How To Splice Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Wire

Are you thinking of illuminating your yard? Welcome into the world of landscape lighting. When you try to light up your yard, the difference between normal lighting and landscape lighting will surprise you.

Installing low-voltage landscape lighting wire will save your electricity cost and beautify your surroundings. To set up landscape lighting, you need to know how to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire.

If you are trying to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire, you might be concerned about some silly mistakes. But it’s not that tough to do. To know how to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire, you can always use google or youtube writing “how to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire”. These will give you some good ideas on how to splicing low-voltage landscape lighting wire.

You have to learn the types of landscape lighting. This will help you to know how to splice low-voltage landscape lighting wire. It will also enrich your idea of landscape lighting and will create options to choose a suitable design for your landscape lighting. As a result, you can cross-match your ability and expectation.

To splice low-voltage landscape lighting wire you need a plan. A proper plan can make the task easy and can minimize costs. Some factors will make your landscape lighting system economical and sustainable. Before going to war, you need your weapons ready. Just like that, to splice a low voltage landscape lighting wire, you have to prepare your weapons. You have to use some wire splicing tools to finish your task. Using wire splicing tools will make your work easy.

Different types of low voltage landscape lighting installation

Different types of low voltage landscape lighting systems have different effects. They are applied based on the conditions and requirements of the user. To find out the most suitable system, knowledge about types of low voltage landscape lighting systems is essential. Let’s now discuss some variants of low voltage landscape lighting systems.

The straight run landscape lighting system

It’s the most used landscape lighting system in the world. There is a similarity between its installation system and name. The power cable runs straight from the transformer. Then you can set up your lighting fixture according to your wish. It’s easier than any other installation process.

But you may face a problem of voltage dropping. As electricity runs straight through a wire, the bulb at the endpoint may get a lesser voltage than the starting point. No need to be worried! In the world, every problem has a solution. Let us see some of the easiest solutions for this voltage dropping issue.

Loop installation

Installation of a loop is an easy solution. But you have to be aware so that it does not get damaged or no one crosses the wire.

Buying a multi-tap transformer

It’s a sustainable solution to the voltage dropping issue. It creates many lines of wire, different fixtures. As a result, pressures on wire get reduced and it reduces voltage drop.

T-line installation

It’s a T-shape system. In this system, a large wire transfers electricity to small wires. As a result, you can ensure proper distribution of electricity and voltage drop retrenchment.

Line voltage landscape lighting system

This is not as popular as the straight-run landscape lighting system and the resident homeowners are the most comfortable users of it. For its brightest light, It’s also suitable for commercial spaces. It ensures security for its bright light. It’s very popular for home decoration and large commercial spaces because of its bright light. To manufacture visual light, you can set it over the branch of a tree or outside of your house.

Like everything in the world, it has some drawbacks. Some of these are-

• High cost.
• Use of a huge amount of energy.
• Lack of available design.

You are affluent enough and available designs are suitable for you. you can take a step for it. Though it’s expensive, It’s popular for its bright light.

How to create a low voltage landscape lighting plan

Like every task, you need a plan to install low voltage landscape lighting wire. As planning makes the work easy, it’ll give you a basic idea of the whole task. A smart plan will take you a step ahead to know how to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire.

Basic layout

In every system, there is a basic layout. To install a low voltage landscape lighting system, there is also a basic layout. Having the idea of it, you will get a basic knowledge of how to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire in your yard.

Low voltage transformation

It’s the power supply of the total process. Knowledge of low voltage transformation systems will enrich your idea of how to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire. You must install it 12” above the ground. Now, link it directly with the structure and assent it in the house. To take the wires through the wall, gather some skills of an electrician. As you need to implement some special codes. But in outside decoration, It’s a do-it-yourself process.

Fixtures

Before installing the fixtures, mark the position of these using a pencil or flag. Mark where you want to install the fixture. It will make your work easy. For future work, take a rough measurement of the distance of the fixture from the transformer.

Wire

Though there’s no need to tell what a wire is, I’m gonna pretend that you don’t know what a wire is. Jokes apart. Wire means cable that connects the fixture to the transformer. The size of the conductor will rate the wire.

Wire connections

It’s time to empower the fixture. Through wires, we can give power. Now, decide how you will connect the fixtures to the transformer. There are some wiring methods. Some of them are-

• Daisy chain method
• T-method
• Hub method

I hope now you have got a normal idea of how to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire.

Factors to consider to install low voltage landscape lighting wire

To splice a low voltage landscape lighting system, you have to consider some factors. These will ensure safety, economy, durability, and better service. Let us dive into the factors.

• Use more lights than using less powerful lights.
• Place your lights outside of your deck.
• Install separate switches for every light.
• Use a few lights like curtains between you and your neighbors.
• When hanging lights on trees, try to create shadows.

Keep in mind these crucial factors because they will make your work beautiful.

Things we need to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire

It’s time to know the requirements for installing a low-voltage landscape lighting wire. To know how to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire, It’s necessary to know these requirements. It will make the installation process much easier. Let’s see what are the requirements-

• Installation stripper
• Electrical tape
• Connectors
• Shrink tubing
• Hairdryer
• Solder
• Soldering iron
• Connecting splice kit.

Wire splicing tools

We use wire splicing tools to solve wire-related problems and to install new electrical devices. There are many wire splicing tools. To splice low voltage landscape lighting wires, you have to use wire splicing tools. So, to know how to splice low-voltage landscape lighting wire, you need ideas about wire splicing tools. Some of the tools are-

• Wirecutter
• Needle nose pliers
• Wire strippers
• Electrical cutters

Types of wire splicing

Wire splicing means binding wires. There are various types of wire splicing. You can use the suitable one according to your needs. Some are given below

• Rat Tail or pigtail
• Y-splice
• Knotted tap
• Plain tap joint
• Aerial tap
• Duplex cross joint
• Western union long-tie splice
• Cross joint
• Wrapped tap or Tee joint

How to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire

Splicing low voltage landscape lighting wire is a very easy task. You can splice it alone using some handy tools. Cutting wire is the only problem you may face in splicing landscape lighting. It will not allow you to accent the light to a suitable place for you.

To solve this issue, you have the independence of splicing more sections of wire. So, you can have the lights of your preference.

There are some steps to splice low-voltage landscape lighting wire. Let us see how to splice low-voltage landscape lighting wire.

Stretching the existing wire of landscape lighting

It’s very important to disconnect power from already installed landscape lighting. Disconnecting the power stretches out the whole wire. It will ensure your safety. Now cut it from the middle.

Stripping installation

This is the step of preparing the wire for splicing. Strip the cut ends of the wire to remove the insulation. Make each of the cutting wires 1” bare for the next step

Inserting the wire into the circuit

This is the step of preparing the wire for splicing. Strip the cut ends of the wire to remove the insulation. Make each of the cutting wires 1” bare for the next requirement.

Heat-shrinking tube

The new and the extra wire you are adding must have the heat-shrinking tube on its end. Each of the wires needs two heat-shrinking tubes for both ends. It will make the joint hard.

Joining or twisting together the old or new wires

Now, you have to twist the old and new wires to create the continuous length. After joining the wires, solder all the joints with a soldering iron. It will make the joint hard. As a result, there will be no risk of damaging the joint. It will increase the durability of the joint.

Sliding heat-shrinking tube over the joints

After soldering the joint, wait until it becomes cool. Sliding the heat-shrinking tube over the joints will make it cool. Now, you use a hairdryer. Putting on the hairdryer, heat the joint. Ensure that the tube is tightly adjusted to the joint. It will assure your safety.

Test operation

It’s the last step of how to splice the low voltage lighting wire process. Now, you can plug into the low voltage landscape lighting wire system and test the operation. It’s time to place the lighting fixtures according to your needs.

This is how to splice low-voltage landscape lighting wire. It’s easy to work. The use of some electrical tools makes the work easy.

The installation process of a low voltage landscape lighting system

It’s time to install the low voltage lighting system. It involves some steps. These are-

Step -1: Taking the system out of the box.

Step -2: Indicate the location of the lighting system and install them roughly.

Step -3: Dig a 6” hole and mark the cable.

Step -4: Connecting the fixture wire to the lights.

Step -5: Connecting the wires of light to the transformer.

Step -6: Check that all the lights are working.

Step -7: Put the transformer in its place and bury the wire.

This is the total of how to splice low voltage landscape lighting wire and how to install it.

Some additional info that you might need

Benefits of low voltage landscape lighting wire

Every step of human life is for their benefit. So, before installing low voltage landscape lighting wire, we have to know its benefits. Let us see some benefits in short.

• Safety
• Beauty
• Lifestyle
• Economy

Modern landscape lighting

The world is continuously updating. The modern landscape lighting system is not different. With the change of time, the newer style of lighting is entering the market. Some of the styles of modern landscape lighting are-

• Go super duty
• Spotlights
• LEDs and LED bulbs
• Deck or step lights
• Submersible water pool lights

With the change of time, you will get more updates on it. Soon, the modern landscape lighting system will be easier and cheaper.

Landscape light bulbs

We use landscape light bulbs to illuminate the outdoors for safety, security, recreation, sports, and social events. To install landscape light bulbs is cheap. Landscape light bulbs enhance the beauty of the surroundings. The price of landscape light bulbs varies according to their power and design. Name of some landscape light bulbs are –

• LED landscape flood and spots
• Incandescent low voltage light bulbs
• Miniature low voltage light bulbs
• Colored miniature wedge light bulbs
• LED miniature bulbs

Cable splicing kit

We use cable splicing kits to connect two or many cables. There are many types of cable splicing kits to connect cables. You can use your desired one. Let us know the names of some cable splicing kits.

• Motor lead splicing kit
• Polyolefin underground splicing kit
• Tap splice kit
• Orange polypropylene kit
• Cold shrink splicing kit
• Heat shrink splice

After this discussion, you might think of installing low voltage landscape lighting because of its beauty, safety, low cost, and easy splicing process. It’s also easy to install. You can install it by yourself as you know how to splice low-voltage landscape lighting wire.