Lantern Lighting Trick for Hardscapers

[DVS Hardscaper]

I am intentionally posting this in the hardscape isle instead of the lighting section, so moderators....please do not move this


Nothin spectacular. Just thought hardscape guys doing / venturing into lighting may be interested in seeing this.

Throughout the last 14 months we have been working at a fairly large estate home. We just lit the front of the home, along with the front entrance.

They wanted low voltage lanterns on their pillars, and they wanted the lanterns to match the one's on the dwelling.

So the client purchased 2 line voltage lanterns and we converted them to low voltage.

The conversion was VERY easy! Each lantern came with (4) candle albra light sockets.

I then went to a local electric supply house and ordered conversion sockets. the conversion sockets went from candle albra to medium base.

I purchased adapters that screwed into the medium base sockets. These adapters then allowed for low voltage bulbs.

As far as the wiring, that was easy! You simply connect the low voltage wires to the black and white wires!

The lantern in the picture has (4) 20 watt bulbs.

What makes this nice is we have uplighting on birch trees that are at the entrance to the driveway. The pillars and the trees are on the same transformer, this way all the outdoor lighting comes on and goes off at the same time.

[kootoomootoo]

Don't give away all our secrets...been doing this for years. No need for conversion sockets...just buy 12v candelabra bulbs.

[Frontier-Lawn]

personally i would do a 12v led conversion so i can get brighter light

[mrusk]

Does it even throw off any light? I never understood the point of doing low voltage for pillars.

Whats the deal with the SRW pillars? Is this a low budget job?

[DVS Hardscaper]

Are you guys serious??!!


There are (4) 20w bulbs in there!

The pic was taken at 1:00 in the afternoon, with a slightly overcast sky!

[zedosix]

Looks great! I'd like to see the rest of the job Andrew

[tonyGub]

Originally Posted by DVS Hardscaper

I am intentionally posting this in the hardscape isle instead of the lighting section, so moderators....please do not move this


Nothin spectacular. Just thought hardscape guys doing / venturing into lighting may be interested in seeing this.

Throughout the last 14 months we have been working at a fairly large estate home. We just lit the front of the home, along with the front entrance.

They wanted low voltage lanterns on their pillars, and they wanted the lanterns to match the one's on the dwelling.

So the client purchased 2 line voltage lanterns and we converted them to low voltage.

The conversion was VERY easy! Each lantern came with (4) candle albra light sockets.

I then went to a local electric supply house and ordered conversion sockets. the conversion sockets went from candle albra to medium base.

I purchased adapters that screwed into the medium base sockets. These adapters then allowed for low voltage bulbs.

As far as the wiring, that was easy! You simply connect the low voltage wires to the black and white wires!

The lantern in the picture has (4) 20 watt bulbs.

What makes this nice is we have uplighting on birch trees that are at the entrance to the driveway. The pillars and the trees are on the same transformer, this way all the outdoor lighting comes on and goes off at the same time.

There was no conversion needed. All you needed was 12 volt candelabras..same sockets that came with the lantern would have worked.

[DVS Hardscaper]

Originally Posted by tonyGub

There was no conversion needed. All you needed was 12 volt candelabras..same sockets that came with the lantern would have worked.

Just GREAT......NOW you tell me!!!

[tonyGub]

Originally Posted by DVS Hardscaper

Just GREAT......NOW you tell me!!!

Sorry just trying to help. The guys at the supply houses dont always supply the best info.

[DVS Hardscaper]

Originally Posted by tonyGub

Sorry just trying to help. The guys at the supply houses dont always supply the best info.

no, I appreciate the help, thats why we're here...to learn! I buy mostly Vista products and the Vista rep (whom is also knowledgeable with lighting in general as he used to be a lighting contractor) never mentioned that 12w bulbs were available.



And Oh! Matthew Rusk - What do you consider "low budget"? Does a man of your caliber consider $130k and counting low budget?