Planning a new house. I’d like to put some lights in the ground — to illuminate the groundcover near the house. Any brands/sources i should look for. I’d like to get something well made that would last.
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Kichler has a great line of low voltage exterior landscape lights. Check it out at their website.
I personally favor line voltage, 120v, lighting fixtures for landscape lighting. They tend to be better made, easier to troubleshoot if anything does go wrong, and far more effective in that you can install powerful bulbs that makes one fixture easily the match of a half dozen lesser units.
The high end bronze and copper models, some quite beautifully designed and a real eye grabbing asset for the landscape, typically are proof from anything short of being backed over with a SUV and usually have commonly available replacement parts if any internal components go haywire. These are the same components, sockets and mounting brackets for the sockets, used in any high end household lamps. Been around for over 100 years so they are proven designs.
Down side is you have to come off the money to buy them and the underground wiring has to be put in deeper and more carefully than the 12v models. This is somewhat mitigated by the need for fewer fixtures and so less wiring.
Usually this is a job for a collusion between a landscape lighting specialist with a good eye and a skilful electrician to handle the mechanical and safety aspects, real money, but it can be done by a well informed and careful HO. This extra trouble and time is somewhat offset by these light being much more durable and long lasting.
I have seen extensive 12v setups falling apart after two or three years. Replace this a few times and the expensive 120v setups start to look, long term, more cost effective.
I tend to agree with 4Lorn1. I removed a 12v system that was pretty messed up. Lady said it was messed up from the get go and when only about half of the lights worked, she had me yank 'em out. These were cheap ones though, probably from a home center type store. One thing was that the supply cable was only burried about 2-4" and was damaged in various places.
On the other hand, neighbor across the street has a 12v system that's been in about three years and it still looks and works fine.