Why Low Voltage Custom Outdoor Lighting?
Energy Saving Tips

The current news and concern in California and even several surrounding states, is electricity - or lack of it. Whether the shortage is a ploy by the electric companies or a reality, the end result is the same: possible rolling blackouts and/or higher prices.

Homeowners should not look at this as a roadblock to professionally lighting their homes with low voltage lighting. Here's why: Watts are watts. This means a watt in line voltage is still the same watt in low voltage; its still costs the same. But, the key is that low voltage lamps are two to three times brighter per watt than incandescent line voltage lamps. The reason being that low voltage lamp filaments are wound tighter, so burn hotter and brighter. Therefore, 1000 watts of line voltage output would be similar in illumination to as little as 500 or even 300 watts in low voltage light output! This results in a substantial savings.

This information is not new. It has always been an element of low voltage lighting and probably why the 12-volt market has grown so quickly and continues to expand. Low voltage lighting is energy efficient and that has become an important issue. As of July 2001, rates in California are approximately 14 cents per kilowatt-hour. That is to say that you can have 1000 watts for hour for 14 cents.

Using the above Comparison on Operation chart, a homeowner would only pay $9.68 per month for a 640 watt transformer with 16 lights.

For more savings, Custom Outdoor Lighting use timers on the transformers to more accurately regulate the time that the transformer is running. Another savings method we utilize is to separate lighting systems. This is a technique that breaks up lighting areas into groups, on separate transformers, allowing our customers to run only the areas they need on.

Knowledge and professionalism is what Custom Outdoor Lighting has to offer. We encourage you to give us a call at Custom Outdoor Lighting and we will gladly discuss how low voltage lighting can beautify your home.