Define useful nighttime views, test fixture spacing, compare VA loading and cable drop, and document installation and commissioning.
Walk the site and identify steps, changes in level, entry points or features that need light. Consider adjacent homes, wildlife, glare and existing public or household lighting. Sketch the intended lit areas and areas to keep dark, with controls that limit operation to useful times.
Use the product photometry and a temporary site mockup to choose locations and spacing. For one straight path with both endpoints lit, use Path fixture spacing to count an evenly spaced layout. Check obstacles, shadows, glare and visibility in the actual nighttime scene before finalizing the plan.
List each exact fixture and manufacturer VA rating. In Fixture VA and transformer load, enter up to three groups on a compatible secondary supply, then compare total VA with the selected transformer’s documented load limit. Confirm minimum load, per-circuit limits and output taps in the actual manual.
Record actual one-way lengths, branch layout, fixture voltage range and supported circuit current. Use Compare cable voltage drop for a simple far-end-load comparison, entering applicable conductor resistance and the chosen drop limit. If no candidate meets it, revise the design with the installer; do not accept a false passing gauge.
Prepare equipment, cable, connectors, supply, site-work and labor costs in Installed project quote. Confirm utility-location procedures before digging and the applicable installation requirements. Use the exact product instructions for protection, mounting, cable routing and burial, and qualified help for electrical work.
Have the installer verify operating fixture voltages, connections, supply loading and required protection. At night, inspect the original visibility goals and adjust aiming or shielding to reduce glare and spill. Test timer and sensor behavior, retain the circuit plan and manual, and review changes as plants or site conditions develop.
Keep a nighttime purpose map, neighbor and wildlife considerations, and the intended timer or motion-control behavior. · Record commissioning measurements, nighttime visibility checks, control settings and the maintenance or seasonal review plan.
Use Path fixture spacing to calculate whole fixtures and actual even spacing for one path using your chosen maximum spacing. · Use Fixture VA and transformer load to total manufacturer apparent power and compare an entered transformer allowance; review actual supply requirements separately.
Compare 12, 10, 8 and 6 AWG candidates for resistance-only drop, showing every candidate and explicitly reporting when none meets the entered limit.
Use Installed project quote to include the complete lighting equipment and site work in the cash budget.
Estimate energy charges from actual total input watts and daily operating hours on the stated tariff basis.
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DarkSky and IES recommend useful, targeted, restrained and controlled lighting, with warmer color where appropriate.
Transformer loading, taps, protection, mounting and wiring requirements are product-specific. The linked owner manual is an example rather than a universal installation specification.
Keep equipment, installation, real energy use and maintenance on a consistent basis when comparing options.
Fixture height, surfaces and vegetation affect the useful light at the site.
Record branches and tap assignments so maintenance does not silently overload a supply or change fixture voltage.