How to Switch your Landscaping Lights to LED lights

As the snow melts away, you will eventually begin to rediscover your yard and landscaping. Beneath all that snow, you may have noticed your landscape lights glowing. One quick “How To” to consider this spring is how to switch your low voltage landscape lights to LED’s.

What is an LED? LED stands for light emitting diode. This diode produces light using a semiconductor in a process called electroluminescence. The process is more efficient than traditional incandescent lights.

What is the value in upgrading to LED’s?

  1. Less electricity represents savings.
  2. Longer lifespan results in not changing bulbs.
  3. Less load on your transformer means you can actually add more lights to your outdoor lighting system.
  4. Some LED’s give the ability of dimming and color changing.
Front yard with landscaping LED lights

Replacing your incandescent lights with LED lights

How to Change Out My Landscape Lights?

  1. Purchase new LED lights. LED outdoor landscape lights can be found at any Lincoln, Nebraska home improvement store. These LED landscape lights cost a few dollars more than your traditional incandescent lights.
  2. Shut off your transformer. Once you have purchased your new LED landscape lights, swapping these out is simple. Always unplug or shut off your transformer before starting.
  3. Pull out your old incandescent light. Wait till the frost is out. The frost goes deep in Lincoln this time of year. Simply pull it out of the ground or use a spade and gently dig around it.
  4. Expose the two wires. Remove the wire nuts or electrical tape and unwind the lead wires from the two wires exiting the light.
  5. Connect your new LED lights. Most 2 lead wires have a smooth wire with writing and a ribbed wire. Remember ribbed to ribbed or writing to writing. Simply, twist the wires together and twist on the weather proof wire nut. Do NOT tape over the wires with electrical tape. Push the new LED light back into the ground and gently tamp around it so that it points in the proper direction.
  6. Light it up! Turn it on plug-in the transformer and test your new light.
  7. Repeat. Repeat this process with your other old landscape lights.
  8. Check voltage switching to LED’s may require to down size your transformer or switch to a smaller tap on the transformer.
  9. Higher quality lights have the option of just upgrading your lamp vs. switching out the entire fixture.

Now, enjoy your new LED landscape lighting. Lincoln, Nebraska residences can find more information about outdoor landscape lighting from American Landscape Company of Lincoln. Please call us today at 402-325-9255 or submit an online request for a FREE estimate.