How can I power pergola lights from a remote outlet?

Question

I built a pergola in middle of my backyard.

I have only one power outlet in my house wall facing backyard. I am also planning to connect the low voltage led landscape lights for the garden and put the Edison style LED bulb string on pergola.

I understand that I cannot use the extension cord to connect the low voltage transformer so I will be using the one power outlet to connect the low voltage transformer. That will mean that I don't have a source/outlet to connect an extension cord to for the Edison bulb string.

What would be the most effective and cheapest option? Can I use one extension cord and then connect the voltage transformer and Edison light string to it?

OR, are there any Edison bulbs which can be connected to low voltage transformers?

Would be great if you'd follow up here, friend. Abandoned posts are ugly. — isherwood, Jun 22 '21 at 21:25

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered May 27 '20 at 15:24

1

There are 12V edison bulbs for boats and RVs. In my backyard, I have incandescent bulbs connected to a landscape transformer. I will change them to LEDs eventually. For an LED bulb, you need to be sure it will work with AC. This bulb says it will work with landscape transformers.

https://www.amazon.com/Voltage-Bulbs-Equivalent-Battery-Lighting/dp/B0854Q9TCR

answered May 27 '20 at 15:24

Mattman944

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great. So i plan to put around 16 edison bulbs on pergola. My 120 W transformer would be able to take load as per my calculation (2-3 W each bulb, 32- 48 W total). Now, would the wire and holder matter to connect these low voltage bulbs or just any regular would work? – user1631306 May 27 '20 at 15:31
All my wiring is underground, not sure what the rules are for above ground landscape wiring. – Mattman944 May 27 '20 at 15:38
i looked online and couldnt find low voltage edison bulb made for outdoor purposes( shatter and water proof). – user1631306 May 27 '20 at 15:43
Here is a weather resistant string. But it is 12 VDC only, you can't use a landscape transformer. But, it does include a power converter. https://www.amazon.com/BECCALIGHTING-Landscape-Lighting-Backyard-Solar-Powered/dp/B07YP25QPP – Mattman944 May 27 '20 at 21:20

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered May 28 '20 at 15:34

Low Voltage systems for non contact 30v ac 60v dc if contact is likely 15 v ac / 30v dc . 25 amp max at the listed voltage. low low voltage only requires 6” burial , I don’t do much low voltage lighting but with LED’s it is much more popular because the lower draw of LED’s reduces the voltage drop.

You can install a exterior mount lighting transformer there are both ac and dc output versions available. To turn an AC into DC a Simple full wave bridge rectifier can be attached to the secondary contacts of the ac transformer. A 50 amp FWB on Amazon 7.99 free shipping (3 for 8 bucks kbpc5010 was the first one I saw) I always double my transformer rating diodes are cheap , then bury your landscaping wire (UF type wire ) wire 6” out to the pergola the conversion to dc can be done at the pergola instead of at the transformer and run the connections to the lights, there are lots of options. (Landscape wire type UF is nothing special UF means underground feeder , the few I have used for friends that have purchased kits the wire was stranded (easier to work with but harder to find stranded UF ) solid works fine I usually base my wire size on the transformer output but 10 awg is large enough at your distance and you probably won’t have it loaded that heavily 150w of led is equal to a 400w metal halide in the brand i use. Got long winded if you have questions we can answer specific ones instead of providing everything possible.

How can I power pergola lights from a remote outlet?

2 Answers2