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LED Landscape lights HELP

Mr. C

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Do you still have any of the incandescent lights hooked to the line with the new LED lights?
 

Mr. C

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The reason I asked. (I know it's a transformer and not in the house) But when I tried changing some canned lights from incandescent to LED it not like it all when I combined (mixed /matched) the two different type of bulbs. Just a thought, remove the other incandescent bulbs and see how many LEDs you can add.
 

Boozer

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If I'm not mistaken the transformer has to be specific to LED lights.

The last set I did I started with LEDs and I'm almost positive the transformer was LED specific.

I'm putting can lights in my house and doing LEDs in the cans. I had to buy a specific dimmer switch for the LED's, a traditional dimmer will cause them to flicker and flash.

I would talk to the folks at Home Depot about the transformer issue but my guess is you either need an LED specific transformer or at the very least all of your lights need to be LED.
 

Mr. C

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I wasn't sure about the transformer having to be LED specific. :thumbsup

I was warned about my dimmer before putting in the LEDs that if you have an older dimmer switch it will probably act up. I didn't have to change out my dimmer.

If I'm not mistaken the transformer has to be specific to LED lights.

The last set I did I started with LEDs and I'm almost positive the transformer was LED specific.

I'm putting can lights in my house and doing LEDs in the cans. I had to buy a specific dimmer switch for the LED's, a traditional dimmer will cause them to flicker and flash.

I would talk to the folks at Home Depot about the transformer issue but my guess is you either need an LED specific transformer or at the very least all of your lights need to be LED.
 

boatpi

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I do not believe so on the transformer, it just produces 12 volts and wattage to power the lights I used a 8 year old transformer last year to power 25 LED lights. Make sure a wire is not touching at any pint, that will be a short and flicker.
 

H2O

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Ok I'll try that... this is a low voltage system. I wonder if my transformer the issue. It s a 900w 12V. I wonder if I get a transformer with a 15V option it will work. The run is long.. 100ft.

What is the total system wattage on the circuit that is giving your problems?

You may be going below the minimum wattage threshold that the transformer needs to operate properly. As you add LED lights into the circuit you are reducing total wattage. Once you cross below the minimum operating wattage of the transformer, your problems begin.

You problem will likely be solved by replacing your old transformer with a new smaller transformer. Add up your total system watts and add about 25% for safety factor and voltage drop.
 

H2O

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and one more thing?

Do you have a dimmer on the system? If so it should be an MLV dimmer, (magnetic low voltage) otherwise you can get flicker on LED's/

FYI - Most MLV dimemrs (like Lutron) have a minimum load requirement of about 40 watts.
 

H2O

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No dimmer........ its a 900w transformer with 3 300W taps. This run is on a 300W tap. No flicker at all until I add the 5th light, then they start all flashing or go out.

Only issue I can think of is that the run might be too long for the LED's. It is 100ft run, but worked flawless with the incandescent s. I figured it would be a slam dunk since I'm replacing 7 35w spots with LED spots that only use 9watts. OR maybe its my older transformer. Would a newer 900w transformer with the 15V option work maybe? I need 3 taps.. I have 3 runs off this box I need to power.

Many LED's (and most cheap LED's) don't like under or over voltage. Unless you know in advance your fixtures are rated to handle 15 volt input, do not try!

It could also be under under voltage. Incandescents just get dimmer but seem LED's will flicker or blink.

1) Check the allowable voltage on your LED fixtures.

2) Measure your voltage at each fixture, with all fixtures illuminated. A cheap multi- meter is fine for incandescent systems, but if your problems persist you may need to measure voltage with an RMS meter.

3) You might have 'dirty power" at you location. (although this is usually less of a problem with magnetic transformers) Do you have other LED's at the house woking and dimming OK without flicker?
 

jones performance

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id hook up a volt meter and see what the voltage is doing when this takes place. led's draw so little current that the length of run shouldnt matter especially since you had incans before and they draw much more current. led's are polarity sensitive though.
 

LHC Kirby

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Have you tried adding 7...or 8 more LEDs and see... Maybe you need to get more draw on the system.
 

250Eagle

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What gauge of wire are you running? I have a 200 foot run on a old transformer with all led lights on it. But I ran 12 gauge wire for the circuit and have had no problems. I have 8 spots and 4 walk way lights. I agree that you should check voltage at each light to see what kinda me of voltage drop you are getting.
 

fmo24

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A buddy who does lighting suggested one of your new LED's may be bad.
 

Melloyellovector

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Tried it with a newer smaller transformer I had at home and same problem. Right now unplugged the 3 15W incandescent I had on the line.. now it will run 4 leds spot lights perfect.. but now when I add the 5th it makes them all go out. Goodness!

Don't mix lights w led and incandescent, and dimmers. LED lights pull very little power, a 900wt transformer should power up your entire outdoors front and back by itself. 100ft run isn't that far for led. Led lights pull such minimal power voltage drop over 100 ft likely wouldn't even notice
Loose the incandescent lights and go all led or other way around, no mixing.
You could potentially have a bad light and or fixture also, could be worn connection in fixture if your trying led replacement bulbs only. Regardless don't mix the 2 on single transformer unless you have multiple tap system, where you could do all led on one circuit, and all incandescent on another.

On a 900 wt you should have 3 circuits on bottom I believe, 300 per, stay around 250wts per circuit and should be good. But still don't mix lights on single circuit
 

=River Perfection=

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All leds work. I moved the box closer w exstension cord just to experiment and it powered everything perfect, elimintaing the 30ft splice running under the lawn. The splice was getting warm where it joined the run around the pool. This is on the 15v tap. Im at a loss. I dont have the option to run the box out there. No power around pool.
 

Melloyellovector

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All leds work. I moved the box closer w exstension cord just to experiment and it powered everything perfect, elimintaing the 30ft splice running under the lawn. The splice was getting warm where it joined the run around the pool. This is on the 15v tap. Im at a loss. I dont have the option to run the box out there. No power around pool.

Pick up 100ft of 12g wire, run above ground all new and see if works fine, if so drop it in the ground and be done with it. Sounds like line possibly got cut, on existing, especially if running through lawn. Do you have a gardener that maybe hit and did a shady repair
 

=River Perfection=

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Yes I am going to get a 200ft spool. I am going to replace the wire all around. Not sure if the old wire I have is causing a voltage issue due to line length or condition. When I plugged into my 15V tap i was able to run more light but only around 90 watts worth. I could get a transformer with a 22V tap and see if that works.. but that does not make a whole lot of sense to me due to I am only trying to load the system with a 150W of light.. on a 300W 15V tap w 130ft of 12ga line, that should be more than enough. Maybe I just need more voltage.


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