Outdoor Lighting Tips: Voltage Isn't Power

A higher voltage doesn't always mean brighter light; in fact, voltage isn't power (that's measured in watts). Voltage refers to how much force is exerted to create a current along the line from the power source to the outdoor lamp. High voltage simply means there's more electricity flowing at a given time but not necessarily a stronger one. People often mistake voltage for wattage. This is something that must be clarified prior to work on any home improvement project.

You can still have bright light with a low-voltage system for your garden. Power-wise, a 60-watt lamp operating on 12 volts is hardly any different from the same lamp operating on ten times the voltage. Keep in mind, however, that voltage can drop if a line is connected to several fixtures, in a set-up called a daisy chain. If you see that some of the lamps in the garden aren't as bright as the rest, the problem isn't necessarily with the wattage but the voltage.

In fact, experts recommend against daisy chaining in outdoor lighting. You can arrange the electrical system to “form a T” for the lights to receive an equal amount of voltage. This is recommended for low-voltage systems so an equal amount of light can be sustained across a landscape.