VOLT Garden Lighting

[Toxophilite]

Ha, you just sparked my memory. Most of the connections I soldered with an iron. But a few of the fat ones I just couldn't get hot enough, so I used a propane torch (which I don't recommend)! I'll have to look into a "butane powered pen iron," whatever that is, cause it's sounds like what I should have used. Thx.

Back in my younger days, I was a marine diesel mechanic. Called on for a lot of repairs and installation of DC emergency shutdown systems. 90% of repair issues were wire nuts and crimps. I carried, no, was required to carry, that little butane pen in my tool pouch. If I was caught with a crimper and terminals, forbid a wire nut.......... not good!!! I do not remember the brand of the terminal ends, but they were corrosion resistant to salt water, the thicker than most kind (basically, higher amp rated terminals than needed), and great looking behind heat shrink. Very tidy and tough.

Since it was lighter gauge stuff, about all needed was one of these types: 3-in-1 Cordless Soldering Iron

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Nowadays, with low voltage and low power LED lighting, the crimp versus solder question is pretty irrelevant. But not so long ago, halogen lighting was king and those lights used a ton of current to produce the equivalent amount of lumens. Not only did you have to size and account for every bulb you put on the line from the transformer, but shaky connections would create voltage drops and heat up from joule heating (I²R thermal heating). Running 10’s of amps out of a transformer and encountering a bad solder connections could easily turn into a scorched wire.

With LED lights, skies the limit … sort of.

 

[JamesW]

Mission Accomplished!

The VOLT® Mission:

"To deliver outstanding lighting products with such a gratifying experience that our customers become our best advocates."





Everyone's promotional bonus checks are in the mail.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I used 3 of the Pro-Junction hubs for my install. I liked the idea of running 3 trunk lines and then branching off of each hub for different areas of the yard. I have had zero issues with bugs or other. They come with a rubber seal that does a pretty good job of keeping out bugs. I can't imagine ants wanting to get in there, but possibly. Been 3 years and I opened one recently for my aforementioned troubleshooting. Clean as a whistle.

--Jeff

 

[Dirk]

My costco volt lights came with a version of these. The thing I did not like is that they assume a "hub and spoke" layout which would use more wire. Their assumption is that you keep the 25ft of 18/2 attached to the fixture and run it to the hub. I believe I have 3-4 sitting in my "I'll never use them but they seem o have some value so I can't bring myself to toss them" pile

Exactly. I saved some money by ordering my lights with the short tails, so hub and spoke wouldn't have worked for me.

I suspect "pro" installers like them because they're super fast and easy, and one more thing they can sell to their clients. Plus if they come back on a job for repairs or expansion, they're not digging up a yard they don't remember, they just have to find the hubs.

Maybe you can strip out the WAGOs and use those for some other project.

 

[Dirk]

I used 3 of the Pro-Junction hubs for my install. I liked the idea of running 3 trunk lines and then branching off of each hub for different areas of the yard. I have had zero issues with bugs or other. They come with a rubber seal that does a pretty good job of keeping out bugs. I can't imagine ants wanting to get in there, but possibly. Been 3 years and I opened one recently for my aforementioned troubleshooting. Clean as a whistle.

--Jeff

Good report. Thanks.

 

[Dirk]

I know what I’m getting @Dirk for his next birthday …

https://a.co/d/8XrxusB

No one should have to drag an extension cord around their yard to do simple solder work …

And he can flambé his crème brûlée after he’s done …

Ha, LOVE it. It's in my cart! Is that a good brand?

 

[Dirk]

The heat shrink I use is adhesive lined such that the adhesive melts and seals the connection.

Ah, sounds good. I just recently bought a bunch of those with the adhesive, but I haven't had a chance to torture test them yet.

 

[Dirk]

"To deliver outstanding lighting products with such a gratifying experience that our customers become our best advocates."

Preach!

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Ha, LOVE it. It's in my cart! Is that a good brand?

No idea. I just shared the first one that popped up. I liked that it gave one the flexibility of doing both field soldering electrical work AND browning custards in the kitchen …

 

[Ahultin]

Exactly. I saved some money by ordering my lights with the short tails, so hub and spoke wouldn't have worked for me.

The Costco volt lights come with 25' leads and bulbs by default. Instead of buying a full kit I bought only the "expansion pack" which included 4 spotlights with 25' leads, 1 hub and 25' 14/2. At the time the expansion pack was less expensive than 4 single spotlights. I did not like the transformer volt included with the costco kits as the timer and photocell where built in and it was meant to be installed freestanding. I installed my transformer in the garage on a leviton smart outlet so I can have full smart home control.
The one negative to the costco items is that the spotlights do not use the traditional 1/2 mip threading so you can only use them in a staked application. We have uplighting installed in the gutters to illuminate some second floor architectural features, there I used the standard volt spots.

 

[Dirk]

The Costco volt lights come with 25' leads and bulbs by default. Instead of buying a full kit I bought only the "expansion pack" which included 4 spotlights with 25' leads, 1 hub and 25' 14/2. At the time the expansion pack was less expensive than 4 single spotlights. I did not like the transformer volt included with the costco kits as the timer and photocell where built in and it was meant to be installed freestanding. I installed my transformer in the garage on a leviton smart outlet so I can have full smart home control.
The one negative to the costco items is that the spotlights do not use the traditional 1/2 mip threading so you can only use them in a staked application. We have uplighting installed in the gutters to illuminate some second floor architectural features, there I used the standard volt spots.

Huh, I'm not familiar with the Costco offering(s). I only ordered directly from VOLT. As was mentioned, I used 12/2 for the backbone. If I'm doing the math right, Costco's kit will add 125' of 14/2. That's not as bad as a single 125' length, in terms of resistance, because of the star topology, but I like keeping the 14/2 tails short, and running the main line with 12/2.

In fact, I located my transformer midway, so I actually have two main lines, one running to one side of the yard, and the other serving the other half. I thought that might help in terms of reducing voltage drop.

Electrical properties are not the only consideration. 12/2 is just stronger, with thicker insulation. Maybe it'll survive better a poke with a shovel, or a gopher nibble or a good yank. I just think bigger is better when it comes to garden lighting: heavy duty fixtures, fat wires, a big transformer with room to grow, etc.

My transformer is mounted outside, but in a big water proof "hobby box." I wanted that extra layer of protection from rain (even though the VOLT transformer I have is water resistant), and I needed room for other things. I have the tranformer for my "shock wire" in there, along with an array of smart outlets that control my entire yard (lights, fountain, bug light, etc).

I would have preferred all that in my garage, like you have it, and not outside in a plastic box, but my yard's layout doesn't allow for that.

This guy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005T57PK4

I drilled holes in the bottom through which I ran PVC conduit into the dirt. All the electrical inside is GFCI protected.

 

[Dirk]

Nowadays, with low voltage and low power LED lighting, the crimp versus solder question is pretty irrelevant. But not so long ago, halogen lighting was king and those lights used a ton of current to produce the equivalent amount of lumens. Not only did you have to size and account for every bulb you put on the line from the transformer, but shaky connections would create voltage drops and heat up from joule heating (I²R thermal heating). Running 10’s of amps out of a transformer and encountering a bad solder connections could easily turn into a scorched wire.

With LED lights, skies the limit … sort of.

Interesting. I like the fact that I'm lighting my entire yard with the same watts I used to use on a single 50 watt halogen!

 

[Dirk]

Back in my younger days, I was a marine diesel mechanic. Called on for a lot of repairs and installation of DC emergency shutdown systems. 90% of repair issues were wire nuts and crimps. I carried, no, was required to carry, that little butane pen in my tool pouch. If I was caught with a crimper and terminals, forbid a wire nut.......... not good!!! I do not remember the brand of the terminal ends, but they were corrosion resistant to salt water, the thicker than most kind (basically, higher amp rated terminals than needed), and great looking behind heat shrink. Very tidy and tough.

Since it was lighter gauge stuff, about all needed was one of these types: 3-in-1 Cordless Soldering Iron

Ooh, I like that model, too. Dang, guess I'll have to subject myself to my usual research-before-I-buy process, but I'm definitely now in the market (you know, eight years too late).

 

[Ahultin]

Huh, I'm not familiar with the Costco offering(s). I only ordered directly from VOLT. As was mentioned, I used 12/2 for the backbone. If I'm doing the math right, Costco's kit will add 125' of 14/2. That's not as bad as a single 125' length, in terms of resistance, because of the star topology, but I like keeping the 14/2 tails short, and running the main line with 12/2.

In fact, I located my transformer midway, so I actually have two main lines, one running to one side of the yard, and the other serving the other half. I thought that might help in terms of reducing voltage drop.

Electrical properties are not the only consideration. 12/2 is just stronger, with thicker insulation. Maybe it'll survive better a poke with a shovel, or a gopher nibble or a good yank. I just think bigger is better when it comes to garden lighting: heavy duty fixtures, fat wires, a big transformer with room to grow, etc.

My transformer is mounted outside, but in a big water proof "hobby box." I wanted that extra layer of protection from rain (even though the VOLT transformer I have is water resistant), and I needed room for other things. I have the tranformer for my "shock wire" in there, along with an array of smart outlets that control my entire yard (lights, fountain, bug light, etc).

I would have preferred all that in my garage, like you have it, and not outside in a plastic box, but my yard's layout doesn't allow for that.

This guy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005T57PK4

I drilled holes in the bottom through which I ran PVC conduit into the dirt. All the electrical inside is GFCI protected.

Unfortunately the lights themselves have 18/2 tails. I used 12/2 for my main and cutoff and tossed the majority of the 18/2 leaving just a few feet for fixture relocation. The 14/2 that came with the kit i used for some offshoots off of the trunk like the 6 uplights we have lighting the second story. Initially I had two main lines going to a single 300 watt dual input transformer, one line going to the front of the house and another going to the back. Currently the 300 watt only services the front of the house as I moved the back of the house to a separate pool safe transformer at the equipment pad.
My landscape lights where really a part of a project that started as lets get some trees for the yard, spiraled down the rabbit hole (as all my home improvement projects tend to) and ultimately ended (?) with the pool

 

[Toxophilite]

Ooh, I like that model, too. Dang, guess I'll have to subject myself to my usual research-before-I-buy process, but I'm definitely now in the market (you know, eight years too late).

Amazon covers the whole gambit, from the inexpensive to some pro $150 models. The main thing is not so much volume, you can carry around a refill, but the burner quality - will it not flame out more than heat, hold a steady heat, more windproof.... long list but not to say a cheapo is necessarily better or worse.

 

[Dirk]

Unfortunately the lights themselves have 18/2 tails.

Oh that's right. All the more reason to keep them short.

I ran the main line and the tails along my drip lines wherever I could. I thought maybe that would lessen the possibility of chopping them up: less highways running around. 'course if I do chop 'em, then I'll have a drip line and an electrical line to repair!

and ultimately ended (?) with the pool

Yep. I finally did my last yard project ever... about 8 projects ago! Only three to go, then that'll be my last yard project ever! No, really.

 

[Toxophilite]

@Dirk I'm still drawing mine out to put package together, but looks like will be about 350' of single run. All trees are in direct line along back of property, so will just be making a run from garage in a single string. Estimated total of about 270watts. Will use 300watt transformer, multi-tap. Have you used the direct burial junction connector they have to tee off for each? Trying to plan it this way v. hub set up. Also, their 12/2 for this?

 

[Ahultin]

@Dirk I'm still drawing mine out, but looks like will be about 350' of single run. All trees are in direct line along back of property, so will just be making a run from garage in a single string. Estimated total of about 270watts. Will use 300watt transformer, multi-tap. Have you used the direct burial junction connector they have to tee off for each? Trying to plan it this way v. hub set up. Also, their 12/2 for this?

Check your transformer as most are only rated to 70 or 80% max constant output (210-240 watts)

 

[Toxophilite]

Check your transformer as most are only rated to 70 or 80% max constant output (210-240 watts)

Thanks! Yeah, I know from an old prior system, non led, wattage and voltage drop are easy to under-build for. Next up is 600w, so maybe just go 600w 10/2 and have any issue more than taken care of.