Can my high voltage outdoor lighting system be converted to low voltage LED?
This was a question that was recently posed to me, and I thought it might make for a good blog topic since there are still a lot of high voltage landscape lighting systems in use around central Texas. Most of those high voltage systems are also mercury vapor which cannot be repaired; it must be replaced since mercury vapor lighting is being phased out in the United States and elsewhere in the world. It can however be converted to low voltage LED lighting.
Since low voltage lighting is also considerably safer, it makes more sense to go ahead and convert a high voltage system to low voltage if it has to be replaced anyway. It is important to note that anything to do with the 120 volt side of the lighting system must be done by a licensed electrician in Texas. The low voltage side can be done by a design/install company like ours, preferably one with certification by the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals. We do have electricians that we use often for this, and then we tackle the low voltage work since we are not licensed electrical contractors.
So what does it take to convert a high voltage system to low voltage? It takes the installation of transformers that step the voltage down by 10 times, from 120 volts to 12 volts. After that, the rest is easy really. First we have electrician remove the old mercury vapor ballasts. Then we install 12 volt transformers in their place; then we install 12 volt LED outdoor lighting fixtures from there.
Of course, before the first tool is lifted, there is a lot of design work to be done in advance, and a lot of very essential calculations to determine how many of what fixtures can be placed on any one transformer. This part of the job is critical for the success of the project. If one of those transformers becomes overloaded, it can damage those expensive LED fixtures and cause all kinds of problems. We also have to know what kind of transformers to use with which LED fixtures since some products don’t always work well with different kinds of transformers.
So, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t convert your old high voltage mercury vapor lighting system to low voltage LED lighting — because it most certainly can be done. The conversion is generally cheaper than putting in a whole new system too, since most of that underground electrical work can still be used. Just remember that hiring a certified professional who knows about outdoor lighting design, electrical loads and component compatibility will insure a much more successful (and beautiful) finished product.
If you have an outdated lighting system and are considering an upgrade to low voltage LED outdoor lighting in the greater Austin and Texas hill country area, please contact us here to set up an appointment to assess your system.
