HOW TO DESIGN LANDSCAPE LIGHTING: IDEAS AND TIPS

Landscape lighting, smart and wired, often not included in an original residential landscape plan, is a great way to enhance your property. Not only does outdoor landscape lighting increase your curb appeal but highlighting the unique features of the home’s architecture and shining light on distinct plantings can transform your landscape into a thing of beauty during the night.

Outdoor lighting is essential to making sure safety is the top priority. Extending the use of your outdoor entertaining and outdoor living areas into the evening hours can be dangerous unless you properly illuminate paths, walkways, cooking areas and stairs. If you want to enjoy the visual aspects of your space, having landscape lighting for your water features, pools, spas, and plantings can really make them stand out. Not all properties are created equal, and some fixtures may work well for certain properties but may not work well for others. We are ready to help you choose the best landscape lighting for your needs. Let this article be your guide to selecting lighting  fixtures and outdoor lighting ideas and that best accommodate your unique property.

Best Landscaping Lighting

In order to determine the best landscaping lighting for you, it’s important to think about how you use the space. Not all landscapes are created equal, and each landscape will have different uses and requirements. Most outdoor lighting will be low-voltage because it’s safe to work with and not as expensive. Most outdoor landscape lighting systems will include a transformer, cables, stakes, fixture housings, and bulbs.

Transformer: Reduces the voltage from your home to usable and safer voltage for outdoor use

●Cables: Carries the light from the transformer to the individual fixtures

●Stakes: Hold the fixtures in place

●Fixture Housings: The outer casings of the bulb shape and direct the light and protect the bulbs from the harsh outside elements

●Bulb: These determine the brightness and beam color

How to Design Landscape Lighting

1. Deciding the Purpose

In this step, it’s important to think about the space and the function. Determine which areas are particularly dark and which areas you want to visually highlight once the sun goes down. Make note of any pathways or obstacles that could be a safety hazard in the dark.

2. Ideas for Your Layout

Ideas for your layout. Inspirational images are crucial to the design process. Gather some landscape lighting ideas from other landscapes that you like and some spaces that are similar to your own.

3. Determine the Effort

Determine the effort. Depending on the number of fixtures and the complexity of the space, it’s important to determine how difficult the lighting design will be. During this step, consulting a lighting professional would be a good idea.

4. Setting a Budget

Make sure to set a budget for your project so you can determine what kind of fixtures you are able to choose from.

5. Landscape Lighting Design

Draw out the landscape starting with the perimeter and the buildings as you work inward. This will help you choose what kind of system you need for your lighting.

6. Selecting Fixtures

Make sure to choose fixtures with the correct voltage. Also consider choosing solar LED fixtures.

7. Wire Runs, Power Supplies, & Final Layout
If you chose to do a low-voltage lighting system, there will be many runs from one transformer. Your entire lighting system can operate from just one source, so in this step you are going to map out exactly where the fixtures will go, and the cables needed to extend from the transformer.

Products and reference designs of Area & landscape lighting

Isolated AC/DC power supply

For outdoor lighting luminaires isolated AC/DC power or non-isolated AC/DC are used. The power can be a simple constant current power supply or a constant voltage supply. Several topologies such as single stage flyback, PFC followed by flyback, LLC, or PFC followed by non-isolated high voltage buck are used. PWM controllers, MOSFET drivers and high voltage MOSFETs are part of the the power supply. Isolated AC/DC power supply includes Power factor correction (PFC) controllers、LLC controllers、SR & load share controllers, the Corresponding products are UCC28065、UCC25660、UCC24624

Current & voltage sense

For efficient monitoring, control and protection, the current through the LED string and/or the current output from the power supply is measured and fed back to the MCU. This also helps ensure accurate programming of the output current of the luminaire based on the LED load. Current & voltage sense includes Shunt voltage references、Precision op amps (Vos<1mV)、General-purpose op amps, the Corresponding products are TLV431B、OPA376、TL103WB

Analog front end

Components such as operational amplifiers (op amps) and voltage references are used for power supply control and measurement. In applications where analog dimming is needed DACs or op amps will also be needed. For digital interfaces and level translation, logic buffers are used. Analog front end includes Precision op amps (Vos<1mV)、General-purpose op amps, the Corresponding products are OPA376、LM358B、TL103WB

Power stage

LED current controllers with external MOSFETs are used for controlling the current through the LED strings and for dimming purposes. In some cases discrete MOSFETs with drivers and current sensing and monitoring are also used for dimming purposes. Power stage includes Automotive LED drivers、N-channel MOSFETs、SR & load share controllers, the Corresponding products are TPS92515HV-Q1、CSD18537NQ5A、UCC24624

Non-isolated DC/DC power supply

DC/DC converters and LDOs are of common need to power the subsystems such as the microcontroller (MCU), data converters and amplifiers. Low stand-by consumption and efficiency important considerations. Non-isolated DC/DC power supply includes Linear & low-dropout (LDO) regulators、Buck converters (integrated switch), the Corresponding products are LM317L、TPS62840、LMR36502

Digital processing

Microcontrollers with built-in analog-to-digital converter (ADC), PWMs and comparators are used as part of the LED driver power supplies of the LED luminaire. Microcontrollers are also used in intelligent sensor modules. Digital processing includes MSP430 microcontrollers, the Corresponding product is MSP430FR6005

Wireless interface

Wireless SoCs of either 2.4 GHz, sub-1 GHz or WiFi are used for wireless monitoring and control of LED luminaires. Rich integrated peripherals also make the dimming and control possible while the SoCs support wireless connectivity. Wireless interface includes Low-power 2.4-GHz products, the Corresponding product is CC2651R3

Signal isolation

Digital isolators are used for applications where the high speed serial communication interface needs to be isolated. Modules such as the AC energy measurement module, which may be a part of the luminaire, need to be isolated from the other electronics. Signal isolation includes Digital isolators, the Corresponding product is ISO6521

Signal input/output protection

Outdoor luminaires are increasingly adding more modular sensor modules. For these modular desigESD protection diodesns, system level ESD protection is important to protect the communication I/O lines and other signals that are part of the modular connector. Signal input/output protection includes ESD protection diodes, the Corresponding product is TPD4E05U06-Q1

Self-diagnostics/monitoring

Analog temperature sensors or temperature sensor switches are used to monitor the temperature of the LED assembly and provide over-temperature protection. Sensors such as ambient light sensors, humidity sensors and temperature sensors are used as part of the photo control unit for efficient lighting control. Self-diagnostics/monitoring includes ESD protection diodes, the Corresponding product is OPT3001

Input power protection

In outdoor luminaires, several modules are added to get more information from the city in order to enable smart cities. While having multiple modules, the power supply needs to be protected in case of any issues on the external modules. Devices such as eFuse or load switches are used to limit the power drawn by the external load. Input power protection includes eFuses & hot swap controllers, the Corresponding products are TPS7H2201-SEP、TPS7H2211-SEP、TPS25983

Installation Process

●Assemble Fixtures: Make sure everything is all put together and each piece is ready to be installed.

●Lay out lights: Next, lay out each fixture where you plan to install them.

●Mounting Transformer Box: The box plugs into the 120-volt outlet converting home electricity to the correct current for low voltage landscape lighting.

●Lay Out Wiring: Lay out the wiring needed from fixture to fixture.

●Scope out Runs: Here is the step to plan how many lights will run off each set of wires.

●Testing: Before installing everything, test each connection and each bulb.

●Aim the Lights: In the evening, go and turn all the lighting on to make sure they will be placed exactly where you want them.

●Bury Wire: Lastly, burying the wires only 2-6 inches deep so that it’s out of the way and won’t get damaged.