Outdoor Low Voltage LED Lighting

Deciding whether or not to use LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lamps in your landscape lighting system is actually quite simple. If you are installing new landscape lights, including the purchase of new transformers, then the choice is easy; you should almost certainly use LED bulbs and LED based landscape lighting fixtures.

LED based landscape lighting for your outdoor lighting needs is the wave of the future. Light Emitting Diodes (LED's) reduce environmental impact by reducing bulb replacement and electricity usage.

And if you want to lower your energy usage and costs, then LED lamps will last 5 times longer than fluorescent's and 12 times longer than standard outdoor halogen bulbs and use up to 80% less energy to operate. The 20% to 30% extra you will pay up front will more than pay for itself in the long run by using less energy per month and save in bulb replacement costs over time. LED Lighting is also environmentally friendly - containing no lead, mercury or glass.

Modern LED Bulbs versus Traditional Halogen Bulbs

LED Bulbs

Bulb Wattages range from 1.5 watts to 15 watts
Transformers range from 50 watts to 300 watts
A 300 watt transformer can have 56 5 watt LED fixtures
Longer wire runs using smaller gauge wire
LED Fixtures are cool or slightly warm to the touch
Wide range of color temperatures to choose from
Truer white color with little yellow
50,000 hour bulb life
Little or no maintenance
Much less energy use (80% less)
More Environmentally friendly

Halogen Bulbs

Bulb wattages range from 10W – 50W
Transformers range from 300 watts to 1200 watts
A 300 watt transformer can only have 14 20 watt fixtures
Longer wire runs require higher gauge wire
Halogen fixtures are very hot and could cause burns if touched
Only one color temperature to choose from
Lots of yellow color but still white and dimmable
2,000 to 4,000 bulb life
Constant Maintenance
Higher Energy Use
Less environmentally friendly as they can contain lead, mercury and have to be disposed of more often and take more electricity to run

Find more cost and energy saving tips here...