Energy efficient lighting, indoor and outdoor. California landscape lights – Lightclubusa.com » wattage

With four 12-volt/1.5-watt outdoor fixtures: would a 120w transformer use less electricity than a 300w one?

LightClubUSA — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:14:23 +0000

I’m adding lighting to my outdoor steps. For the time being, I’m going to use LED lighting that is 12v/1.5watt each, but in the future I might add some landscape lighting. Does the wattage of the transformer impact the amount of electricity used? That is, if I run these four lights off of a 300 watt transformer, would it use more electricity than if I ran them off of a 120 watt one? I ask not only because I eventually might add to the transformer’s workload, but also because the price difference between the transformers is only and the 0 has better reviews.
Thanks for the info. I suspected as much, but wanted confirmation. As for the LED bulbs, the webpage (https://www.socallighting.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SRS-502LED) that I’d be ordering the lights from doesn’t specify if they have a rectifier, but I thought boyonet sockets had them built in. Anyone know if that’s the case?

With four 12-volt/1.5-watt outdoor fixtures: would a 120w transformer use less electricity than a 300w one? is a post from: Energy efficient lighting, indoor and outdoor. California landscape lights – Lightclubusa.com

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pc power supply to power 12 volt outdoor led lights?

LightClubUSA — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:22:07 +0000

I have a parts pc that I’m not using. I recently was given some low voltage outdoor l.e.d. lights. From what i’ve read the lights need a transformer to power them. With these lights being l.e.d.s, the wattage of the bulbs is only 0.375 each x 8 lights for a total wattage requirement of 3 watts. They are also 12 volt. The power supply in the old pc says 12 volt @13 amps. Will this work? or will the amperage be too much? The wiring will be roughly 50 feet long and 14-16 gauge strand copper.

pc power supply to power 12 volt outdoor led lights? is a post from: Energy efficient lighting, indoor and outdoor. California landscape lights – Lightclubusa.com

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Malibu 200 watt Power Pack and LED Lights?

LightClubUSA — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:36:51 +0000

I have a Malibu 200watt Power Pack for an outdoor lighting system.. It says max wattage is 200 watts for all lights… if each light is 20watts.. I can use a max of 10 lights @ 20 watts = 200 watts.. Can I convert these to LED lights (M16 and M11 bulb size) that use 3 watts… does that mean I can hook up 65 lights on the power pack??? I also want the brightest LED available for the M11 and M16 size 2 prong bulbs.. any ideas? PLEASE ADVISE!! THANK YOU.

Malibu 200 watt Power Pack and LED Lights? is a post from: Energy efficient lighting, indoor and outdoor. California landscape lights – Lightclubusa.com

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Voltage Drop on landscaping lighting?

LightClubUSA — Thu, 20 May 2010 07:12:15 +0000

Backyard 12v landscape lighting: 12 (10w) path and 7 (15w) spots. Front: 6 path and 2 spot. Each on different circuit in a 600w transformer. Front works GREAT! Back, not so much. First half in back on good, latter half very dim. Length of that back line is about 170 ft from transformer to last path light.
I’m wondering if there is any way to increase the output of the distal lighting (ie: will increasing distal wattage to 20w help, or hurt?). I’m not sure upping the transformer will help to justify the cost. HELP!

Voltage Drop on landscaping lighting? is a post from: Energy efficient lighting, indoor and outdoor. California landscape lights – Lightclubusa.com

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Why is it that high frequency transformers can be smaller than their low frequency counterparts?

LightClubUSA — Wed, 05 May 2010 03:11:42 +0000

I understand that switching power supplies (such as those used in computer power supplies) can use small, light transformers because they convert AC to DC and then convert the DC to high frequency current before stepping the voltage down through a transformer. For a given wattage power supply, a switching power supply is much smaller and lighter than than a non-swithching supply because it can use such a small transformer. Why does a high frequency allow a smaller transformer to be used?

It seems to me that for a given wattage supply, whether switching or not, the same amount of power passes through the transformer. Since only the frequency of the input voltage is changed, but not the voltage itself, the currents in the transformer’s windings should also be the same for either supply type.

What is it about high frequency that allows a smaller transformer to be used?

Thanks!

Why is it that high frequency transformers can be smaller than their low frequency counterparts? is a post from: Energy efficient lighting, indoor and outdoor. California landscape lights – Lightclubusa.com

Technorati Tags: ac to dc, computer power supplies, currents, high frequency, input voltage, switching power supplies, switching power supply, transformers, wattage, windings

Black light bulbs for track lighting? Confused!?

LightClubUSA — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 03:48:58 +0000

I have a set of track lighting in my apartment and I was thinking it may look neat to have blacklights in them for Halloween! But I don’t want anything bad to happen, like a fire during my party.

The track lighting came with Bulbrite Flood 65W, 130V bulbs in them.

So I’m a little confused, do I look for something with the same wattage? Do I need a flood light still or will any bulb work? Please help me out! Thank you!

I have a set of track lighting that has Bulbrite Flood 65W, 130V lights

Black light bulbs for track lighting? Confused!? is a post from: Energy efficient lighting, indoor and outdoor. California landscape lights – Lightclubusa.com

Technorati Tags: apartment, bulbs, flood light, halloween, track lighting, wattage

Combining old solar cells off calculators and solar lights?

LightClubUSA — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:25:50 +0000

How do you combine solar cells like ones removed from calculators and solar lights to generate more power, is it as simple as wiring alike color wires together? And after the wiring is done what type of energy is created DC or AC?
The cells are not damaged they are just removed from different solar powered objects like solar lights and calculators. I know they are small scale but can I link them all together to create more wattage?
Could someone explain the difference and wiring parallel and series and how they effect voltage Vs. Amps?

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Can I use two Malibu low voltage transformers on one system?

LightClubUSA — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:11:05 +0000

I have a 300 watt transformer that feeds 200 ft of 12g wire and about 38 seven watt lights. The problem is the lights at the end of the run are noticably dimmer that the beginning and middle of the run. I’m under the wattage but I think the distance is what’s killing me. I have a second transformer in the garage. Can I attach this to the other end of the system to power it from both sides?

Can I use two Malibu low voltage transformers on one system? is a post from: Energy efficient lighting, indoor and outdoor. California landscape lights – Lightclubusa.com

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Outdoor light fixture keeps blowing bulbs?

LightClubUSA — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:17:20 +0000

I have two outdoor light fixtures outside of my front door. For some reason both fixtures keep blowing the bulbs after about a day or so. I will admit that the fixtures say that the maximum wattage is 45 I believe and I just put 60′s in them. Will incorrect wattage light bulbs cause the bulbs to blow. For some reason I’m thinking I have always had higher wattage bulbs in these fixtures and no problems, but maybe I’m mistaken. Maybe the cold temperature? I’m using 60w bug lights – ya know the yellow ones. Fixture rates for 40 watts max I believe (label is faded out)

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Technorati Tags: cold temperature, light bulbs, outdoor light fixtures, wattage, watts

Modifying a motion activated flood light to be dimmer and always on?

LightClubUSA — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:37:21 +0000

I have a motion activated floodlight. (I will add the make and model to this question when I get home.) The mains cable goes in through the back and down in to the IR sensor unit. Two other wires come back up from the IR sensor unit and in to the light itself. To make it always on could I simply wire the mains directly in to the light itself and bypass the IR sensor or does it need to be a different voltage?

Also to make it dimmer do I have to swap the bulb for one of a lower wattage or can I do something else?

Modifying a motion activated flood light to be dimmer and always on? is a post from: Energy efficient lighting, indoor and outdoor. California landscape lights – Lightclubusa.com

Technorati Tags: different voltage, floodlight, ir sensor, mains, sensor unit, wattage