TECHNOLOGY
Instead of using quick connects, contractors should use mechanical connections or crimp connec- tions to avoid rot if installed in acidic soil. Photos: Unique Lighting Systems
Te best connection for low-voltage wiring is a me-
chanical connection. “With a mechanical connection, you clamp onto the wire with a brass barrel, then heat shrink over that with a torch,” Curran says. “Some people are also soldering their connections.” Crimp connections are also a readily available and
more professional option. “You take the wires through a copper sleeve that slips
over the top, and a special tool will then crimp the copper sleeve down and pull the wires together,” Qualls says. In addition to providing a subpar connection, twist-on
wire nuts also lack waterproofing features, leaving sys- tems vulnerable to the elements. “When we do connections with lighting or irrigation
where you are burying these in the ground, they are going to wick moisture,” Qualls says. “Once moisture is intro- duced into the wire, it will start to corrode the wire, and it works its way up the wire. Even if it is insulated, over time that wire becomes less efficient and won’t carry as much electricity.”
CHECK YOUR WORK
Every contractor should have and know how to use a voltmeter. While LED lighting has made the margin of error wider than ever, it’s still possible to have too much or too little voltage running through a system. “I’ve seen some pretty wild things out there when
people don’t check their voltage,” Qualls says. “A lot of contractors will wire a system up and never check to make sure it is properly volted. Tey just figure it is good and don’t check it.” For LED lighting, the voltage range is be-
tween 10-15 volts. If you have less volt- age, the lights will be too dim. If you go above 15 volts, you risk shorting the system. “I saw a guy fry 36 LEDs at the snap of a finger,” Qualls says. “We watched them blink and they were all dead. A lot of them
irrigationandlighting.org Fall 2022 Irrigation & Lighting 25
When doing lighting or irrigation connections that are buried in the ground, contractors need to be careful of any moisture that could cause corrosion and work its way up the wire.
aren’t very forgiving over 15 volts. You’ll short the LED and there will be no warning.” While most transformers have a built-in failsafe, they
are not all manufactured with that safety feature. Te only way to ensure that you are wiring properly is to calculate amperage using Ohm’s Law, or total wattage divided by the volts on your tap. “Tere are plenty of resourc-
es online as far as calculators and spreadsheets. Some man- ufacturers even have an app,” Qualls says. “It’s treated as a secret, but it’s not a secret. Ev- eryone should know it.” Once you’ve calculated your
amperage for a system, Curran says that noting the amperage on the door of the transformer, or on an as-built plan, will help provide guidance when and if the time comes to add to or repair the system. “We can match the amperages to know if there is a light out or a line that is cut,” Curran says. “If we see more amperage, maybe we know the customer has changed their own bulbs or the plan hasn’t been updated as more lights have been added.”
“I’VE SEEN SOME PRETTY WILD THINGS OUT THERE WHEN PEOPLE DON’T CHECK THEIR VOLTAGE.” – Brian Qualls, Unique Lighting Systems
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