I was checking out juniorbean's nice house on his website and was reminded... I've been wanting to add this for quite some time, but haven't really gotten around to it. I want to add some exterior lighting like in the picture below. As of now, the house just looks like a big dark shadow.

Anybody ever do this themselves?


Thoughts and suggestions on how to tackle this project are greatly appreciated.

http://www.juniorbean.net/Personal/H...adNeighbor.jpg

^^juniorbean's house

 

I've been wanting to do this too. I've been wanting to get some exterior lighting and hid them in some of the plants we have out front for a dramatic effect. I just don't quite know how to hook up with included wire of those lighting kits permanently to the house.

 

JB, what is that big box with the red dot on it? I don't see it in the other front pics.

 

Low voltage lighting is great. I installed them in fall 2005. Very easy to do...

I went with Malibu lighting, which can be found at any of the big box retailers. I'd recommend running some additional outlets to the outside, so you don't use what's already out there.

 

I am thinking about going with Malibu lighting too. As far as running lines for the low-voltage lighting, how did you do that? Where did you start and finish? Did you have to cut through walls? Did you start from the fuse box in the house?

I am thinking of getting some lighting this Friday on my birthday and putting it in. The only thing that I am unsure of is running lines to the outside so they are permanently installed.

 

Yeah, you can't see it in the other pics b/c it's more in front of my neighbor's house then it is ours... but since I took that pic linked above from in front of their house... you can see it. It's an electrical box since all of our power is underground. It has plants and stuff around it now, so it's very well hidden compared to what it was there (that pic was taken about 3 months after we moved in).

Sorry I suck so bad at night pictures b/c the uplights really do look much better then the pics show.

And yes, that is all low-voltage lighting. We also have our 3 big crepe myrtles by the driveway uplit. Our landscaper had to go under the driveway for that one

 

You can see the crepe myrtles in the pic below. It worked out well b/c a section of our driveway cracked... so the builder replaced it. We just timed the landscaper to come the day the driveway section was being replaced... so when they builder dug up the old section, the landscaper just ran the wires, then the new section was poured and that was that. Nice and easy

Again, sorry I suck at the night pics. It's also funny looking at these pics b/c the landscaping has all matured so much. All of the plants look so small in these pics .

Anyway, there are a total of 9 lights in the front, and we have the pre-wire for 3 more if we want. This spring/summer will be doing the back of the house...

 

LV lights are 12V, down from the 110V source. So there's a transformer involved. And that transformer must be outside.

If you don't have any outdoor outlets where you need them, and you're not comfortable doing this type of electrical work, I'd hire someone. I'd run a sperate breaker for these lights. Even though they draw very little power, you might as well do it if you're going to install additional exterior outlets.

Installing the lights is pretty straight forward. I'd do some reading before you go out and buy. You need to make sure the number of lights you plan on using do NOT exceed the rating on the transformer. In other words, if you buy 10, 15 watt lights, you need at least a 150W transformer.

Here is a good FAQ that will help a bit. I do remember doing some googling on this topic. There were tips on line length, voltage drops, etc.

http://www.intermatic.com/Default.asp?action=cat&cid=21

 

I like the exterior lighting

I LOVE when people with huge trees in their yard put a bright light in the upper part of the tree, so all the branches are lit up and nothing else. See this alot in Barrington Hills.