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dventura

09:25AM | 03/03/10
Member Since: 03/02/10
2 lifetime posts
Bvelectrical

Outdoor low voltage lighting

Tags: Electrical & Lighting
I laid out all the lighting and wiring around the house. Went out and bought the biggest transformer HD had - 600 watts. I get home and find out the 600 watts is actually two 300 watts transformers. The lights are very dim.

Can I wire the transformers in series to get more watts to brighten the lights?

My lights add up to almost 400 watts and I used the heavy wiring. 600 would do it.

TimBonham

12:37PM | 03/03/10
Member Since: 01/09/07
198 lifetime posts
Can't you split your light circuits, and put half of them on each of the transformers?

That's a better way to do it anyway. Houses are normally wired with many different circuits, each with their own breaker in the main box.

dventura

05:18PM | 03/03/10
Member Since: 03/02/10
2 lifetime posts
I split the front yard and back yard. Rear of the house is bright on the 300 watt leg. The front of the house has many more fixtures and longer run thus is dim.

doug seibert

01:25AM | 03/04/10
Member Since: 08/10/02
842 lifetime posts
One big circular layout won't work.....

Here's a guide to designing the layout

http://www.landscapelightingworld.com/Low-Voltage-Layout-Guide-a/161.htm

"......measure Once.....cut Twice....

throw that one away and cut a new one...."

John_Christmas

02:46AM | 02/13/12
Member Since: 02/13/12
6 lifetime posts
Though splitting the wires into two sets would create a huge mess of wires, I think that is one of the easier ways to improve the brightness of your lights. Maybe another person can give better advice?
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