Hello. Last summer, I installed a set of low voltage LED landscaping lights around my yard, a total of 10. It’s a 24VDC system, nothing fancy, cheap Amazon stuff.
My installation went well, I have 3 total runs, two shorter on 18AWG and a longer run on 12AWG. All lights worked flawlessly for about 6 months, then I started seeing some go out. My assumption was the connection to the main runs from the light had issues - they use these finicky screw needle connectors. After time, I started seeing one whole run not work, then more individual lights. So put it off to troubleshoot til today.
I inspected the transformer with my voltage meter, putting out 24VDC just fine. Then went to extend of my runs and dig up and tested each.
One short run registered at ~10VDC, the other at ~5VDC. Then the longer 12 AWG registered at 0.6VDC!! And on that run, one light in the middle of the run is working fine.
there’s no way 24V would degrade that much on each of those run lengths and AWG’s, and the fact that it worked for 6 mo. and started degrading is a strange deal. So… how could those runs degrade/increase resistance so much over time underground?
1. Could it be that the transformer is malfunctioning, could it be putting out a far lower amperage than it once did?
2. Is it possible for wire to degrade somehow (even writing that feels stupid)?
Any thoughts or help appreciated! I am going to continue to troubleshoot, will test amperage’s and compare to the transformer specifications, and other potential connection issues for the runs, but thought I’d ask in the likelihood it’s just my transformer and I should buck up and buy a better quality one and replace it. My hope is not having to fully replace all my runs with the digging and routing all over again. Thank you!!
My installation went well, I have 3 total runs, two shorter on 18AWG and a longer run on 12AWG. All lights worked flawlessly for about 6 months, then I started seeing some go out. My assumption was the connection to the main runs from the light had issues - they use these finicky screw needle connectors. After time, I started seeing one whole run not work, then more individual lights. So put it off to troubleshoot til today.
I inspected the transformer with my voltage meter, putting out 24VDC just fine. Then went to extend of my runs and dig up and tested each.
One short run registered at ~10VDC, the other at ~5VDC. Then the longer 12 AWG registered at 0.6VDC!! And on that run, one light in the middle of the run is working fine.
there’s no way 24V would degrade that much on each of those run lengths and AWG’s, and the fact that it worked for 6 mo. and started degrading is a strange deal. So… how could those runs degrade/increase resistance so much over time underground?
1. Could it be that the transformer is malfunctioning, could it be putting out a far lower amperage than it once did?
2. Is it possible for wire to degrade somehow (even writing that feels stupid)?
Any thoughts or help appreciated! I am going to continue to troubleshoot, will test amperage’s and compare to the transformer specifications, and other potential connection issues for the runs, but thought I’d ask in the likelihood it’s just my transformer and I should buck up and buy a better quality one and replace it. My hope is not having to fully replace all my runs with the digging and routing all over again. Thank you!!
