Once the sun sets, your outdoor living area doesn’t have to disappear into darkness. With strategically installed low voltage landscape lighting, you can emphasize your garden’s beauty, enhance security, and create a cozy, welcoming environment that carries well into the night.

Whether you’re illuminating a walkway, highlighting a tree, or defining an outdoor patio, adding low voltage lighting is a DIY task that pays off in ambiance and curb appeal.

At Hernandez Lawn Care, we understand that maintaining a healthy lawn is only part of the picture. Many of our clients who use our lawn care services in Chicago, IL, often ask how to include landscape lighting to enhance their green spaces. In this blog, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know to install low voltage outdoor lighting correctly.

Why Choose Low Voltage Lighting?

Low voltage lighting is a top choice for residential landscapes because it’s safe, energy-efficient, and easy to install. Unlike high-voltage systems that require a licensed electrician, low voltage systems operate at 12 volts and are powered by a transformer that reduces your home’s standard 120-volt current.

Here’s why homeowners love it:

Safety: Lower voltage means less risk of electric shock.
Energy Efficiency: Consumes significantly less power than traditional lighting.
DIY Friendly: Simple enough for most homeowners to install themselves.
Flexibility: Can be moved or expanded as your landscape evolves.

Tools and Materials You’ll Need

Before you start, gather these essentials:

• Low voltage lighting fixtures (e.g., path lights, spotlights)
• Low voltage transformer
• Low voltage cable (commonly 12- or 14-gauge)
• Waterproof wire connectors
• Cable stakes or landscape staples
• Shovel or trenching tool
• Screwdriver and wire stripper
• Timer or photocell (optional, for automation)

Pro Tip: Having the right tools on hand makes for a smoother process and a more professional result.

Step 1: Plan Your Lighting Layout

Begin by walking through your yard during the evening and imagining where you’ll want light. Ask yourself:

• Do you want to light a pathway for safety?
• Light up architectural details?
• Use trees or garden beds to create focal points?

Map out a basic layout and determine what kind of lights you want in each space. Path lights are good along driveways and walkways, whereas spotlights are best for lighting trees, statues, or walls.

Tip: Less is better. You don’t want to highlight the space, over-light it. Utilize shadows and contrast to create a more dramatic and stunning nighttime appearance.

Step 2: Select the Appropriate Transformer

The transformer is the core of your low voltage lighting system. The transformer takes your home’s 120V current and turns it into a safe 12V. Select a transformer with sufficient wattage to support the total load of your lighting system.

To determine the size, you require:

• Total up the wattage of all your fixtures.
• Multiply the sum by 1.25 to provide for safety cushion.
• Select a transformer with a marginally greater wattage rating.

For instance, if you’re putting in 10 lights, 10 watts each, that’s 100 watts. Multiply by 1.25, and you’re at 125 watts. A 150-watt transformer would work well.

Some transformers also have built-in timers or photocells for automatic use, a clever feature to save energy and make life easier.

Step 3: Lay Out the Cable

After setting your plan, run the low voltage cable on the path where the lights will be. Have a bit of extra at each fixture point to simplify connection later. Attempt to hide the cable behind garden edges or mulch lines for a neat appearance.

Remember:

• Do not use sharp bends or kinks in the cable.
• Leave cable clear of high-traffic areas or lawnmower paths.
• You don’t have to bury the cable yet—this is more placement and testing before you dig in.

Step 4: Connect the Lights

Most low voltage lights use clamp connectors or wire leads that you’ll connect into the primary cable.

For clamp-type connectors:

Just put the cable into the connector slots and close it. The metal prongs within will push through the insulation and contact the wire.

For wire-lead fixtures:

Trim the cable, remove approximately 1/2 inch of insulation, and install waterproof wire nuts or gel-filled connectors to create the splice.

Do this for every light on the path. Each connection should be weatherproof and tight to avoid corrosion or short circuits.

Step 5: Connect the Transformer

Now connect the transformer:

• Install the transformer on a wall by an outdoor GFCI outlet.
• Strip the ends of your low voltage main cable and plug them into the terminals on the transformer.
• Plug the transformer into the wall outlet—but don’t switch it on yet.
• Check all connections twice before you power up.

Step 6: Test the System

Switch on the transformer and see if all your lights are illuminated. If not, check the connections again. You can try to troubleshoot by replacing the fixture with a known-good one or checking the connection using a voltage meter.

This is also the time to adjust the angle and placement of your lights. Fine-tune everything before final installation.

Step 7: Bury the Cable and Secure Fixtures

Once all of it appears and functions as anticipated, bury the cable 4 to 6 inches deep. You may dig a shallow trench with either a flat shovel or a trench tool. Soil or mulch must be used to cover the cable, and stakes are used to hold the fixtures in position.

Ensure the lights are level, equidistant from one another, and directed at the correct positions. For features such as trees or statues in up-lighting, experiment with various angles until you achieve the desired result.

Step 8: Program the Timer or Photocell

Many transformers have a built-in timer or photocell sensor to switch the lights on at dusk and off at dawn. Program your desired schedule and try it out over a few nights to check if it functions as expected.

If your transformer does not have these features, you can also buy plug-in versions for your outdoor outlet.

Why It’s Worth the Effort

Outdoor lighting does more than beautify—it improves safety, boosts curb appeal, and lets you enjoy your outdoor areas after dark. And with a low voltage system, you can achieve professional-grade lighting without the high cost or need for an electrician.

If you’re short on time or prefer professional help, Hernandez Lawn Care is here to assist. We go beyond lawn care—offering complete outdoor enhancement services in Chicago, IL to bring your landscape to life, day and night.

Ready to Brighten Up Your Yard?

Whether you’re excited to DIY your lighting project or want a helping hand, our team at Hernandez Lawn Care is ready to help bring your outdoor vision to life.