Installing walkway lights on your property is a great way to make it more eye-catching and even safer.  However, if you’re planning on installing a system of low voltage lights to put these in, there is one thing that many homeowners get wrong, and that is choosing the right transformer.  Choosing the right transformer will make the difference between and amazing light system and one that barely functions.  So follow these simple steps and choose the right landscape lighting transformer the first time.

When you’re looking at low voltage transformers, the first thing that you have to do is determine if it can handle the lights you plan on installing, so make sure that you figure this out first.  Once you have the total number of lights that you plan on installing and their wattages, you will want to add this number together to find out the total wattage of the system.  This is your base number.  Take this number and add at least twenty-five percent more onto it to get the minimum wattage that you need your transformer to handle.  The extra percentage is to account for the voltage drop that can happen in low voltage cables when you run them over a longer distance (as you’ll likely be doing when you’re installing pathway lighting).

Once you’ve done this, you should have narrowed your search down to several good options.  Make sure that you find a transformer that fits where you want to install it, is weatherproof, and can handle the total number of lines to plan on running.  Most walkway lighting plans will require that you run at least two cables, so make sure you account for this.

After this all that’s left is for you to install the lights and start enjoying your great new landscape lighting!