Low voltage landscape lighting questions

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zappy

zappy

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Location
CA.
Should you always expect call backs, when you install them for customers? I hear there's always a problem with these things. Any tips for installing them? Thank you for your help.
 
Zappy , we do quite a bit of Deck an Landscape Lighting and if designed an Installed properly there should be no call back , maybe a bad lamp here an there but that's about it.

What problems are you having.
 
If you get HD quality stuff expect problems. If you get professional quality stuff expect professional quality. If a customer supplies the materials let them know that and that you aren't warranting it.
 
IMHO, if you are going to provide and install it, use good stuff! (Kim, Hadco, Kichler, etc.) DO NOT provide "kits" from the big box stores! You will be sorry!:cool: The cheap stuff is that way for a reason!:D
 
No HD crap here I wont even Install it for a customer , Use qualty lighting an components and learn how to design the cabling systems
 
I make a drawing with the wire runs numbered an the Length an total watts on that circuit and when complete I make a legend showing everything Including what lamp type an what type lamp watt to use for replacing lamps, if someone uses a higher wattage lamp for replacement you will have problems like voltage drop etc.
 
Zappy check out FX Luminaire. They are made in Southern CA. Great quality and 10 year warranty as long as you use there transformer.
10 Gauge minimum wire
Use lots of wire and avoid daisy chaining too many lights.
Actually the FX Luminaire website has great info on designing and installing systems.
The problems come from crappy installs and crappy products. A lot of landscape contractors will do this themselves.
 
Splicing main problem point

Splicing main problem point

What I've found is that the splicing points are usually the point where trouble brews. If you're doing the system from scratch pay close attention to the method for connection of all the "strings" to the transformer(s) and to each one of the fixtures. Bulbs go out from time to time with little or no warrantees, so that's one thing to note with the client ahead of time.

If it's a existing system they know what they've got and have probably called others before getting to you. I've gotten several calls from the same client knowing that he only wants to pay for so many hours of trouble-shooting and splicing repairs. He's got a big system and maybe next time I'll have gotten rid of all the bad and going bad splices.
 
No problems if you use quality fixtures. We use fixtures that have silicone sealed connections and we use hubs rather than daisy chain. Our transformers alone cost more than an entire kit at HD.
 
dmagyar said:
I've gotten several calls from the same client knowing that he only wants to pay for so many hours of trouble-shooting and splicing repairs.
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Haven't we all! "I want 10 hours' worth of work done, but I only want to pay for 5 hours." :roll:

I've literally said to a few customers: "There's no secret here: you want to pay as little as you can, and I want to charge as much as I can. We need to come up with a cost that is fair to both of us."

The ones who get that are easy to deal with, whether we arrive at an agreeable figure or not.
 
LarryFine said:
Haven't we all! "I want 10 hours' worth of work done, but I only want to pay for 5 hours." :roll:

I've literally said to a few customers: "There's no secret here: you want to pay as little as you can, and I want to charge as much as I can. We need to come up with a cost that is fair to both of us."
Click to expand...

I like that, I'm going to steal that line from you!:)
 
zappy said:
Should you always expect call backs, when you install them for customers? I hear there's always a problem with these things. Any tips for installing them? Thank you for your help.
Click to expand...


Never use the quick connect cable piercing thingys and you will eliminate 99% of your problems.
 
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