Deck Lighting
A very popular feature on custom decks is accent lighting. This can give your deck a very elegant appearance and provide safety. Accent lighting on decks is generally a low voltage lighting system. This makes installation easier as it does not require an electrical permit. The two most common places you will see low voltage accent lighting is on rail posts and stair risers. Due to recent code changes, staircases on decks are now required to be properly illuminated to avoid safety hazards. This has made decorative riser lights a popular choice.
Malibu Lighting is a very popular manufacturer of these products. They offer a wide variety of styles and colors. Malibu has a strong reputation and warranty and their products are easy to install. The light fixtures attach to low voltage wire with a connector mechanism. The wire forms a loop and ends at the transformer. The transformer has a timer built in so the lights can be set to your own customized schedule. Most people set the timer to come on at dusk and off by 11pm-12pm. You are also able to operate the lights by a manual switch in the transformer box. Be sure that the transformer selected is the correct wattage. Each light purchased will have a total number of watts needed to operate on the package purchased. For example: If you have 10 light fixtures and each fixture requires 7 watts each, then you will need a transformer of a minimum 70 watts. It is always a smart idea to exceed the minimum. Take a look at the links below to see low voltage deck lighting options:
http://malibulights.com/home.aspx
http://www.thedecklightstore.com/
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