Landscape lighting and Hayward Pro Logic

[VinceL]

We are making good progress on our pool installation...should be pouring concrete decking late next week.

I want to install a significant number of landscape lights in the pool area. In order to keep the operating costs down, I plan to use LED's. However, I have learned that the LED fixtures from the manufacturers do not allow the consumer to replace the LED....after all, LED's last forever. :blah: So, I plan to buy conventional lighting fixtures and then replace the conventional bulbs with LED's. I have read some other threads on TFP about these LED replacements.

I would like to control the landscape lights from my Pro Logic PS-8. I have several spare relays.

I see that the 12 volt transformers sold by the landscape lighting companies all include timers. I will use the Pro Logic timers (plus I can manually control the lights with the Pro Logic remote). Is there a way to completely bypass/disable the timers in the landscape lighting transformers? Or do I need to look for a plain outdoor 12 volt transformer? If I need a plain transformer, any suggestions?

 

[bumpy1]

Yes, the timers in the LV transformers are not required. I use a zigbee controlled outlet switch to turn on and off my landscape lighting zones. A few points:
* If you're running LED lights you can use a lower wattage transformer (or multiple to create lighting zones that you can turn on/off independantly).
* Multitap transformers are not required with LED.
* Use a hub and spoke topology for your home run to fixtures. Makes hook ups, adds and changes easy.
* Check out landscapelightingworld.com in Florida. Solid brass fixtures, commercial build quality, retrofit led bulbs available, 25' direct burial cord already attached t he fixture. I just installed 10 fixtures a few weeks ago around my pool - definitely impressed with the build quality and customer service.

Also, if you need speakers around the pool. Do yourself a favor and pull an extra pair of 12/2 direct burial LV wire while you;re at it. Much cheaper than trying to source speaker cable.

Dave

 

[savela]

Can you guys educate me a bit. They'll be finishing up my pool in a few weeks and will be installing a PS-8 as well. I have ordered a number of LED lights as well as a multitap transformer and was wondering how I can control it with my PS-8. You speak of relays and no need for timers. How exactly does one control the transformer using this system. Thanks in advance. steve

 

[VinceL]

The PS-8 has several electrical relays in it for controlling power to things like a blower (if you have a spa), pumps, etc. There is a relay in the PS-8 labelled for Lights which is generally used for lights in your pool and/or spa. If you don't have any lights in your pool/spa, you could use this relay for landscape lights.

The PS-8 has 8 relays, and unless you have a LOT of pool equipment, you will not use all of them. If you will have the transformer before they install your PS-8, I'm sure the electrician installing the PS-8 would be willing to install the transformer for you.

For something like landscape lighting, you can wire your transformer into the one of the relays, and you will also have to wire power from one of the circuit breakers to the relay. These relays supply 120 VAC; if you are not comfortable working with high voltage electric circuits, you should have an electrician do the hook-up. After the transformer is wired to a relay, then connect your landscape lights to the low voltage 12V side of the transformer. Whatever relay the transformer is connected to (most likely one of the AUX relays), you can use the PS-8 to switch the relay (manually or timed) to turn the landscape lights on/off.

 

[savela]

Forgot to say thanks for the info. I'll likely try and keep things relatively simple and go with a sensor and timer but did appreciate the response. steve

 

[savela]

Bit of an update. Eventually decided to use the PS-8 to it's full potential and had them connect an outlet to one of the relays and then plug my transformer into that. for now I keep it on all of the time but like the fact t hat I have the option of turing all lights off with the touch of a button, which I like to do while swimming. thanks again Vince