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Landscape Lights Dimming Towards End of Circuit heinkaps 12-04-2006
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Posted by on December 4, 2006, 3:35 am


Hi

I have recently installed 6 (35 Watt) landscape lights, on a 300 Watt
transformer.

It is 12 V AC, on about 50 meters of cable.

Light number 1 and 2 perform as expected.
Light number 2 is about 20 meter from the transformer.

Light number 3 - 6 is dim, but does not get progressively dimmer from 3
to 6.

Why would this be?

I am ruling out excessive voltage drop because light 3 and 6 is glowing
at the same brightness.

Could this be because of a short?

Thanks


Posted by Joseph Meehan on December 4, 2006, 7:51 am


heinkaps@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi
>
> I have recently installed 6 (35 Watt) landscape lights, on a 300 Watt
> transformer.
>
> It is 12 V AC, on about 50 meters of cable.
>
> Light number 1 and 2 perform as expected.
> Light number 2 is about 20 meter from the transformer.
>
> Light number 3 - 6 is dim, but does not get progressively dimmer from
> 3 to 6.
>
> Why would this be?
>
> I am ruling out excessive voltage drop because light 3 and 6 is
> glowing at the same brightness.
>
> Could this be because of a short?
>
> Thanks

It is voltage drop due to the length of the line. You could try adding
an additional line, using heavier conductors and bringing it directly to the
last fixture you currently have. Make sure you don't reverse polarity. :-)
I suggest that different lamps react differently to voltage drops.
Manufacturing differences and age can make some more sensitive than others.

You also may try moving the bulbs around and see if it follows the lamp
or the socket. There may also be problems with poor connections. As I
recall many of these use piercing wire type connections. They are subject
to high resistance connections and to possible corrosion. That could also
be an issue.

Good Luck

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit




Posted by on December 4, 2006, 10:16 pm




Hi Joseph
Thanks for the reply.

Would voltage drop affect only the last four fixtures on the line and
each of them in exactly the same way?

I will check all the connections again on the weekend, these were not
the piercing kind, so it could well be my fault for doing a bad job
when connecting.

I will concider all your options and see how it works out.

Oh, I also wondered if LED bulbs would maybe solve my problem? I have
read on some sites that they are much more tolerant in conditions were
voltage drop exists.


Posted by Joseph Meehan on December 5, 2006, 7:47 am


heinkaps@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi Joseph
> Thanks for the reply.
>
> Would voltage drop affect only the last four fixtures on the line and
> each of them in exactly the same way?

It would effect all lamps once the voltage drop reached a certain level.
I do find it odd that four lamps would be affected the same way, but there
are possible reasons You also might want to try moving the first affected
and last non-effected lamps to the end; switching the end ones into their
locations.

>
> I will check all the connections again on the weekend, these were not
> the piercing kind, so it could well be my fault for doing a bad job
> when connecting.
>
> I will concider all your options and see how it works out.
>
> Oh, I also wondered if LED bulbs would maybe solve my problem? I have
> read on some sites that they are much more tolerant in conditions were
> voltage drop exists.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit




Posted by on December 5, 2006, 8:09 am


Hi Joseph, thanks again.
I am going to switch the globes around today.
Will do all the rest of the checks over the weekend.

LOL I also have an electrical engineer on the job now, my cousin. So I
am sure I will get this sorted out.

Thanks again. Will keep you posted with the progress

Joseph Meehan wrote:
> heinkaps@gmail.com wrote:
> > Hi Joseph
> > Thanks for the reply.
> >
> > Would voltage drop affect only the last four fixtures on the line and
> > each of them in exactly the same way?
>
> It would effect all lamps once the voltage drop reached a certain level.
> I do find it odd that four lamps would be affected the same way, but there
> are possible reasons You also might want to try moving the first affected
> and last non-effected lamps to the end; switching the end ones into their
> locations.
>
> >
> > I will check all the connections again on the weekend, these were not
> > the piercing kind, so it could well be my fault for doing a bad job
> > when connecting.
> >
> > I will concider all your options and see how it works out.
> >
> > Oh, I also wondered if LED bulbs would maybe solve my problem? I have
> > read on some sites that they are much more tolerant in conditions were
> > voltage drop exists.
>
> --
> Joseph Meehan
>
> Dia 's Muire duit


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