Where buy high quality low voltage landscape lights ?

Posted by brooklyn1 on June 8, 2009, 8:48 am

"Alan" wrote

> "James" wrote:

>>I have used 12 volt landscape lights for about seven years. During this
>>time, I have used various light fixtures from Home Depot and Lowe's. Some
>>seem pretty low quality, some appear pretty decent at first. But, they
>>all leak after a few years.
>> I have also tried more "upscale" lights from a lighting dealer, costing
>> in the range of $90 per fixture. They also leak after a few years. I
>> see NO difference in quality of the "upscale" fixtures at $90 than what I
>> buy at the big box stores at $15 each. No difference whatsoever.
>> (Generally speaking, I am a believer in the saying that you get what you
>> pay for. This does not appear to be the case with low voltage landscape
>> lights).
>> Do any of you have experience with the long term use of low voltage
>> landscape lights, and have you found decent fixtures with good seals, so
>> that they don't leak after a few years ? If so, what brand/ store /
>> etc would you suggest that I try ??

> Have you considered LED (light emitting diode) lights? Google "white LED
> Lights". Incandescent lights only only produce 5-10% light the remainder
> being
> heat and it is the latter that causes fixture failure. With leds there
> need not be
> any such fixtures. If you can live with red lights, red LEDs are even
> cheaper.

I think it depends on how much light one needs and for what purpose. I've
not seen any low voltage garden lamps that give off much light and they
certainly don't throw light any appreciable distance, they're typically used
for minimally illuminating walkways. I also used low voltage lamps but I
didn't like that they needed wiring and they also leaked. For six years now
I've been using solar lights, they emit enough light to illuminate walkways.
Even on cloudy days they recharge enough so that they give off light well
past the wee hours when no one should be walking about anyway. The only
time solar lamps won't recharge is when snow accumulates on the solar
panels, but then the snow itself reflects more than adequate light for
walking about, and it's a simple matter to brush snow off the panels. For
security lighting neither low voltage or solar lighting is sufficient, for
that one should have hard wired flood/spot lights with motion detectors.
I've been using the same solar lamps for more than six years now, they still
operate good as new and the lamp's appearance is as good as new. And
eventually when the rechargeable battery pack fails it can easily be
replaced, and for like $6. And there are now solar lamps that do emit
enough light to illuminate relatively large areas and/or throw light a
distance sufficient for a flag atop a pole. I'm sold on solar lighting, I
would never again consider low voltage lights. I've already decided to buy
a set of solar lights for my outdoor Christmas tree... no more 150'
extention cord.

Posted by Smitty Two on June 12, 2009, 1:44 am

> And there are now solar lamps that do emit
> enough light to illuminate relatively large areas and/or throw light a
> distance sufficient for a flag atop a pole.

Well, illuminating a flag atop a pole is pretty far down my priority
list. I might get to it one day, after I alphabetize my soup cans. But
when I was browsing HD recently I checked out the lumen specs on solar
lights and they were just a shade less bright than a single briquette of
glowing charcoal. I don't remember seeing any that were more than 10 or
12 lumens, which would be enough to read 24 point type by if you had
about 50 of them focused on one spot. Tell me more about these new ones
that you've found. Source? Manufacturer? Lumen spec?

Posted by James on June 12, 2009, 9:35 pm

those solar lights don't actually "illuminate" anything around them. They
just glow in the dark.

Posted by Dioclese on June 12, 2009, 9:45 pm

>> And there are now solar lamps that do emit
>> enough light to illuminate relatively large areas and/or throw light a
>> distance sufficient for a flag atop a pole.

> Well, illuminating a flag atop a pole is pretty far down my priority
> list. I might get to it one day, after I alphabetize my soup cans. But
> when I was browsing HD recently I checked out the lumen specs on solar
> lights and they were just a shade less bright than a single briquette of
> glowing charcoal. I don't remember seeing any that were more than 10 or
> 12 lumens, which would be enough to read 24 point type by if you had
> about 50 of them focused on one spot. Tell me more about these new ones
> that you've found. Source? Manufacturer? Lumen spec?

He didn't say how tall the flagpole was, or its corresponding sized flag
either. That could be a factor regardless the lumens stated. All ones for
that purpose I've seen are using standard electrical power from a meter loop
of some sort. They also have a focusing shroud around such a light. Said
light is pointed at the top of the flagpole to cover all directions the flag
could furl. Guess if you're wearing a low-light detection device, you could
see such a flag illuminated by a solar-powered light.
--
Dave

Posted by brooklyn1 on June 13, 2009, 7:23 am

"Dioclese" <NONE> wrote in message

>>> And there are now solar lamps that do emit
>>> enough light to illuminate relatively large areas and/or throw light a
>>> distance sufficient for a flag atop a pole.

>> Well, illuminating a flag atop a pole is pretty far down my priority
>> list. I might get to it one day, after I alphabetize my soup cans. But
>> when I was browsing HD recently I checked out the lumen specs on solar
>> lights and they were just a shade less bright than a single briquette of
>> glowing charcoal. I don't remember seeing any that were more than 10 or
>> 12 lumens, which would be enough to read 24 point type by if you had
>> about 50 of them focused on one spot. Tell me more about these new ones
>> that you've found. Source? Manufacturer? Lumen spec?

> He didn't say how tall the flagpole was, or its corresponding sized flag
> either. That could be a factor regardless the lumens stated. All ones
> for that purpose I've seen are using standard electrical power from a
> meter loop of some sort. They also have a focusing shroud around such a
> light. Said light is pointed at the top of the flagpole to cover all
> directions the flag could furl. Guess if you're wearing a low-light
> detection device, you could see such a flag illuminated by a solar-powered
> light.
> --
> Dave

Yoose need to think outside your pointy little heads. Solar lighting has
come a long way since the last time yoose opened your moth eaten miser
purses. Harnessing solar power is the future, get used to it.

http://www.solarlighting.com/

http://www.solarlightstore.com/

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Where buy high quality low voltage landscape lights ? - Page 3