sitelights
08-21-2003, 12:53 AM
I am going to turn my attention to two problems: simultaneous activation of remote transformers and creating zones of activation. Solutions to these problems without recourse to changes or additions to existing 120v wiring is detailed below.
Some background: Our contractor's liability insurance carrier charges us landscaper rates not electrician's rates. We work in so many different municipal jurisdictions each year that it is not possible to be licensed everywhere. Thus we do no 120v work such as the addition of dedicated circuits to switch the primary (120v) side of one or more transformers. Essentially we work with existing unswitched 120v outdoor receptacles where the only changes are the conversion to a GFCI receptacle (where necessary) and the mounting of a code-compliant raintight-in-use cover. We never go in the house; never touch the panel. Our responsibility starts with the plug on the transformer power cord. This eliminates confusion about who is or was responsible for what. When we need an electrician we use the client's or call one whose work we can recommend.
The simultaneous activation of two or more transformers is advantageous under three circumstances: when the area to be illuminated is seen as a whole i.e. a house front on both sides of a driveway or other cabling barrier, when it is necessary to add a second transformer next to the controlled unit and when you want to save the client some money so that they can spend it on lighting rather than on multiple control devices.
We use an integrated Grasslin Digi 42 electronic programmable timer in conjunction with a photocontrol as the main control. The increased cost of duplicating controls for two or more transformers and the objectionable sequential turn-off in multiple transformer applications is easily solved and at a lower cost. Of course synchronization of two different timers would only be important at turn off since at turn on the lights do not blink on suddenly in total darkness. It is impossible to synchronize two timers except serendiptously and they will drift apart in a day or two. ("serendipitous"...a happy accident.)
One or more 120v-12v relays activated by the 12v "trigger" of the main transformer output can switch a number of "slave" transformers on at the same time. These relays (one for each slave transformer) have the added advantage of reducing the switching load of the Grasslin Digi 42 wich is rated for 500w @120VAC. Grasslin's technical people state that their unit will handle a single 600w (2X300w) transformer and we buy our controlled transformers with the Digi 42 pre-installed. This relay method has additional applications such as the provision of outdoor 120v receptacles dedicated to temporary or holiday lighting: the lighting is switched on and off with the landscape lighting when plugged into a relay-controlled receptacle.
We use the 10 amp A-B (Allen-Bradley) catalog #700-HA32A12 and its base #700-HN100 or the 15 amp #700-HB32A12 with the #700-HN154 base. The plug-in relays look identical except that the 10 amp has a circle of 8 pins while the 15 amp has 8 tabs. The 15 amp base is dimensionally 3/4" longer than the 10 amp but each will fit into a 4" X 4" X 2" PVC J-box. If you have trouble locating the 10 amp unit go to McMaster-Carr* (mcmaster.com) where you can buy an exact clone of the 10 amp relay and base as their part #7170 K42 (relay) and part #7122 K11 (base) for less than $20.00 for both including shipping.
It goes without saying (but I say it anyway) that if you don't know how to do this don't do it.
*McMaster-Carr has almost any type of hardware imaginable on their enormous web site. They ship to "open" accounts (no CODs, they will bill you) and if placed before 4 PM your order will be on your doorstep by 10 AM the next day. A great outfit. No, I am not a stockholder.
The second problem, zoned control, normally requires a transformer and a control for each zone. A recently introduced device makes zoned control simple and requires no 120v wiring or switches. This item was sent to me on loan from E I Industries and was subsequently purchased.
Here is an example taken from my own experience with a recent application of this device. Some years back I lighted a small (500 sq. ft.) enclosed garden by defining the interior which was 6' high wooden fencing. The perimeter contained all the planting beds and it looked good. The client did a limited amount of entertaining in the evenings and requested downlighting from an enormous Sycamore in the corner of the enclosure. The downlighting illuminated a table top, seating area and low wooden walkways and a central deck; all the wooden deck and walks were on the same level. I was called back to this project to re-define an area of the perimeter that was only downlit from the tree. When this was done the client suggested that the downlights were no longer needed except for those rather rare occasions when he had a number of guests. Rather than remove the tree lighting I suggested that I could put a control device on the 10/2 gauge low voltage cable that ran up the back of the tree feeding seven 20w downlights fitted with custom "snoots" that reduced glare. I listen to my clients but I don't let them push me around; his unspoken need was not the elimination of the tree lighting but rather the option to turn it off to create a more subtle and intimate feeling in the privacy of his outdoor room. He now has the option of turning off the tree lights with a small battery-operated remote control
The device is Engineering Industries' "inline wireless low voltage lighting controller system, patent pending." The wireless controller will switch up to 150w of outdoor low voltage lighting. In the application detailed above I simply placed the receiver inline in the run of the 10/2 cable that feeds the 140w (7 X 20w) of tree-mounted downlights. The receiver is attached to the cut 10/2 feed from the transformer (power) and the cut end feeding the lights is attached to the to the switched output of the receiver (load). The receiver is a black plastic box 2 7/8" wide (plus 3/4" for the terminal strip), 5" long (including two 1/2" mounting flanges) and 1" thick; the transmitter is 1 5/8" W, 2 7/8" L and 5/8" thick The receiver has a 6" flexible wire antenna and indicator lights for Power (green) and RX (red); the transmitter has four buttons (it can control up to four different 150w receiver zones using four different codes) and a red indicator light to signal activation. The remote worked at 100' (from within the house); the instruction sheet stated "up to 120'...". Note that since this is an RF device not an IR device there is no need for line-of-sight to turn lights on or off. Both the transmitter and the receiver have "dip switch" coding (like a garage door opener). Apparently one remote transmitter could control an infinity of receivers (if zones shared codes) but it will handle four discrete zones if the codes differ.
The complete and detailed instructions caution not to submerge the receiver which has a tightly fitted cover held in place with four phillips head screws. It looks "water tight" but not "water proof" if you know what I mean. When opened, a number of circuit boards are seen plus the slide (dip) switch used for coding. There is no battery since the unit is powered by the 12v AC from the transformer so the receiver can only receive and switch when the transfomer is on. The transmitter is powered by a CR2032 wafer battery. I was at first a bit dismayed by the small size of the terminal block; however, I soon solved the problem of making four stranded 10 gauge conductor connections. It may be that others use 12 or even 14 gauge cable to feed 150w but not me. I used four 12-10 AWG insulated #8 stud ring terminals crimped to the four conductors. Snip enough of the ring sides off (do not break into the ring) to fit into the terminal separators of the receiver and remove the screws and use them to capture the ring. I would not recommend using any other technique no matter what gauge cable is used. There is not enough space to wrap around the terminal screws and get a tight, arc-free connection.
I discovered the inline controller while checking the "locator" page for new entries. A member of lowvolt.org posted the web link in March 2003.
Some background: Our contractor's liability insurance carrier charges us landscaper rates not electrician's rates. We work in so many different municipal jurisdictions each year that it is not possible to be licensed everywhere. Thus we do no 120v work such as the addition of dedicated circuits to switch the primary (120v) side of one or more transformers. Essentially we work with existing unswitched 120v outdoor receptacles where the only changes are the conversion to a GFCI receptacle (where necessary) and the mounting of a code-compliant raintight-in-use cover. We never go in the house; never touch the panel. Our responsibility starts with the plug on the transformer power cord. This eliminates confusion about who is or was responsible for what. When we need an electrician we use the client's or call one whose work we can recommend.
The simultaneous activation of two or more transformers is advantageous under three circumstances: when the area to be illuminated is seen as a whole i.e. a house front on both sides of a driveway or other cabling barrier, when it is necessary to add a second transformer next to the controlled unit and when you want to save the client some money so that they can spend it on lighting rather than on multiple control devices.
We use an integrated Grasslin Digi 42 electronic programmable timer in conjunction with a photocontrol as the main control. The increased cost of duplicating controls for two or more transformers and the objectionable sequential turn-off in multiple transformer applications is easily solved and at a lower cost. Of course synchronization of two different timers would only be important at turn off since at turn on the lights do not blink on suddenly in total darkness. It is impossible to synchronize two timers except serendiptously and they will drift apart in a day or two. ("serendipitous"...a happy accident.)
One or more 120v-12v relays activated by the 12v "trigger" of the main transformer output can switch a number of "slave" transformers on at the same time. These relays (one for each slave transformer) have the added advantage of reducing the switching load of the Grasslin Digi 42 wich is rated for 500w @120VAC. Grasslin's technical people state that their unit will handle a single 600w (2X300w) transformer and we buy our controlled transformers with the Digi 42 pre-installed. This relay method has additional applications such as the provision of outdoor 120v receptacles dedicated to temporary or holiday lighting: the lighting is switched on and off with the landscape lighting when plugged into a relay-controlled receptacle.
We use the 10 amp A-B (Allen-Bradley) catalog #700-HA32A12 and its base #700-HN100 or the 15 amp #700-HB32A12 with the #700-HN154 base. The plug-in relays look identical except that the 10 amp has a circle of 8 pins while the 15 amp has 8 tabs. The 15 amp base is dimensionally 3/4" longer than the 10 amp but each will fit into a 4" X 4" X 2" PVC J-box. If you have trouble locating the 10 amp unit go to McMaster-Carr* (mcmaster.com) where you can buy an exact clone of the 10 amp relay and base as their part #7170 K42 (relay) and part #7122 K11 (base) for less than $20.00 for both including shipping.
It goes without saying (but I say it anyway) that if you don't know how to do this don't do it.
*McMaster-Carr has almost any type of hardware imaginable on their enormous web site. They ship to "open" accounts (no CODs, they will bill you) and if placed before 4 PM your order will be on your doorstep by 10 AM the next day. A great outfit. No, I am not a stockholder.
The second problem, zoned control, normally requires a transformer and a control for each zone. A recently introduced device makes zoned control simple and requires no 120v wiring or switches. This item was sent to me on loan from E I Industries and was subsequently purchased.
Here is an example taken from my own experience with a recent application of this device. Some years back I lighted a small (500 sq. ft.) enclosed garden by defining the interior which was 6' high wooden fencing. The perimeter contained all the planting beds and it looked good. The client did a limited amount of entertaining in the evenings and requested downlighting from an enormous Sycamore in the corner of the enclosure. The downlighting illuminated a table top, seating area and low wooden walkways and a central deck; all the wooden deck and walks were on the same level. I was called back to this project to re-define an area of the perimeter that was only downlit from the tree. When this was done the client suggested that the downlights were no longer needed except for those rather rare occasions when he had a number of guests. Rather than remove the tree lighting I suggested that I could put a control device on the 10/2 gauge low voltage cable that ran up the back of the tree feeding seven 20w downlights fitted with custom "snoots" that reduced glare. I listen to my clients but I don't let them push me around; his unspoken need was not the elimination of the tree lighting but rather the option to turn it off to create a more subtle and intimate feeling in the privacy of his outdoor room. He now has the option of turning off the tree lights with a small battery-operated remote control
The device is Engineering Industries' "inline wireless low voltage lighting controller system, patent pending." The wireless controller will switch up to 150w of outdoor low voltage lighting. In the application detailed above I simply placed the receiver inline in the run of the 10/2 cable that feeds the 140w (7 X 20w) of tree-mounted downlights. The receiver is attached to the cut 10/2 feed from the transformer (power) and the cut end feeding the lights is attached to the to the switched output of the receiver (load). The receiver is a black plastic box 2 7/8" wide (plus 3/4" for the terminal strip), 5" long (including two 1/2" mounting flanges) and 1" thick; the transmitter is 1 5/8" W, 2 7/8" L and 5/8" thick The receiver has a 6" flexible wire antenna and indicator lights for Power (green) and RX (red); the transmitter has four buttons (it can control up to four different 150w receiver zones using four different codes) and a red indicator light to signal activation. The remote worked at 100' (from within the house); the instruction sheet stated "up to 120'...". Note that since this is an RF device not an IR device there is no need for line-of-sight to turn lights on or off. Both the transmitter and the receiver have "dip switch" coding (like a garage door opener). Apparently one remote transmitter could control an infinity of receivers (if zones shared codes) but it will handle four discrete zones if the codes differ.
The complete and detailed instructions caution not to submerge the receiver which has a tightly fitted cover held in place with four phillips head screws. It looks "water tight" but not "water proof" if you know what I mean. When opened, a number of circuit boards are seen plus the slide (dip) switch used for coding. There is no battery since the unit is powered by the 12v AC from the transformer so the receiver can only receive and switch when the transfomer is on. The transmitter is powered by a CR2032 wafer battery. I was at first a bit dismayed by the small size of the terminal block; however, I soon solved the problem of making four stranded 10 gauge conductor connections. It may be that others use 12 or even 14 gauge cable to feed 150w but not me. I used four 12-10 AWG insulated #8 stud ring terminals crimped to the four conductors. Snip enough of the ring sides off (do not break into the ring) to fit into the terminal separators of the receiver and remove the screws and use them to capture the ring. I would not recommend using any other technique no matter what gauge cable is used. There is not enough space to wrap around the terminal screws and get a tight, arc-free connection.
I discovered the inline controller while checking the "locator" page for new entries. A member of lowvolt.org posted the web link in March 2003.