There are many differences between the familiar little black box transformer you find at the home improvement stores for the DIY folks, and the professional low voltage outdoor lighting transformers that most landscape lighting professionals use. So, what are the differences?
The first thing you’ll really notice is the price, doesn’t everyone? Yes, there can be a very big price difference between the box store transformer and professional units. Why is that? Here is a list of differences. (Seen here is a professional series 900 watt stainless steel transformer)
- Product materials. At most retail stores you’ll see those little plastic transformers or those that they say are made from “metal” which is actually some kind of potted metal material. Professional transformers are generally made from either galvanized metal or stainless steel. NightScenes only uses the stainless steel transformers as we have found them to be the best value for our clients for the life of their lighting system.
- Controls. The home store units have built-in photocells or timers which can be set in hourly increments, or dusk to dawn use. Professional outdoor lighting transformers have the flexibility to be operated by just about any method you can imagine. We usually use astronomical timers, but can also install remote control receivers or even “smart” home controllers in professional transformers making operating the lighting system easy to fit the lifestyle of the homeowner.
- Voltage feeds. Most improvement store transformers have a single voltage output of 12 volts. (Some of the transformers do have a high and low setting which may boost the voltage by a volt.) Professional transformers which are UL1838 listed for landscape lighting (the only ones that should be used for this purpose) have voltage “taps” up to 15 volts. This is CRITICAL to properly operating a low voltage landscape lighting system. Not sending enough voltage to the lighting fixture – whether it is halogen or LED – will damage either the lamp or the LED. The same can be said for too much voltage. If the transformer is not able to compensate for voltage drop due to the length of wire and the load, or the voltage coming out of the home, the whole system is in danger of failure. By having several voltage options in the transformer, the professional lighting technician can make sure each fixture has exactly the voltage that it needs for proper operation.
- Load limits. The usual DIY type transformers are readily available in 65 watt and 100 watt units, although they do go as high as 600 watts. Professional units accommodate up to 1200 watts. But I must say that the day of LED lighting makes the use of these larger transformers much less likely.
- Price. You can find a plastic 100 watt transformer at the local home improvement or hardware store for about $50 or so; and a 600 watt “metal” transformer for about $200. Professional units start out at 100 watts and go up to 1200 watts in 300 watt multiples. An average rule of thumb for stainless steel professional series transformers over 300 watts is about $1 per watt. Lower wattage units at this time can cost more than a 300 watt transformer, in part due to the higher demand created by the use of quality LED lighting products. But I’m sure you get the idea – professional equipment built to last simply costs much more.
- BONUS! Warranty. Home improvement units may carry a 30-days to 1 year warranty. The galvanized professional transformers usually have a 10 year warranty; while the stainless units are normally a minimum 15 years up to lifetime. The stainless steel transformers that my company uses all carry lifetime replacement warrantees.
So now you have a batter grasp of the major differences between DIY transformers and those used for professional outdoor lighting systems in our central Texas area (prices are probably different elsewhere in the USA and abroad). Contact us here if you would like us to look at your Austin area outdoor lighting project.
