Electricians Are NOT Smarter Than Landscapers

Sportbilly

I agree wholeheartedly

I've been trying to get to the bottom of the subject, and he clarified it for me. The more we know now, the less we're likely to screw it up later...

dSilanskas

I love it when landscapers say they are smarter than electricians haha. I once met a landscaper say yeah your job isn't physical I almost chocked on my beer Silly people they are

jrpaul

Honestly you should listen to Nightscenes because he really knows his stuff. There is a huge difference between Line Voltage and Low Voltage. Now to break this down for the Electricians the Voltage drop you are talking about.... Line voltage is typically ten times greater than that of Low Voltage due to the fact that the transformers used in Low Voltage systems are 10\1 ratio. And believe it or not you can notice .5volt difference between lamps in a low voltage system. So yeah when wiring a house electricians do not have to worry about Voltage drop it is what Low Voltage lighting professional live by. So to the Electricians out there reading this please talk to Nightscenes before jumping into an area that you really are not the Professional. He can speak to you at the Electricians level because he has that experience both as an electrician and as a professional landscape lighting technician.

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jr@night-scenes.com
"Refining The Night"
CLVLT #0956

JamesNLA

What the hell? Are you smoking rocks guy?
That is probably one of the absolute dumbest things I have ever read on all these threads over the past few years.

I'm thinking about what your point is here......Talk to Paul before interjecting? Or that electricians can't possibly understand low voltage theory?

This entire thread is silly.

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"....And then we all switch places when I ring the bell"
-Adrock

jrpaul

Alright I did not realize that People would get upset about my reply but sorry if I offended anyone. Now as far as what I ment That LVL is an area that some overlook. Now I can wire up a house because I did that before I began doing LVL and there are things you can do in line voltage that you can not do in low voltage. I am not saying that Landscapers are smarter than electricians So do not take it that way

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jr@night-scenes.com
"Refining The Night"
CLVLT #0956

LightYourNight

dc landscape lights? are you running these off a battery?

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John Paul Cambruzzi
Landscape Lighting Specialist, LLC
www.LightYourNight.com

Inner10

If your electrician doesn't know how to hook up a simple set of low-voltage lights he/she is an idoit or "hack". Any electrician that stayed awake during class would know such basic things. Seriously you have to be kidding me that a licenced individual doesn't know this stuff.

Winchester

Wow, an arrogant-know-it-all who should have kept his mouth shut. It's obvious you have no idea how electricity works and just follow the manufacturer's instructions, thus making you smarter than a hack "electrician".

p.s. Old Thread!

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Ryan

mahlere

the problem with LV lighting is the voltage drop in the wire...hence the issues with one long wire and all the lights tapped off, vs the hub...

if you run one 100' cable and tap off 10 fixtures, evenly spaced...even if the are in parallel, you will have a noticable voltage drop between the the 1st fixture (which is right by the transformer) and the 10th fixture (which is 100' away from the transformer)

the hub method will give you the same voltage drop...but it will be relatively even at each fixture.

does that make sense?

fxcraig

Hey guys..used an electrician for my first landscape lighting job almost 3 years ago...he totally did not understand the concept of low-voltage lighting...he over-complicated the entire job...He does great work on the HV side..so I use him for hardwiring...transformer install..pulling power..etc.

I oversee the design/layout of the system...# runs, hubs, fixture type/ placement, voltage drop calculations..etc.

Its not rocket science...the voltage drop is calculated according to wire length from the transformer..generally rule of thumb..no more than 3-4 fixtures per home-run..but again that depends on wire length from transformer...

Generally...you can get away with daisy chaining if your fixtures/hub is close to the transformer...

My suggestions-keep selling landscape lighting with each job...it can be a very nice profit center for your business-and it creates (if done properly) a great showcase for your work at night in ways that cannot be appreciated during daylight hours-

Get the ortho book of landscape lighting.Personally oversee the layout/design of each job. Sub an electrician for HV power issues only-typically 3-4 hours per average 10-12 light job is all it takes...

Last...make sure to use specified grade 10 Year Warranty (minimum) fixtures.

Or...sub the lighting out to a reputable low voltage company...and concentrate on what you do best...landscaping.