New installation trouble

3172 Views 4 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Alien-in-NY, Oct 6, 2009

Alien-in-NY

Discussion Starter · Sep 11, 2009

I am installing a new low voltage outdoor lighting system. There are 5 x 20w spot fixtures and one Malibu Lighting 200W transformer.

After installing the 5 lights, I laid out the 12-2 supply. The furthest lights (2 on one post = 40w) are about 70' from the transformer, and I hooked them up first.

With only those 2 lights attached, the transformer is cycling on/off every 20-30 seconds.

The transformer, fixtures, lamps, cable, and connections are all new. I took pains with the connections.

What am I missing? Please help.

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Alien-in-NY

Discussion Starter · #2 · Sep 12, 2009

Outdoor low voltage lighting troubleshooting

Is it possible that 100ft is too far to run 12-2 from transformer to 2x20w fixtures? I thought that would be fine.
Or, as one person has told me, is it possible the transformer is under-loaded?

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Snobnd

· #3 · Sep 13, 2009

Alien-in-NY said:
I am installing a new low voltage outdoor lighting system. There are 5 x 20w spot fixtures and one Malibu Lighting 200W transformer.

After installing the 5 lights, I laid out the 12-2 supply. The furthest lights (2 on one post = 40w) are about 70' from the transformer, and I hooked them up first.

With only those 2 lights attached, the transformer is cycling on/off every 20-30 seconds.

The transformer, fixtures, lamps, cable, and connections are all new. I took pains with the connections.

What am I missing? Please help.

I had that happen to me at Home, I found it was a short at the end of the cable.

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Inspired

· #4 · Oct 5, 2009

You have a short. Intermatic (Malibu) Transformers have a circuit breaker that cycles with a short.

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Alien-in-NY

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 6, 2009

I replaced the transformer

I didn't open up the Malibu, but I think the problem was inside it. It tripped with one fixture on 10 ft of new cable in my dry shop.

Lowe's took it back, along with another one it had replaced.

I've upgraded and put in a new 300W, $150 transformer. No problem so far.

Thanks for the help.

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