Lighting Your Garden With 12v Lights

If you’re getting ready to spend a lot of time in your garden with friends and family this summer, you’re probably already considering how to make the most of the space in the evenings too. Since the longest day of the year is in June before the nights start getting shorter again, that leaves us with a lot of darker evening hours that we’re likely to want to spend in the garden while it is still warm.

 

 

Getting the right amount of lighting outside your property and in the garden can be similar to lighting the rest of your home, in that it is likely that you will want different types of lighting to be installed for different reasons. If you have a seating area, fire pit, or outdoor dining space, then you might want to string festoons overhead, install wall lights or lamps to provide ambient light, and garden paths that lead to the property entrance might want floodlights with PIR sensors for safety. Then, there are the accent lights – such as fairy lights, or spotlights to simply highlight the beauty of the property and the trees and plants in the garden.

When fitting lights in the garden, there are quite a few things to consider, but a great way to light up your garden is using 12v garden lights. In this post, we’re taking a look at these low voltage garden light options, as well as comparing them with other types of garden lighting, so that you can choose the best type of lights for your garden.

 

What Types Of Garden Lighting Are There?

 

There are thousands of different styles and shapes of garden light, but the main difference between them is how they are powered.

 

Battery powered garden lights – these include USB rechargeable styles

Solar powered garden lights – these require the solar panel to be placed in a sunny spot to provide enough charge

12v garden lights – these need plugging into an outdoor power outlet

24v garden lights – also require plugging into an outdoor power outlet

Mains powered garden lights – these are typically installed with the assistance of a qualified electrician

 

It can get confusing, as there are advantages to using each of the different types, and there are some styles that are available in all the different electrical formats. Essentially though, if you don’t have outdoor power (and don’t want to, or can’t install a power outlet) then battery or solar power are the main choices you have. If you have a power socket in your garden, then you can choose from 12v and 24v garden lights, and if you are looking to install permanently and have budget for an electrician, then mains powered are also an option.

 

Can I Get Outside Lights Without Using An Electrician?

 

There are a few ways that you can install lights outside without needing the assistance of an electrician. If you already have access to mains power outside, then EasyFit 12v garden lights could be exactly what you’re looking for, since they are exactly as they sound – easy to fit! They include spotlights and festoons that connect to your outdoor mains power outlet, and are flexible, so can be added to when required.

 

 

Solar powered garden lighting is also a great option, and solar power technology – including LEDs and modern transformers – means that the weaker types of solar lights that didn’t really shine at all in the past are now long gone. Whether you’re looking for purely decorative lighting, or want bright, functional lights that can light up paths and entrances to your home, there are solar powered lights to fit the bill.

 

Which Is Better For My Garden, 12v Lights Or Solar Lights?

There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ correct answer to this question that can be applied to all gardens, because there are just too many variables – in some circumstances, 12v lights will fit the bill, and in others, solar will be better.

 

12v garden lights are likely to be a better option for:

 

• Areas of the garden that don’t get a lot of direct sunlight
• Homes that plan to put lighting in for longer periods of time
• Lighting up larger spaces

 

 

Solar powered garden lights might be better where:

 

• The home is rented and permanent fixtures are not allowed
• The owner of a home plans to sell in the next few years
• The area to be lit up is far away from the mains electricity supply

 

 

These aren’t the only considerations to take on board, but they tend to be things that customers are thinking about when they are making their decision.

 

Why Not Just Use Mains Garden Lighting?

It is a great question, and of course, if employing an electrician is within your budget (or you have the necessary skills) and you’re planning to be in the property for some time, then mains garden lighting could be the right option for you. There are plenty of options for lighting your property with outdoor lights in our range.

Mains lighting can be preferable where you don’t want to use transformers, such as for wall spotlights, where concealing the transformer would be difficult. Lighting that is connected to the mains might also be a better option for you if you’re lighting larger items such as big trees.

One of the issues with mains garden lighting is that the cables must be protected from accidental damage – so you can’t leave the cable on the surface as you can with 12v lights.

 

What Safety Features Do I Need For Garden Lights?

When you’re thinking about electrical items outdoors – certainly here in the UK – you have to plan for the weather. Manufacturers of outdoor lighting know this, and so when you’re buying almost any type of garden lighting, you’ll find a safety rating of IP44, which means they are safe from solid particles of over 1mm in size, and will withstand low velocity sprays of water. That is watertight enough in terms of rain, and even garden hoses and sprinklers – whether they’re being directed towards your plants, or each other in summertime water fights!

 

What Is The Best Garden Lighting System?

 

There are plenty of garden lighting systems that can be installed, but our opinion – certainly for anyone who has a professionally installed mains power outlet available in their garden – is that the EasyFit range is one of the best 12v garden lighting systems to be found.

The great thing about EasyFit garden lights – apart from the gorgeous effect they provide when they’re lighting up your plants and trees – is that they are so flexible. You can choose from packs that contain multiple spotlights, or buy individual pieces, so that you can curate the exact look that you want.

 

What Are EasyFit Garden Lights?

 

EasyFit garden lights are exactly what they sound like – garden lights that are easy to fit in your garden. The range of 12v garden lights has separate pieces that are all plug and play, stake spotlights (some with coloured filters to create a different ambience), strings of festoons, extension cables, transformers, and dusk to dawn sensors (some with timer). Because the range is all completely compatible, it is easy to create the perfect amount of lighting – and if you decide you need an additional light or two the following year, you can purchase the extras you need, plug them in, and go.

Depending on the number of lights to be installed, and where they are to be situated, with EasyFit lights, the whole garden can be lit up within just a few minutes.

 

Why Do EasyFit Garden Lights Operate At 12 Volts?

 

The primary reason that many garden lights require 12v is due to safety. They are safe to run around children and pets, and should they be exposed to a little damp (not actual submersion in water) then the 12v circuit is unlikely to be impacted.

 

Are EasyFit 12v Garden Lights Any Good?

 

You might think that low power means low levels of lighting, but you’d be wrong. Despite the low levels of power that are required to run them, 12v garden lights are actually very good, and can provide excellent levels of lighting. That’s due to the fact that LED bulbs require far less power to provide a lot more brightness than traditional incandescent bulbs and older types of garden lighting.

 

Where Can I Get The Best 12v Garden Lights?

 

12v garden lights from many different brands are available from most major home and garden retailers, but if you’re buying parts separately (whether that is in addition to, or as opposed to a complete kit) we recommend that you buy from reputable lighting specialist.

Buying from a specialist lighting company means that you can access the advice you need – whether that is from the FAQs, or you speak directly to the team to get the answer to your query. General home and garden retailers may not be able to provide the right advice, which may mean multiple trips to the store or returning items.

 

How Do I Install Low Voltage LED Garden Lights?

 

If you’ve decided on EasyFit lights, it is an incredibly simple process, and as long as you have outside access to mains power, you won’t need assistance from your electrician. When you’re selecting the lights:

 

1. Choose the EasyFit lights that suit your needs best – either selecting the parts separately, or buying a kit
2. Pick the right cables – this will depend on the number of lights you’re installing
3. Select the transformer that is right for the combined wattage of all the lights you have chosen

 

When you have chosen the lighting kit, or the parts that you need and they have been delivered, then:

 

4. Identify where you want your lights in the garden
5. Fix the lights in place, either pushing the stake into the ground firmly or hanging them securely
6. Connect each light to the cable
7. Hide the cables (you don’t need to bury the cable; it can simply be laid along the ground between plants)
8. Set the light to the angle you prefer
9. Connect the lights to the transformer
10. Plug into the mains power outlet, flip the switch, and you’re done!

 

Once your lights are installed, you don’t have to do anything but enjoy – and maybe start to plan who you intend to invite over for a drink in the evenings!

 

Can I Move My EasyFit Garden Lights After I Install Them?

 

Absolutely! If you find that you haven’t got your lights in quite the right place first time, don’t worry. As long as you haven’t set the light into a permanent material like cement (which we don’t advise!) then you can simply switch them off, reposition the stake, or the string of festoons, and switch them on again.

 

Can EasyFit Garden Lights Switch On Automatically When It Gets Dark?

 

They can – with a dusk to dawn sensor. This connects to the EasyFit 12v garden lighting range, and detects when natural daylight has receded to dusk – and will trigger your garden lights to switch on automatically, as long as they are plugged in. When the sun starts to rise in the morning, and natural daylight is detected by the sensor, the lights will be switched off. The EasyFit range also has dusk to dawn sensors that have timers, allowing you even more flexibility for when you want your lights to go on and off.

 

Can I Mix And Match 12v Garden Lights With Other Brands?

 

While the EasyFit range is designed to work with all products in the range, we’d advise extreme caution if you’re buying from other ranges and attempting to mix and match. It may be possible for parts from different brands to work together, but they aren’t designed to be interchangeable with each other (unlike USB cables, for example). Even though the amount of power is low and the chances of shock are minimal, it is best not to risk it.

 

Our Final Thoughts

 

Get the maximum time in your garden this year, and enjoy the beauty of the space by adding garden lights. Whether you ultimately decide on hardwired mains powered garden lighting, solar lights, or EasyFit 12v garden lights, you’re sure to have plenty of long, lazy summer evenings over drinks with friends and family.

If you’ve got questions, get in touch – and when you’ve installed them, don’t forget to tag us on your Instagram posts @online_lighting!