plans are being formed or are in various stages of completion. Stop for a minute and consider how your home and yard will look as night approaches this summer. Will there be areas that need a small amount of light to improve safety and security in your yard? Are their special landscape designs or certain plantings you wish to highlight for all to see and enjoy even after the sun goes down? You might want to consider using some form of landscape lighting to enhance the beauty and security of your home and yard.

There are several types of lighting available. The standard 120-volt lighting tends to be best suited for bright security applications and is often considered too harsh for most landscape service. Harshness can be controlled by using low wattage bulbs in well-planned systems. Poor planning results in areas that are too bright and contrasting deep shadows that may raise safety and security concerns.

This type of lighting circuit must be installed according to National Electric Code wiring practices. As I said last month, KNOW THE CODE before you attempt installation of these circuits to ensure the safety of all who might come in contact with these fixtures or wiring. Another problem with this type of landscape lighting is how difficult it is to modify once installed. All insulation materials and fixtures need to be approved for ground contact or ultraviolet exposure, depending on the application.

A second type of outdoor lighting is the "low voltage" variety. This popular type of lighting uses a transformer to lower 120-volt current to 12 volts. The lower voltage provides light that is less severe and more adaptable than the 120-volt systems. Low voltage lighting is also easy to install, since wiring codes are generally not as stringent for these systems.

Installation consists of inserting light bases in the soil and stringing low voltage cable from fixture to fixture. This cable is then attached to the transformer power pack, which may contain a timer, photo switch or motion detector switch. Transformer packs are generally plugged in to a standard 120-volt grounded outlet. Once your layout is perfected, the cable is buried or covered with landscape materials.

The popularity of this type of lighting has caused manufacturers to develop a variety of fixtures to meet your needs. The traditional tier lights are used for walks, paths, steps and landscape highlights, while newer designs like edge lights, flare lights, well lights and brick lights allow you to tailor your system to meet your specific needs. These systems are available from most hardware and do-it-yourself stores. System suppliers offer design booklets to aid you in planning your layout.

The final type of lighting system offers the greatest flexibility and ease of installation, but is also the most expensive per fixture. This system uses a photovoltaic (PV) cell and batteries on each fixture, so no wiring is required. The PV cell converts solar energy to electric current and charges the battery during the daylight hours. A photo switch turns the light on at dusk and it stays lit until the battery is drained of charge. The amount of time the light stays on depends on the intensity and duration of sunlight on the PV cell during the day.

PV fixtures work well if you want to light areas that are remote from power sources, or if your want to be able to move the fixture often during the season. Moves are as simple as pulling the fixture out of the ground or base and remounting it where it is needed. No wires, no digging, no mess. However, they do not perform well in shaded areas. The cost is $50-$100 per fixture depending on the quality of the battery and the type of switch used to turn on the light. Photo switches and motion detectors are commonly used.

Your outdoor lighting needs can be met with one or a combination of the systems described. With a little instruction or self-study, you should be able to install any type of system you want. Just be sure to do it with safety in mind. Landscape professionals can be consulted for lighting tips to help bring out the beauty and security of your home as you complete your latest plans.

Bill Campbell is an Extension Educator, Farm Systems, at the Springfield Extension Center, Cooperative Extension Service, University ofRlinois. You can write to Campbell in care of Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. Telephone: 217-782-6515. E-Mail: campbellw@idea.ag. uiuc. edu

14 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • APRIL 1996