Voltage Drop 101: What You Need to Know for Outdoor Landscape Lighting

Outdoor landscape lighting can transform your home, garden, or pathways into a welcoming and beautiful space at night. But one common challenge every installer or homeowner faces is voltage drop. At Sun Bright Lighting, we not only provide high-quality fixtures built to shine bright, but we also help you understand how to design a system that keeps your lights glowing evenly and efficiently.

What Is Voltage Drop?

Voltage drop happens when electricity loses energy as it travels through wire over distance. In low-voltage systems (like 12V and 24V landscape lighting), this drop can lead to fixtures at the end of the run appearing dimmer than those closer to the transformer.

Example:

  • Transformer sends out 12V.

  • By the time power reaches a light 100 feet away, it may only be getting 10V.

  • That light shines weaker, creating uneven illumination.

Why It Matters for Your Landscape

  • Uneven Light Levels – Path lights may look mismatched in brightness.

  • Reduced Fixture Performance – LED fixtures require a proper voltage range to work correctly.

  • Wasted Energy – Power loss means you’re not getting the most out of your transformer and fixtures.

How to Prevent Voltage Drop

At Sun Bright Lighting, we recommend these best practices to ensure your system performs at its best:

  1. Choose the Right Wire Gauge

    • Longer runs need thicker wire (10 or 12 AWG) to reduce resistance.

  2. Plan for Distance

    • Keep runs under 100 feet when possible, or split the load into multiple shorter runs.

  3. Distribute Fixture Loads

    • Balance your wattage across different runs to avoid overloading one line.

  4. Consider 24V Systems

    • Sun Bright Lighting fixtures work with both 12V and 24V setups.

    • 24V is ideal for larger landscapes because it minimizes voltage drop.

    • Ensure only 24V-rated bulbs or LEDs are used with 24V transformers to avoid burning out the lights immediately

  5. Use Hub or Star Wiring

    • Instead of daisy-chaining fixtures, run multiple wires back to a central hub near the transformer for even distribution.

Understanding voltage drop is key to designing a reliable, professional-looking outdoor lighting system. With Sun Bright Lighting fixtures, you can rest assured that your landscape will shine with balanced, consistent light from the first fixture to the last.

Whether you’re a homeowner or installer, remember: the right planning + the right fixtures = flawless illumination.

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