The Incandescent Alternative

The focus of this site and our business is LED Landscape lighting. We believe (as do most in the lighting industry) that LED lighting technology is the future of lighting. Recently, there have been substantial improvements in the quality of LED lighting. LED manufacturer's have greatly improved the lumen output of LEDs so that they are now comparable to incandescent alternatives. The lighting engineers have also improved the color temperature of LED lighting so that one can actually choose something other than the "cool" blue light that is associated with many first generation LED products.

Even with all of the great improvements in LED technology and the increasing availability of quality LED landscape lights, there still is a far greater selection of incandescent landscape lighting products. Many people are interested in LED landscape lights but can't find a light or fixture style that meets their needs. If you can't find what you are looking for in an LED product you may want to look for an incandescent low voltage alternative. There have been many improvements in low voltage landscape lighting systems that make them much more attractive than previous technology.

For example, one of the common problems with low voltage landscape lights is voltage drop. Voltage drop is common in long run landscape lighting systems. Voltage drop describes a physical phenomenon wherein landscape lighting fixtures that are farther away from the power source experience dimming or uneven lighting. This happens because by the time the power reaches the fixture at the end of landscape lighting circuit (especially if the load is higher) the fixture will not receive enough voltage to properly illuminate the light. This problem can be dealt with using a multi-tap transformer which allows the installer to output from 12-22v to compensate for any voltage drop. To accomplish this, the installer simply adjusts the voltage on the multi-tap transformer to the appropriate amount of voltage for each fixture. A multi-tap transformer also allows the installer to connect multiple runs to multi terminals which provides the installer with greater flexibility.

If you are considering using an incandescent landscape lighting system make sure you choose a high quality system that incorporates durable and attractive fixtures; quality lamps; and transformers and other components which use state of the art technology. Most of the incandescent or LED landscape lighting systems that are offered by the big box stores and similar retailers, while inexpensive, are often of low quality. These systems are unlikely to perform as you desire and will not stand the test of time. There is no sense paying a professional installer a lot of money or spending a lot of time installing a system yourself that won't accomplish what you want and won't last.

Landscape Lighting World is one of the nation's premier suppliers of high quality wholesale low voltage outdoor lighting systems and supplies. They carry a wide selection of landscape lighting fixtures from a variety of manufacturers at reasonable prices. The company also has a great website with great resources for landscape lighting professionals and do-it-yourselfers. We frequently refer to this site for general information about landscape lighting.