"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Neil wrote in message

I'm redesigning my back garden at the moment and my thoughts have
turned
to lighting. I would like to illuminate the terrace which is just to
the
rear of the house, but also I'm considering some path lighting and
maybe
some accent lighting to highlight specimen trees, planting groups
etc.
This would mainly be for use during the summer but occasionally we
would
switch the lights on at other times, for effect.

I live in a rural village so I'm conscious of light pollution and
don't
really want to brighten the night sky which could affect other
locals.

I'll discuss my plans with my neighbours before I go ahead but I
have a
number of questions initially:-

What is best practice regarding this kind of lighting?

Mains voltage, low voltage or a mixture?

Is this a daft idea and I should forget about it?


We have had low voltage garden lighting on automatic control for
years. You
can install a low voltage system yourself easily but to use mains
voltage
you would need the expertise of an experienced and qualified
electrician.
Disadvantages with low voltage (24v) are that you can only put so many
lights on each transformer so for a lot of lights you would need more
than
one system or obtain a more power transformer.
Try talking to your local proper electrical supplies co. the sort of
place
electricians go to get their stuff. Don't bother with Garden Centres
or
Sheds.


OK, low voltage in the garden makes sense. Presumably I can use mains
voltage fittings attached to the house to iluminate the terrace.

I had a look at TLC but very little on there, really. Is this a niche
market (ie expensive)?

Thanks

Neil