How to Install Outdoor Lighting

Most home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes sell basic home lighting kits which supply you with a transformer, wires and a few basic lights that will allow you to add on as much as you like. Start with one of those, then follow the instructions below to get the professional look you want.

Things You'll Need

• Outdoor lighting starter kit with transformer
• Extra lights (optional)
• Ditch-witch
• Shovel
• Top soil
• Grass seed (optional)
• Electric screwdriver
• Drill
• Thick wood or masonry screw
• Soldering iron
• Solder
• Electrical tape

Instructions

1. Go to a home improvement store and purchase an outdoor lighting starter kit. There are a couple of different types of transformers available. Transformers usually do the double duty of reducing the wattage of the electricity to a reduced rate to run these lights. That's why they are called low voltage lights. The preferred transformer is one that has a photo cell, rather than a timer. This will let the lights come on at dusk and shut off automatically at sunrise.

2. Contact a local construction equipment rental store to rent a ditch-witch. The ditch-witch will allow you to quickly and easily dig deep trenches in which to install your wires. This will cost you an extra hundred or two dollars, but will give you a deeper ditch much quicker than digging it by hand.

3. Determine where you want your lights to be placed, and also where you will be plugging in your transformer. Typically, these transformers plug into a regular outdoor plug, so find one of those on the exterior of your home that receives a good bit of light. Drill a screw (wood screw if the exterior of your home is wood, or masonry if it is brick or stone) into the side of your home to hang the transformer on. Hang the transformer, but do not plug it in until you've completed running the wiring.

4. Use the ditch-witch to dig the trench or trenches where you want your lights. Make the trenches deep as possible; you do not want the wiring coming back up to the surface when rain or snow makes the ground soft. The ditch-witch will come with instructions as to how to use it; if not, refer back to the rental company for instructions. They are generally easy to operate.

5. Run the main lines that come with the lighting system into the trenches, all the way from the transformer to the end of the trenches. If possible, put a stick in the ground so you have an idea where the end is in case you ever decide to add on to the system.

6. Install lights. Most of these lighting systems come with little converter boxes that you can easily clip the main line and the light wire into. You do not want to do this. Instead, strip the end of the light wire, and strip off about an inch of wire on the main line, being careful not to cut it. Wrap the end of the light wire around the stripped portion of the main line. Heat up your soldering iron, and drip solder on all sides of the exposed wire. Finally, when the solder cools, thoroughly tape up the exposed part, two or three times over. Taking these steps greatly reduces the chance the wires might become disconnected. Repeat for all lights.

7. Connect the main lines to the transformer, and plug your transformer in. If none of your lights work, then either your transformer is faulty, or your main line is not connected right. If some, but not all, of the lights work, these lights may not be properly connected, or may simply have a bulb out. Bulbs can easily break in shipment. Repair all lights until all lights fully function.

8. Fill in your trenches with the left over dirt and the extra top soil you purchased. If your trenches crossed through your lawn, drop the grass seed generously onto the filled-in trench, and water at least twice a week for a month until the grass grows back.

Tips & Warnings

• Never work with the transformer connected. Before you ever touch the wires, make absolutely sure the transformer is completely disconnected.