VOLT Garden Lighting

[Dirk]

I'm remembering now a concern over getting the right bulbs. Not so much color/temperature, but if they would be the right brightness. So use cheaper Amazon bulbs to dial in everything. If they last, they last, and if you find they're blowing up too often, then buy Volts at that point that match the temperature and wattage you figure out with the cheapies.

If you go that route, you'd want to make sure that Volt's bulb warranty is good even if you buy bulbs separately from the fixtures.

I think it was @JoyfulNoise that taught us the life expectancy of LED light bulbs has little to do with the LEDs themselves, and much more to do with the electronics inside them (I think those are called "drivers"). So while many bulb sellers will claim a 50,000 hour lifespan for their LEDs, they may be "stretching the truth" referring to the LED itself, not that the drivers will actually last that long.

50,000 hours is about 5.7 years, not-stop usage. I've had plenty that have gone out in less than 5 years that are only on for a few hours a day (not Volt's, I'm referring to household LED lightbulbs). I remember hearing that it's not how long you run an incandescent bulb that wears it out, but rather how many times you turn it on and off. I don't know if that holds true for LEDs and/or their drivers.

 

[Toxophilite]

@Dirk I've had great experience with Amazon bulbs with my range hood bulbs. Can buy 6-pack off Amazon for about what one costs in HD and will outlive the brand name by a long shot. Then, I tried their 40v batteries for equipment. Total failure - don't ever, ever waste money on those. Brand from store only real McCoy. Water filters? Been told the integrity of the media is of concern, but, the price is good Yeah, even if short lived, at least can dial in the watts and lumens on cheaper test media.

 

[Dirk]

@Dirk I've had great experience with Amazon bulbs with my range hood bulbs. Can buy 6-pack off Amazon for about what one costs in HD and will outlive the brand name by a long shot. Then, I tried their 40v batteries for equipment. Total failure - don't ever, ever waste money on those. Brand from store only real McCoy. Water filters? Been told the integrity of the media is of concern, but, the price is good Yeah, even if short lived, at least can dial in the watts and lumens on cheaper test media.

Yep, hit and miss with Amazon. You don't always get what you pay for. But I started this thread to share that with Volt, you indeed do.

 

[Toxophilite]

Update: Got my Volt system via truck on Tuesday. Ordered it Saturday! Was a day late, as was promised Monday! Wow, actually, those folks move fast!!!! As stated here, the equipment is top notch built. Nothing shabby about it. I made first run to one tree yesterday evening just to see outcome before running rest of run. Was thinking I might need 2 per tree, knowing the boss's desire for max light. Well, using the MR16, 5W, 60-degree, white, 4000K, one is more than more light in my opinion. Boss is out of country till 5th. Voting enough is enough, already! Now! I also Amazon ordered a TP-Link Kasa smart plug to go with my other lighting and doorbell, which I like the Kasa stuff. But, being it's an outdoor smart plug, they put a straight plug on the end of short cord, which means cramming to get lid closed on receptacle. Why not an offset plug for something that goes in an outdoor box?

 

[Dirk]

That looks fantastic! One looks good, you might get airplanes landing in your yard if you added another one!

I may have mentioned: leave plenty of extra slack so that you can move the light around a bit for adjusting the effect. For example, you might move it away from the tree to tone down the amount of light on the trunk, or you might have to move the light in a few years if a once-little shrub overgrows to block the light.

Can't wait to see the rest of them in place!

 

[Toxophilite]

Thanks, @Dirk . Yes, I did leave a bit of coil slack, and this tree was my night test before committing to running out the rest. I'll just be able to daisy chain them right on down now. It actually look a little more muted in real life, as the camera glare is pretty much.

 

[Dirk]

Thanks, @Dirk . Yes, I did leave a bit of coil slack, and this tree was my night test before committing to running out the rest. I'll just be able to daisy chain them right on down now. It actually look a little more muted in real life, as the camera glare is pretty much.

Oh, right. The night shots I post here have that same dealio. The lights look way more obnoxious than they are in person.

 

[Toxophilite]

@Dirk I'm just glad I listened and didn't order 2 per, and, that saved some wattage. It can't stand anymore light, and I will get a gold star when she sees them. I'm assuming from what read, that I can't pit that smartplub inside due to metal box? Lot of water back there from storm last night, so working electrical trim up today at box.

 

[Ahultin]

I have smart bulbs in some of mine but I also have a pretty robust mesh wifi setup that reaches way further than it should lol.
If you do go with any smart bulbs, do yourself a favor and set them up individually (I have a small transformer and extra fixture that solely serves this duty) they are way too difficult to get multiple setup simultaneously before running out of time.

Reading again I think you are asking about the smart plug not smart bulb lol.
Same thing the stainless casing may shield the wifi but worth a try. I use leviton switches so used a leviton smart receptacle to control my transformer

 

[Toxophilite]

@Ahultin Yeah, a smart receptacle would have been the answer, but I have ton's of stuff indoor already on Kasa and Alexa, I just hated to have another app on my phone. I think I can get a deeper receptacle cover from HD, so gonna check that out. Either way, the transformer is straight ended too, so need a deeper lid no matter. Reminded me to try, I just went out and put the smart plug in the box and it cares not!!! Great! Don't have to deal with that on the outside.

 

[Ahultin]

How about something like this
Limited-time deal: Kasa Smart Plug KP200, In-Wall Smart Home Wi-Fi Outlet Works with Alexa, Google Home & IFTTT, No Hub Required, Remote Control, ETL Certified , White, 1 Pack https://a.co/d/0Q6PEZw

 

[Toxophilite]

@Ahultin Saw, and looked at first like GGI with the inside buttons, but sadly (or good if you need), it's like my 2 plug outdoor, each plug is independent control, giving you 2 control device options as labeled by the buttons, device1 & 2. So, if I plug something else into my outdoor plug into device 2, I can name and control it separately. I like their stuff, especially after going through 2 other brands of doorbell cameras. Their takes an onboard micro-usb and records 24/7 with snapshots of motion events where you can pull up event and scroll the before and after on the app. Others I had, most events were gone before the camera ever kicked in gear to record. I ended up with this:

 

[Dirk]

I'm only barely following what the problem is. I think you're talking about cramming stuff into the metal box from VOLT. I got around the wi-fi issue (actually RF with my devices) by using a plastic box. My VOLT transformer fits inside the plastic box, along with my smart devices, all safe from the elements. But mine is an older VOLT transformer that is smaller than what you are dealing with. But you could still mount a second box, of plastic, along side the VOLT transformer, and use conduit to run wires and power cords back and forth between the VOLT box and the plastic box. Then put all your home automation gizmos in the plastic box, which shouldn't interfere with the signal.

Trust me, you're going to end up with more than one or two HA plugs, so they wouldn't all fit in the VOLT box anyway. I'm up to seven now:
- garden lights
- bistro lights
- bug light
- fountain
- animal hot wire
- citrus tree heater
- spare/extra

I think I may have already given you that list, and a link to the box I used.

So plan ahead and allow for expansion now, so you don't have to redo everything later.

 

[Toxophilite]

Thanks @Dirk . Yeah, the present metal box is big, so for now can put that Kasa plug where a timer would jumper in by internal plug and it wifi connects fine there. Still plenty of room in box. What was trouble was just my GFI plug that's on my pergola post where I low mounted the box and couldn't close cover over the straight plug. So, gonna get a deeper cover, but miffed that Kasa sold a fat cable outdoor plug, for outdoor box plug, and could have just as easily thought about a simple offset plug for low profile plug in, or one that cable bends over easier. But, now I have my box plugged there and my smart plug in the box.

Whoa! Got some outdoor lighting there!! Sure you ain't from my wife's side of family I'm minimal, at best. Did get the box stuff done today, and, was able to get 2 more trees that were not too swampy back there. I've got about 150' to go, and 3 more trees. Rest will add after this can be inspected and approved.

The little light on the 3rd tree is what was previously using. Solar LED. Not much comparison.

 

[nrobfd_pl]

Looking at Volt lighting. Outside of two canned lights under the roof on our deck, we have zero lighting in our backyard (no lights in pool either) and want to change that before summer parties and night swims. Any suggestions on light location and kind?

 

[Dirk]

Nice yard! Hmm, your challenge is going to be the lawn. Those trees would look amazing all lit up, but the ideal placement for the up lights to do that would be smack dab in the middle of the lawn. Path lights (down lights) surrounding the pool would look nice, too, but half of them would also be in the lawn.

What you don't want is lighting that shines in your eyes while sitting around the pool at night. Everything shining down or away. Dern, sorry, not much help.

I have some uplights for my trees that I placed very near the trunks. They shine up through the leaves. They don't "ignite" the trees all that brightly, and don't hit most of the leaves, they kinda light the branches and inner leaves from the inside out. It's subtle, but a nice effect. You could try that approach.

It's near impossible (for me, anyway) to get a decent night shot of my lighting with my phone. The light tends to blow out the image and it looks too hot. But in this pic you can sort'a see what I'm describing. The tree on the right is lit with an uplight that is placed some 10' away from it. That lights up the entire tree pretty well. The tree on the left is lit from directly below. That doesn't light up the leaves very much, but kind'a creates a silhouette effect from the inside out. "In person" I don't see that big bright spot underneath, it's way more subtle than that.

And you can also see the path lighting I have around the pool. They're placed in the surrounding beds, so they're not a trip hazard and I don't have to mow that area.



I strung white Christmas lights on my fence. I call those "bistro lights." Pretty cheap and dimmable. You might be able to use that idea, on your fence or around your deck, down the stairs or on the retaining walls.

 

[Dirk]

Ahg, I (we) did it again. We're hijacking someone else's thread. Which is not ideal, and also doesn't put as many eyes on your question as it would if you were in your own thread. @Newdude, can you rescue us again?

 

[Dirk]

Now if you've got time and money to burn, and want the ultimate look, this is what ya gotta do. Which will be easy for me to say, since it's not my money and not my back!

Chop out the lawn on one side of your pool, and get rid of the gravel on the other side, and landscape a 5' to 10' swath all around your pool. Fill it with mulch and ground cover and shrubs and some small evergreen trees (mind your plants, don't want leaves in the pool), then light all that up. And then you can plant the up-lights for the big trees in back in that landscaping area. It would be amazing.

 

[mc2021]

For the box depth dilemma, they also sell box extenders in various materials and sizes Red Dot 1-Gang Flanged Electrical Box Extension with 6 1/2 in. Holes - Silver S127E - The Home Depot

 

[Newdude]

Ahg, I (we) did it again. We're hijacking someone else's thread

You can't hijack yourself old friend.

IMO it's still all on topic as anyone going with VOLT lighting may have similar questions. If you don't mind sharing some bandwidth in your thread, it can stay. Or we can split it off for VOLT part Duex : Electric Boogaloo.