I had some landscaping done about a year ago, and the centerpiece (actually pretty much the only piece) of hardscape was a 115 foot flagstone path from the back patio to the lake. The path is 4 feet wide, with an approximate 6 inch rock border on each side for a total width of 5 feet. Some photos can be seen here(click on any image to enlarge): https://austinandaustinconsulting.com/ The 300 watt transformer will be mounted on the post visible in a couple of the pictures, and is located about 15 feet from the lake. My tentative plan is to have a total of 4 runs of 12/2 wire, 2 on each side of the path. One of the runs on each side will provide power for path lighting, and on one side will be extended far enough to provide power for future step lighting (this will be ~ 150 feet from the transformer). The second run on each side will provide power for any future landscape lighting in the natural areas. I have several concerns and a few questions, and welcome any and all comments on what I've written above or on my concerns/questions. Concerns: Being a lake house, I am very light conscious and prefer to keep things as dark as possible. Having said that, there are 3 areas of steps along the path ( 2-3 steps each) that are a hazard at night. I want to illuminate the path with independent pools of light, and I want to avoid, to the extent possible, excess light. No light should escape to the sky (dark sky). Occasionally the lake level rises and comes up into the yard, so the fixture closest to the lake needs the ability to be raised to a hight of approximately 3 feet. I am undecided on the beam spread, but feel that anything less than an 8 foot spread will not illuminate enough of the path width. Also, while I would like the path width fully illuminated, I want the light intensity to be as low as possible. So, here are my questions: I will be using a zigzag pattern on light installation. Spacing will be ~4 feet greater than the beam spread. What beam spread is sufficient to illuminate the path with independent pools of light, without having excessive "overspray"? With the intent to keep the light intensity low, the 8 foot spread like the max spread mini has a 1.5 watt bulb available, while 12 and 16 foot spread fixtures have a 2 watt bulb. However, the "lightprint" of the 12 foot spread is ~2.25x that of the 8 foot spread, and the "lightprint" of the 16 foot spread is ~4x that of the 8 foot spread and ~1.8x that of the 12 foot spread, so the effective brightness of each light pool on the ground would be least for the 16 foot spread, then 12, with 8 being the brightest. Do I have that correct? If I have question 2 above correct, would a 2 watt bulb in either a 12 or 16 foot spread fixture provide sufficient illumination? I realize I can get brighter bulbs if necessary. My intention is to lay the wire under the rock border, and under the vegetation barrier beneath the rocks, along each side of the path. Is this burial method acceptable? Is the 12/2 wire sufficient for this installation? Would 2700k or 3000k bulbs provide more "natural" night illumination? On the above questions, while project cost is a factor, the difference in the number of fixtures required will not be a dealbreaker. Please feel free to offer your suggestions and comments as well as answers. Thanks in advance. Alan
Hey Alan, Given your concerns, I'd recommend the following for consideration: Given the width of the path, the Max Spread Mini Path Light or the Conehead Mini Path Light could be ideal - both have approx 8ft diameter lights spreads total; it would come down to which hat style you preferred more. The low height of the fixtures would help prevent/minimize glare seen from down near the water as well. From personal experience, I know backyards on lakes such as this can be quite dark at night - I'd likely recommend the 1.5W G4 LED Bi-Pin 2700K Bulb. The 2W is only 50 lumens brighter @ 200 lumens - if the largest concern is light pollution, the 150 lumens from the 1.5 will provide ample illumination in such a dark area (especially with multiple fixtures lining the path way). 2700K is the most preferred color temp for residential applications - it does produce a warmer, more natural glow. 12/2 is rated for uses up to 150ft; given the dimensions you've listed it should be an ideal gauge to use. For burial, the only recommendation from the NEC is that the wire be buried at least 6" into the ground - of course this may not always be possible depending on the soil, so the main thing would be to install the cable in a manner it won't interfere with yard work or pose a hazard to the path in terms of tripping someone. What you proposed does sound reasonable.
