When entertaining outdoors, a well-lit landscape is essential. You don’t want guests tripping in the dark or accidentally falling into the pool. Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights have become the industry standard for outdoor lighting due to their low energy consumption and long lifespan. Some LED lights even offer an added benefit: the ability to change colors.
What Are Outdoor Color-Changing Lights?
Different LED lights typically emit one of three colors: red, green, or blue. Each LED light can emit only one color. However, Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) LED lights combine a red, green, and blue LED within a single housing. By varying the intensity of each color, the housing can emit one of 16 million color options. These lights can even be programmed to emit white light.
Why Add Color-Changing Lights?
LED lights are energy-efficient, emit very little heat, and are easily controlled through smartphone apps. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. RGB LED lights can change color, which allows for versatile use. For example, during football season, they can shine red for the Chiefs, and blue for the Royals during baseball season. During the Christmas season they can glow red and green. For the Fourth of July, they can be red, white, and blue. If your HOA regulates the number and type of flags you can fly, you can express the same sentiment through your outdoor lighting.
Types of Outdoor Color-Changing Light Controllers
To change the color of your outdoor lighting, you’ll need RGB LED lights. There are four common methods used to control color changes:
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) Lights
PWM lights are rapidly turned on and off at varying intervals. By controlling the intensity of the bulb, different colors can be created. Mood strips commonly use this method.
Digital Control
Digital control allows a program to turn the lights on and off to produce varying colors. This method is easy to use and can also be programmed to create lighting patterns. DJs, musical productions, and other events that require fast-changing lighting often use digital controls.
Digital Multiplex (DMX)
DMX controllers enable users to manage several lighting features from a single control board. This method is used in professional settings, such as musicals and live events, where multiple lighting elements need to be controlled simultaneously, similar to a soundboard.
RBG Controllers and Remotes
RGB controllers and remotes are commonly used by homeowners. The remotes send signals to the controller, adjusting the light settings. A smartphone app makes it even easier to change colors.
RGB LED lights can be recessed into your deck, patio, or steps.
How Much Do Color Changing Lights Cost?
RGB LED lights tend to be more expensive than standard white or single-color lights. Part of this cost comes from the controller and remote or app required to operate the lights. However, they are not prohibitively expensive, and many homeowners find the ability to vary their lighting worth the extra cost. Depending on the system you use and if it is controlled by individual lights or by the main controller these systems can run anywhere from $300 – $1000 per light or even more with all the wiring, transformers, timers, and labor to install. As with any custom projects there are many variables that can influence the final cost of the project.
Outdoor Lighting Maintenance Tips
One of the great benefits of LED lights is their long lifespan—up to 50,000 hours when properly maintained. To keep your lights in optimal condition, regularly clean them to remove dust and dirt that can obstruct the emitted light. Use a soft cloth and a non-abrasive cleaner, and always turn off the lights before cleaning.
While cleaning, inspect the power cables for any damage or wear, ensuring proper connection. Periodically check the controller for potential issues before they cause problems. If you’re using a standalone remote, remember to replace the battery when necessary to ensure continued functionality.
Managing Wildlife Attracted To Lights
Outdoor lights often attract insects, and subsequently, insect predators like bats, frogs, and toads. LED lights generally attract fewer insects than other light types. Yellow or amber LED lights, in particular, are known to attract very few insects. Additionally, programming the lights to turn off when no one is outside can help prevent attracting insects.
RGB LED lights are becoming more affordable and widely available. If the idea of changing the color of your outdoor lights appeals to you, installing RGB lights could be a worthwhile investment. The convenience of using remotes and smartphone apps makes these lights a more practical and reliable option compared to traditional colored bulbs, which often burn out or are limited to a single color.
Nightime lighting is important for safety as well as to show off your landscape.
As fall and the holiday season approaches, the temperatures are beginning to cool off, so it is more pleasant to be outside. As the night lengthens, landscape lighting becomes more important. Now is a good time to check your lights to ensure the system is working properly. Here are the steps we take to check and maintain landscape lighting.
Maintenance Steps
We recommend doing maintenance on the entire system. This includes the wiring, lamps, transformer, fixtures, and timer/photocells. You will first need to turn on the lighting to do this. Usually this can be done in the transformer with an on switch on the timer.
Check The Lamps For Light
Check each light to make sure it is on. If not, use a tester light you know works and put it in the fixture. If that works, then you will need to replace the LED light. LED lights last thousands of hours of operation, but even they eventually will burn out.
Check The Connections
If the tester light doesn’t work, you may have a problem with the power to that light fixture. You can use a volt meter to check if you have power. If not, you can run a new wire from the nearest connection to see if that fixes the problem. If you still have no power, you will have to go back to the last connection that works and fix the system from that point forward.
Fixtures get dirty and don’t shine as brightly.
Clean The Fixtures
Use a damp cloth for this step so you do not damage the fixture. Clean the outside housing of the fixture. Use glass cleaner and clean the fixture lens. You may need to do this step 3-4 times a year to make sure dirt and debris don’t cover the light and prevent it from showing.
Adjust and Aim Fixtures
Animals, people, and lawn equipment can bump the light fixtures and move them. That means the fixtures are no longer lighting what you want to be lighted. Check the aim of each fixture and adjust as needed to showcase your landscape or illuminate dark spaces.
Test The Transformer
The transformer takes house current and reduces it to the lower voltage that these LED lights require. Too much current can burn out a fixture or reduce its life. Check the terminal blocks and tighten them. Check the internal components and make sure they are clean, do not show excessive wear, and do not show any burn spots. Replace anything that has a problem.
A clock turns on the lights at a set time.
Check The Clock/Photocells
Set the clock or timer for fall so the lights come on at the proper time. If you use photocells to turn on the lights in the evening and turn them off in the morning, clean them with a damp cloth so dirt and dust don’t make them come on and off at the wrong time. We like to use astronomical timers that will adjust automatically for daylight savings based on zip code.
Check And Re-Bury Wire
Check any wires you can see for nicks and cuts. If you find any, splice in a section of wire to replace the damaged spots. It is best to run a complete splice from light to light to limit additional connection points. If you must splice in the middle of a run, we suggest installing a box over this splice to easily find it later in case of any issues. Re-bury any wiring that has become exposed over the year. Bury it far enough underground so that it won’t be damaged by equipment in the yard.
Cut back plants blocking lights.
Cut Back Plants Blocking Lights
Plants can grow during the year and block lights. Now is a good time to trim those plants back so they do not block the light from showing. Be careful not to remove more than one-third of a plant within two months, or you will damage the plant. You can also move the light slightly if needed. This is one reason why we leave long leads of wire on each light to be adjusted later if needed.
Make Adjustments As Needed
Have you planted a new specimen plant that needs lighting? Has a plant died, so the light is no longer needed there? New and better lights are always coming on the market. Has something new come out that fits your situation better? Don’t be afraid to make changes to keep up with technology.
We Can Check Your Lights For You
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can do your lighting maintenance for you. We will check everything and repair and renew it as needed. Call the office at (816) 825-2524 to sign up. Hurry, the schedule is filling up fast.
Over the last couple of months, we at Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping have been discussing how to maintain your equipment and landscape beds. You also need to maintain the lights that show off your landscape and outdoor living spaces. Here are the steps we recommend.
Total System Inspection
We recommend a total system inspection. This includes the wiring, lamps, transformer, fixtures, and timer/photocells. While this type of inspection takes some effort, once it is done you know the system is safe and will work without trouble for the next year. To do this, you need to turn on the system.
Check the Lamps & Connections
Check to see if the lamps inside the fixtures work. If they are not, or give signs they are failing, replace them. LED lights last thousands of hours, but they do eventually fail. Any easy way to test a failed lamp is to swap it with one in a fixture that you know is working. If it still doesn’t work it may be a connection that is the problem. You can trace back the wire to a connection within a few feet and resplice to make sure the wire is good or you could use a volt meter to check if you have power.
Clean the Fixtures
Over time, dust and dirt mar the light fixtures and cover the lens on the fixtures. Clean the fixtures with a damp cloth. Do not use a wet one or you can damage the fixture. Clean all the lenses with a glass cleaner so they can shine brightly. This step may need to be taken on a regular basis, probably 3-4 times a season, to keep everything looking nice all year around.
Adjust and Aim Fixtures
Storms, animals, and sometimes guests, may bump your fixtures so they are not aimed properly anymore. In addition, plants grow, and the light may not show them at their best anymore. This means they will not illuminate the feature you want to put a spotlight on. Adjust any fixture that isn’t just right so that it is aimed exactly where you want it. You may have to do this in the evening so you can see the lights the way your guests will.
Test the Transformer
The transformer takes the house current and reduces it so the LED light fixtures can use it without burning out. Testing the transformer makes sure it is properly reducing the current so your LED light fixtures will last a long time. Re-tighten any terminal blocks that have worked loose during the last year. Inspect all the internal components to make sure they are clean, do not show too much wear, and do not have any burned spots. Replace any problem components you find.
Check the Clocks/Photocells
Now that the time has changed, set the clocks for the season. If you use photocells, which turn on the lights at dusk and turn them off at dawn, make sure they are functioning properly. Clean the surface so dirt doesn’t block the lens and make the lights turn on prematurely. Use a damp cloth.
Repair and Re-bury Wire
Check the wire you can see for any cuts or nicks in the wire. Repair any you find. Re-bury any exposed wires that should be buried. Make sure the wires are deep enough to avoid damage during the year.
Trim Plants That Block Lights
As plants grow, they may begin to block the lights set around them. Trim any plant material that is causing a problem by blocking the light. Be careful not to trim more than a third of the plant, including any pruning you have done in the last two months, or you will damage the plant.
Make Changes as Needed
Lighting innovations are continually being developed. Update your lighting fixtures and lighting system as new and better components are available. As an example, you can find some new things for 2022 in this article.
In addition, your needs may change. Perhaps a plant has died, so there is no need for that light. Or, you have planted another tree and need new lights to show it off. New hardscape features need lights, too. Expand your lighting system to illuminate all your landscape and outdoor living areas.
We Can Help
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can tune your lighting system for the year. We will run through this checklist and make sure all parts of your landscape lighting system are working correctly. Schedule a consultation or call (816) 825-2524 to get on our schedule today. Hurray, our schedule is filling up fast.
Fall is here, and the sun sets lower each night. While there are many ways to light your outdoor living space to maximize the time you can play outside; we like automated low-voltage LED lighting systems.
What Are Automated Low Voltage LED Lighting Systems?
These systems use low-voltage wires that are thin and less visible to power LED lights with 12 or 24 volts. This low voltage really saves on electricity costs. The lights are controlled by a smart controller that can talk to your smartphone. You can set the lights up to come on and off automatically when you want them to. Further, you can control the warmth and even the color of the lights, so you can turn them red for Chiefs games or other colors for other celebrations.
What Are the Advantages of Low Voltage versus Line Voltage Systems?
Line voltage is the voltage that comes out of the wall socket, typically 120 volts here in the United States and Canada. Low voltage is typically 12 or 24 volts. Here are some of the differences.
Line Voltage
Low Voltage
Use with most out-of-the-box lamps and lights
It needs a transformer and LED lights to use
Cheaper initially
Saves money on electricity costs
It uses thick copper wire
It uses thin speaker wires
Electricity costs are expensive
Light warmth and color can be easily altered with the controller
It can be automated with smart plugs for each light.
It can be controlled with a smart controller
Light is defused and less sharp
It can be automated and scheduled easily
Lights can be dimmed to 30 percent or on full based on occupancy or need, or turned off
Like looks sharper and more natural
Bulbs can last 6,000 hours before needing to be replaced
Components of Automated Low Voltage LED Lighting Systems
Here are the components you will need to install an automated low-voltage LED lighting system in your outdoor living area.
Transformer
The transformer steps the line voltage of 120 volts down to 12 volts. This is the voltage most low-voltage LED lights use. Transformers are rated for different loads. Choose a transformer that is larger than the sum of the wattage of the lights you will hook to it. For example, if you have ten 12-watt lights, choose a 150-watt transformer. Avoid the temptation to buy a transformer with a much bigger rating than the load you will put on it.
Wiring
The wiring for a low-voltage LED lighting system is much smaller and safer than using 120 volts. If your system will use more than 200 watts, you should use a 12 gauge wire. If your system uses less than 200 watts, you can use a 14-gauge wire. You can often use speaker wire for this application.
Light Fixtures and Bulbs
There is a wide range of low-voltage LED light fixtures to choose from. The key is placing each light fixture at least ten feet from the transformer and ten feet from each other. Don’t overload your transformer, or your lights will be very dim or not work at all.
You can choose lights and bulbs that allow you to change the warmth and color of the light. For example, you could turn your lights red for a Chiefs-watching party.
Timers and Photocells
Timers allow you to set the times you want your lights to come on. Photocells will trigger the lights when the sun goes down and turn them off when it gets light. Many timers can be used with a smartphone. Depending on the configuration of the system, you may be able to schedule individual lights to come on at different times. Our favorite timer is the astronomical type that will automatically reset with daylight savings time based on your zip code.
Our Favorite Brands
Making sure you use a reputable brand when buying your components is important. Here are our three favorite brands.
Pro Trade
Pro Trade lighting is a good choice if you are on a tight budget. The fixtures are durable and tough but don’t have the bells and whistles some other brands have. Pro Trade has a wide variety of fixtures available, so you should be able to find the lighting you want. However, it may not have the range of choices on lighting warmth and individual control some systems have.
Unique Lighting
Unique Lighting fixtures are a step up from Pro Trade. Unique Lighting has fixtures that you can turn into different colors. In addition to a range of fixtures and transformers, Unique Lighting has the SMRT LOGIC® Cloud-Based Landscape Control System. This lets you control your lighting system on your smartphone. You can even turn fountains and other landscape features on and off with this system.
Coastal Source
If you are looking for the best home system, Coastal Source is your brand. Coastal Source includes their own proprietary brand of smart controller that can control not only the color but the shape and intensity of your outdoor lights. These lights are durable and look nice anywhere. You can also get lights that are low profile, so they are invisible but light a specimen tree or other feature without the fixture taking away from the scene.
We Design and Install Automatic Low Voltage LED Lighting Systems
Designing and installing your automatic low-voltage LED lighting system can be a chore. Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can design the perfect lighting system. Our Blue Crew can install the system and make sure it works just the way you want it to. We can even set up the automation program on your smartphone and show you how to work it. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discuss your outdoor living lighting system needs.
Outdoor lighting is crucial to enjoying your outdoor living space after dark. Whether it is spotlighting a centerpiece or keeping a guest from walking into the pool, lighting makes it possible to enjoy your landscape late into the night. While we have discussed outdoor lighting 101 in the past, technology is constantly improving. Read on for the latest in outdoor lighting innovations.
Recessed Lighting
Hidden lighting fixtures under caps of walls can accentuate these features in your landscape without unsightly wires and fixtures. Lighting just appears after dark. Using these lights can add depth and texture to your landscape especially when the wall is made with natural stone.
Smart Lighting
Smart lighting isn’t new, but technology continues to improve in this area. You can do more with your lighting from your smart phone instead of having to change things at a control box. This allows you to easily vary the lighting depending on the weather, what you are doing outside, and what parts of your landscape you want to accent that day. You can use Wi Fi or Bluetooth technology to do this. Wi Fi costs a bit more but reaches farther. Some systems can set scenes for special events and others can control each light individually.
Lowering Your Carbon Footprint
LED lights continue to improve. They convert 95 percent of their energy into light, as opposed to 5 percent with other bulbs. As LED technology improves, LED lights are using less of toxic substances like mercury, making them even more environmentally friendly. You can know get LED lights in a variety of colors, too, making them fun as well as functional.
Simulating Moonlight
Moonlight is cool and inviting. New lights can simulate that light in your landscape. Lights are mounted at least twenty feet in the air. Lights mounted in trees can be made to shine down through the branches like dappled moonlight. To really simulate moonlight effectively, you will need glare guards. Sometimes a blue lens can also give the moonlight effect.
Higher End Visible Fixtures
Light fixtures should, generally speaking, not call attention to themselves. However, there are some light fixtures in plain sight that are hard to ignore. Spend the extra money to get high end light fixtures for porch lights, lamp posts, and path lights and other obvious fixtures.
Lighting From Below
Under lighting is softer and can provide visual interest as well as light. Lights along the underside of your outdoor kitchen counters can allow you to see what you are doing while adding visual appeal. Underlighting benches and stone walls can add visual interest as well.
Using Task Lighting Differently
Outdoor kitchens have employed task lighting for years. The new trend is to use task lighting throughout the outdoor landscape, not just in the kitchen. You can add bright lights to a basketball or tennis court to improve safety. Ambient light in the dining room or a warm glow that is bright enough to read by are additional ideas.
Lighting Water From Within
At Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping, we have been using lights inside water features for years. More and more people are discovering the special visual appeal of doing this. Lights from within water features can add an otherworldly appeal to improve any water feature.
Dark Sky Friendly Lighting
As much as we want to light up our outdoor living spaces, light pollution can block the stars and cause other problems. Wildlife can be confused by bright lights during the night and lose their way while migrating. Baby turtles who hatch on beaches with lots of lights can’t find the ocean. For both these reasons, many cities are passing laws about how much light can be used at night. Lights need guards to direct the lights and make sure the light does not escape the outdoor living area.
String Lighting
String lighting, also called fairy lights or café lights, are strung together and hung in trees, over patios, and along the edges of outdoor rooms. They add light but also add a bit of whimsy to the landscape. Some of these lights are strung permanently, but some are put out just for special occasions.
We Can Help
At Royal Creations Architectual Landscaping, we can help you stay on top of lighting trends for your outdoor living spaces. We will be happy to discuss innovative ways to brighten your landscape with you. Just schedule a consultation to go over new ways to light your outdoor living space.
Lighting is an important part of your landscape. The right lighting can improve the appearance and usability of your yard, while poor lighting can leave it dark and unsafe. Get all the enjoyment out of your landscape possible with the right lighting.
Functions Of Outdoor Lighting
There are many functions outdoor lighting serves. Here are the most important ones.
Safety
Outdoor lighting is necessary to keep your guests from stumbling into your water features or tripping over other parts of your landscape. In addition, landscapes and houses that are well-lit at night are generally shunned by thieves. They go where the lighting is poor and they can hide in the shadows.
Usability Of Your Landscape
Without lighting, much of your landscape becomes unusable in the dark. A well-designed lighting system makes the landscape usable all night long. This gives you hours of extra time to enjoy the landscape and entertain friends and family.
Beauty
A well-designed lighting system can point out features such as stonework, trees, water features, paths, seating areas, and more. Lighting allows you to show off your landscape at night as well as during the day.
The Right Lighting
We use only low voltage lights in our landscape lighting systems. High voltage systems can have more risk. These risks include chances of shock, fires, and other problems. Here are some other advantages of low voltage lights.
Easier To Install
The wires for low voltage lights do not have to be buried as deeply and do not require a conduit or a ground wire. This saves you money and causes less damage to the landscape during installation.
LED Fixtures
Older incandescent bulbs use between 10-50 watts. Newer LEDs use from 2-15 watts. In addition to saving energy, LEDs last much longer than incandescent bulbs.
Color Temperature
You are not stuck with a single white light to spotlight your landscape. You can change the warmth of a light, too. Warmth is expressed on the Kelvin scale. The Kelvin scale runs from 1,000 – 10,000. It was designed to tell what color a piece of metal got at a certain temperature. Lightbulbs are designed to look like the colors the metal goes through as it heats. Some lights can be dimmed and can even change colors. You can use Bluetooth technology to change the way the lights look throughout the day or for a special occasion. Here is an example of how lights look at different points on the Kelvin scale.
Types Of Lights
There are different types of lights that are used in landscape lighting to accomplish different goals. Here are the most important.
Spotlights
These shine upward to light up trees, sculptures, houses, and signs. These are usually placed in front of the object. Sometimes they intentionally cast a silhouette onto a wall or other large object behind the object being featured.
Down Lights
The best way to light up a path or sitting area with minimal lights is to place the lights in trees or on the house. If lighting a sitting area, the lights need to be soft and subtle.
Path Lights
Lighting up paths for safety, these lights are on posts beside the path. Over time, kids, pets, and weather can cause them to lean. Regular maintenance can take care of that and keep the path lit safely and attractively.
Underwater Lights
These make water features glow from within. They also make sure someone doesn’t step wrong and fall in the pool or other water feature.
Under Cap Lights
These are the small lights that fit on seating walls, steps, and other hardscape features that highlight the steps and stone. They help make steps and other potentially dangerous areas safe at night.
Get Long-lasting, Attractive Lights
As with all things, there are various price points in LED lights. Many are inexpensive at first but quickly become more expensive as they do not last long. Instead of cheap aluminum, using bronze lights with heavy-duty construction costs a little more upfront. However, they last much longer and look much nicer. These lights come with a wide range of finishes and color options.
Trust The Experts
Landscape lighting helps the landscape look nice during the day or night. Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can work with you to design and install lighting that highlights the landscape and keeps you and your guests safe. We have expert electricians and installation experts on our Blue Crew. Contact Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping to schedule your lighting consultation today.
