Absolutely stunning home, Sharma. I've diagrammed your photos to show a couple of different approaches to consider. The first one (yellow graphics) I'll call a fantasy HGTV version which would likely involve you bringing in the big guns and hiring a LL pro. The second approach (orange graphics) is, I think, a bit more straightforward for the DIYer. In the first plan you'd be installing core drilled puck lights at the base of each garage door pillar. Those existing lights probably light the driveway just fine but uplighting the pillars would make that side of your house really pop. Because you've got fairly deep soffits, I think more puck lights in the locations shown in both of your photos would further highlight the structure of that side of your house and the puck lights above the garage doors would highlight your beautiful grey roof. On the side where your entrance is, you'd uplight the two sides sections of the facade flanking your doorway as well as the stone pillar to the far right. I can't tell for sure but it looks like uplighting that pillar would cast a shadow on the upper part of the facade there at the corner on the right. A puck light in the soffit in that upper right corner of the facade would compensate for that. Alternatively, a puck light alone could sufficiently light both the wall and the stone pillar below. While significantly more labor intensive, the main benefit of this overall approach is that, with the exception of the uplights on the entrance side, your fixtures would be virtually invisible for the most part. For the second approach, you'd be doing virtually the exact opposite of what I showed you in the first plan. It's usually not a good idea to aim lights at windows and I rarely recommend this approach. In your case, I'm making an exception. There is so much remarkable character to your house that I like the idea of treating the entire area above your garage as one big gable. I think a gutter mounted spotlight with a fairly wide beam spread (60° max) mounted dead center of the roof line would show off the windows, the soffits, the arch above the center window and the roof above that window. OTOH, if light trespass in your windows is a concern, you could always simply uplight the narrow bands of brick flanking those two outermost windows. Puck lights in the garage door frames would really show off those handsome grey/green garage doors in a way that your wall sconces can't. For the room where the turret is, I'm recommending spotlights (or well lights with narrow beam spread lamps at the corners and where the turret meets the house. You might or might not want to put a path light to light your steps there (as well as at the base of the steps to you entryway. On the entryway side, I'm recommending uplights in the locations shown. Again, lighting the pillar and/or the area above it may be tricky depending on how far out the wall juts from the facade of the house. Btw, I noticed the street lamp on the entryway side of your house. That may influence both how bright you decide to go with your lights and the color temperature you choose. We all like what we like when it comes to brightness but I think 2W or 3W max should more than compensate for any impact that streetlight might have on your house. If your street lamps are the cool bluish hued ones, I'd probably go with the 2700K warm white lamps. If the lamp is the orangish sodium type, you may want to go with the slightly cooler 3000K warm white lamps for your fixtures. Others may have different thoughts but ultimately what appeals to you is what's important.
Thank u so much & really appreciate for such a detailed response. I liked your both point of views. But I like the 2nd (Orange Color) option better & easier. So I have few more question for you. 1 On the garage what type of light & what beam angel is reqd. 2 What beam angle is reqd here. 3. Do we need to cover this area colored in Red by putting down light Thank u so much !!!
Glad to help. If you can find the time, I highly recommend you check out the gallery on the VOLT site and also take a look at some of the lighting fixture types. The light for the garage doors would be a puck light. You can see what the effect on your doors would be by looking at examples on the site and doing an image search online. For the turreted room, I recommend a beam spread in the 15 degree to 20 degree range. Finally, our goal is to highlight features of your house rather than fully illuminate it. We want to show off the contours without showing the whole house off in a three dimensional way. However, ultimately what you want to showcase about your house and landscaping is what’s important. HTH.
Can we use this timer instead of Manual timer ? It comes with APP. You can turn on & off the transformer & set the timer Your thoughts please.... https://www.amazon.ca/Gosund-Functi...b3ace&pd_rd_wg=46ald&pd_rd_i=B085DBVSRK&psc=1
Unfortunately, the way it's designed (with the outlet on the front) it's unlikely you could find a transformer with enough clearance inside to safely accommodate the plug and the timer. Another issue is that it's not designed to withstand temperature extremes. What is that you'd like to accomplish?
Sharma: I use a smartplug to control my transformer. To avoid cutting off the transformer plug and replacing it with a right angle one (and voiding the warranty), you will need to install a jumbo in-use outlet cover in order to fit the smartplug and the transformer plug together. It sounds like overkill, but I like being able to control the transformer from the cell phone app, which simultaneously controls and dims the LED smart bulbs in my outdoor sconces and overhead lights at the same time. Everything comes on at the same time and the LEDs are automatically dimmed to complement the Volt lighting intensity. Bob
I wondered what people were doing with their smart plugs. So that I can have my path and driveway lighting on dusk to dawn and have only the lights on the house go off around midnight, I finally gifted myself the dual circuit transformer VOLT. I do like being able to create two zones. Otherwise, I just want to be able to set it and forget it.
Thanks guys for your input. Mesodude2 my plan was not to use this inside the transformer. I will connect smart plug to the outside receptacle box & then connect the transformer to the smart plug. Will that work ?
Sharma, yes that will work. That's how mine is set up. Just make sure you buy a large enough box to accommodate the smart plug and the transformer plug. Bob
Thank u so much Robert. Another question : How can I split or control my lighting for the front & backyard separately. Backyard lights should only be on when we need it NOT ALWAYS. I am planning to use 1 transformer for both back & front. How will it be possible ?
The transformer I mentioned earlier would probably be your best bet, IMO. My path and tree/shrub lights are dusk to dawn on one circuit. I’m very sensitive to light so the lights on the 2nd circuit illuminating the house go out after midnight. Warranty issue aside, I think if you have your transformer in a somewhat sheltered location, products like the one you and Bob are talking about would probably function just fine. https://www.voltlighting.com/600w-dual-circuit-transformer
Sharma: If money is not an issue, then I would do what Meso did and treat yourself to a 600W dual circuit (2x300W) transformer with a photo cell/hour timer to control the back yard lights while using the smart plug for general control of the transformer. A cheaper alternative would be 2 separate lower wattage transformers, each on smart plugs, if you can find a place for the second transformer in the backyard. Depending on your total wattage needs, 2 separate 100W Slimline transformers might suffice. The only reason I went with smart plug control of my transformer was because I incorporated my house LED smart lights into my landscape lighting plan. The smartphone app for the LEDs has a subroutine for sunset to sunrise lighting based on my area code. Because of where I had to install my transformer, the timing was approximately 20 minutes different than what the transformer photocell detected for dusk to dawn operation. Removing the photocell and using a smart plug for the transformer put everything on the same schedule. If that is not critical to you, then the dual circuit transformer or 2 separate transformers, one on photocell dusk to dawn control and the other on photocell hour timer control would suffice. If you want to add your house LEDs to your lighting scheme then 2 Slimlines and 2 smart plugs would be the cheapest way to do the job. Bob
Sharma: Another option - a) run the main line to the backyard lights first through an IP65 box containing a wifi controlled smart switch or b) install a manual IP65 in-line switch directly on the main line (similar to a lamp cord switch, but heavier duty and waterproof). As this forum is for the promotion and use of Volt products, I can't suggest what you should buy to make this option work. You will also get arguments from others against such configurations - haven't tested it, void the warranty, etc., but how you configure your system is up to you. Maybe I'm naive, but I personally don't see the harm in using 120V and 220V rated waterproof mechanical switches and fittings in 12V service. Granted, most wifi switches run on 120V line voltage but there are some 12V switches available on the internet. Bob
