Landscape Lighting - Solar Panel Lights May Not Be Better Than A 12 Volt Low Voltage System

There are many varieties of landscape lighting available on the market today. The most frequently installed is either a low voltage 12 volt system or solar lights. There are 120 volt lighting systems also available which are usually not used for residential applications, but larger commercial properties and facilities. There are several advantages of using solar lamps over a 12 volt landscape lighting system and vice versa.

The popularity of exterior lighting which uses solar panels for powering each individual lamp has blossomed in the passed 15 years. Unfortunately, the efficiency of these particular solar panels used for processing the available sunlight and the on-board batteries used to store that energy has not improved with the demand.

One very common limitation of solar panel lighting is the lack of intensity or brightness of the light which it provides. The duration of usable light is often short lived as well. As the solar panels age, the exposed surface will most likely develop a haze due to weathering the elements which will interfere with the ability of the solar panel to absorb and process sufficient quantities of daylight. As a result, the length of time each lamp will remain lit will become shorter and shorter.

One additional general limitation of solar powered lighting is that it also means that there is really no manual control over when the lamps turn on or off. All control is automatic due to on-board sensors which activate the light when the ambient light drops below a certain level. If there is ever a time when the home owner will desire the lights to be turned off for example, to reduce the attraction of bugs to the immediate area, this particular option is not really available.

One key feature of solar panel landscape lighting which may or may not be desirable to some home owners is the fact that the lights are a "set them and leave them" lighting fixture. Once the lights have been installed, the lighting fixture will rarely require any additional attention or thought. The convenience of this particular feature is the primary reason for the popularity of these types of lights.

12 volt low level voltage landscape lighting does not have any of the above features. When installing a low voltage lighting system, a good amount of planning and preparation is required. Of all the planning, the thickness or gauge of wires will be the most important consideration and will be determined by the length of run, the number of lights and the wattage of each lamp. As the lighting run increases in distance, the heavier gauge of wire will be necessary to prevent dim lighting and uneven fluctuations of light as well as to ensure that the wires will not overheat and create a fire hazard. Undersized wiring will become hot and may very well melt.

Actual installation of a low voltage system can be considered a do-it-yourself project and carried out by most home owners, but is very time consuming in order to install the hardware properly. Additional tools, which some home owners may not already possess, will need to be purchased in order to affect a lighting installation project such as this. Despite the amount of planning and physical labor required to install a low voltage landscape lighting design, low voltage systems will be superior to solar panel lighting due to the longevity of the hardware and the level of control the home owner will have over the lighting.

For additional information on the topic of light fixtures and landscape lighting visit The Light House. Article independently authored by Daniel P. Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of The Light House. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Room by Room Lighting For Your Home

One of the primary aspects of any room is the lighting. After all, the lights and their fixtures set the tone for the room and can increase or decrease the room's usability and mood. Consequently, knowing what type of lights work best in an environment can make a difference- whether you merely see your home as a place to unwind or you love to entertain. As you walk through your home, you may be thinking, "The light I have here is okay, but what can I do to really make it noteworthy?" To help you answer that question, here are some room by room lighting tips.

• The foyer of a home is the first impression of things to come. If you have a high ceiling, consider a chandelier to add warmth and elegance. Or, for a more modern look or when there is a stairway right off of the foyer, you may want to have a transitional close to the ceiling fixture that will illuminate the hallway/stairway as well. This will provide a well lit, welcoming atmosphere. In special regard to hallways and stairways, be sure that staircases are well lit with light switches at the top and bottom of the stairs. Long hallways should have a light fixture every 8 to 10 feet. For added ambiance, use decorative wall sconces.
• Depending the room's use-game playing, reading, entertaining, etc. the lighting needs can change throughout the day. As such, you want to have lighting that is attractive yet functions as you need. Also, if you have artwork or architectural elements that you wish to emphasize then recessed lighting or track lighting is the best way to spotlight those elements. If a room is used frequently for games and reading then close-to-ceiling, wall sconces or interior lamps are great choices. Of course, any room with a high or vaulted ceiling will look great with a chandelier!
• In dining rooms, the decorative focal point is the lighting fixtures, so they should be both beautiful and functional. For general lighting, it is recommended that you use a chandelier that is 6 to 12 inches smaller than the narrowest side of the table, or pendant lighting that is at least 30 inches above the table area; recessed lighting can add an illusion of a bigger room.
• Due to the many uses of the kitchen you may need several types of lights. For example, if you have an area used primarily for food prep then use recessed lighting or track lights so you can easily see what you are prepping. Often, recessed lights are installed under the cabinets to help prevent shadows on the countertops or a fluorescent light will be used over the sink.
• Baths are beautiful with well-placed recess lighting, though it is critical to have good lighting over the mirror(s). Supplemental lighting choices are close-to-ceiling lights, or decorative wall sconces. Over the shower, recessed lights or a ceiling mounted plastic unit is best.

For additional information on the topic of lighting visit The Light House, Inc. Article independently authored by Janet M. Slagell. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of The Light House, Inc. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit Peerless Web Solutions.

Lighting Fixtures & Lamps - High Quality Can Still be Found, But Not at Home Improvement Centers

When a home owner thinks of home décor the interior of the home is usually what springs to mind. Home décor pertains to not just picture frames, mirrors, window treatments and furniture, but lighting as well. What of the outside of the home?

The exterior of the home and yard should be treated as an extension of the home's interior. Motifs can be wide ranging, but fortunately there are hundreds of lighting manufacturers which carry thousands of different light designs, materials and sizes. With all of these options the home owner would think that, in order to obtain that perfect design to complement the home's decor, one would be able to stroll right in any specialty lighting store and pick up the desired model. Sadly, that is not the case.

Profit margins have become much thinner in the past 15 years as the big block home improvement centers have saturated the retail landscape. In response, there are fewer and fewer independent lighting boutiques. Now, the majority of home owners only need drive a few minutes to their local hardware store. Unfortunately these behemoths have focused on moving lights and lamps in volume and have very limited variety.

Often, quality has been sacrificed in favor of selling large quantities of mass produced lighting fixtures. Rarely will you be able to even order a good quality light fixture from the large hardware stores. The alternative is to visit a boutique which specializes in lamps, lighting and other fixtures.

Because of the fact that most of these independently owned specialty lighting shops can not match the financial strength of the large home improvement stores, they will not usually stock mass quantities of the same lighting fixture, but focus more on variety and range of styles and materials. Most of these stores rely on large catalogs which can take hours to leaf through. For this reason, many stores will have multiple copies to allow customers to "checkout" the catalogs.

On the off chance that the home owner is unable to find just the right style to complement the rest of the home, custom made orders are available. As expected, any custom made lighting will have a modest increase in price and most likely a deposit will be necessary. It is important to note that it is almost a universal policy of most shops that should the order be canceled or returned after the lighting fixture has been crafted a restocking fee will be assessed to cover the bare minimum of the stores cost. Sometimes the deposit will be non-refundable for this reason alone.

For additional information on the topic of home decor and light fixtures visit http://www.thelighthousede.com.

Understanding the Light Bulb Choices

When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, chances are he never dreamed that his "simple" invention would be developed into the myriad of styles and sizes used today. However, like many other great inventions of years gone by, time and advancing knowledge has brought about an abundance of changes to make a once basic product into an entire industry. Today, store shelves are lined with a variety of light bulbs that range in size from minuscule LEDs to large bulbs used to spotlight signs and buildings.

Consequently, buying light bulbs is a bit more involved than merely picking up a package of light bulbs at your local home improvement center or superstore. Today' consumers need to be able to recognize what the many types of lighting offer. To help out, here are some basic descriptions and uses of the various choices in lighting.

• Incandescent lights are perhaps the most common type of light bulb; they produce steady light, can be used with a dimmer switch and can last anywhere from 700 to 1,000 hours. These bulbs are also called the Edison Bulb as they have been in use for over 150 years.
• General Service Bulbs (A and PS) lights are also grouped with incandescent bulbs, are fairly common and are used for traditional home lighting, ceiling fans, and appliances. They range from 200 to 1500 watts.
• Fluorescent bulbs work on the premise of a current passing through a tube filled with argon gas and mercury. They will typically last anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 hours. Fluorescent lighting is best used for large areas where little detail work will be done. However, many new lighting styles are being made today, that are designed for the florescent bulbs making them ideal for use all throughout the home. Some of the choices include under the counter florescent lighting or specialized lighting for artwork. However, most florescent lighting cannot be used with dimmers.
• LED lights (light emitting diodes) are one of the new kids on the block. They are known for their exceptionally long lifespan and low use of power. They are gaining in popularity and many believe it will not be long before the LEDs replace standard bulbs in home and the work place. In fact, they are already being used in a variety of decorative lighting designs, as well as for Christmas tree lights and decorations.
• Halogen lighting is a variation of incandescent light but uses a chemical reaction to produce light. This reaction makes the lights brighter than the standard incandescent as well as more efficient and a longer lifespan. However, one should note that the glass part of the halogen bulb should not be touched with one's hand as this weakens the bulb and can cause it to burst. Other disadvantages of the halogen bulbs are that they are more expensive and produce more heat when lighting up a room, which in some cases can result in fire.

Many websites provide additional information on the topic of home lighting. One such site worth visiting is http://www.thelighthousede.com/. Article indpendently authored by Janet m Slagell. The content herein may or may not reflec the views and opinions of The Light House.