Landscape Lighting Transformer


  #1  
Old 07-18-19, 02:35 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 138
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Landscape Lighting Transformer

I bought a house about 6 months ago and shortly after bought some solar panel lights to illuminate my house. Well after four months of using them, I am ready to move on as they aren't cutting it.

I bought some wired lights and wire. I was told I need a transformer to get the lights to work. The owner before me had wired landscape lighting, but the lights never worked. He had them hooked up to a timer. Is the timer used as the transformer? If not, what do I need?

Here are some pictures of the timer.



 
  #2  
Old 07-18-19, 04:41 PM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
Typ yes but question is, does it work?
 
  #3  
Old 07-18-19, 08:13 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 138
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Typ? Arr you saying typically?

Yes, the timer works. Are there features with new timers that should be considered? Why would the timer be the transformer?
 
  #4  
Old 07-19-19, 04:30 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,657
Received 2,153 Upvotes on 1,928 Posts
First you need to know what the lights need. Many older systems are 12VAC while newer LED systems can be 12VDC.

It is common for outdoor lighting transformers to have built in timers and dusk to dawn light sensors.

First step is to test the output of the transformer and see if it is working like Marq1 said. If the transformer isn't working then you'll need to decide if you just want to replace it and hope everything else is OK or get an entirely new system. LED would be best as it uses much less energy and it's often less expensive to buy everything together as a kit as opposed to buying components individually.
 
  #5  
Old 07-19-19, 05:40 AM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 138
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
These are the lights I bought. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My timer does work and turns on outdoor path lights every night.
 
  #6  
Old 07-19-19, 06:53 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,657
Received 2,153 Upvotes on 1,928 Posts
The lights you linked appear to be DC. Check to see if your existing transformer outputs AC.
 
  #7  
Old 07-19-19, 07:29 AM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 138
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
How do you check for that?
 
  #8  
Old 07-19-19, 01:37 PM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,657
Received 2,153 Upvotes on 1,928 Posts
Look at the data/writing on your transformer or test it with a multi meter.
 
  #9  
Old 07-19-19, 10:18 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,939
Received 3,951 Upvotes on 3,544 Posts
They don't specifically say DC only. It looks like they'll work with12-24v AC or DC transformers.
 
  #10  
Old 07-22-19, 12:12 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 138
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Awesome thanks. Do you think I should just try my existing timer and if it doesn't work then shoot for another transformer/timer?
 
  #11  
Old 07-22-19, 11:15 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,939
Received 3,951 Upvotes on 3,544 Posts
I would certainly give it a try.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: