I'm trying to figure out how much voltage drop I'll see if I run my landscape lighting off a 200W transformer over a distance of 350 feet. I can connect my deck lights (30W total) and path lights (50W total) either in series on one line or use two separate lines from the transformer. The single line option seems better for my setup. Can someone help me understand the potential voltage drop I'd experience if I daisy chain these lights together? Some sites suggest I need 8-gauge wire, while a Home Depot employee told me I'd only see about a 10% loss. Any insights would be appreciated!
1 Answer
To keep voltage drop under control, it's calculated that you'd need a 0 gauge wire for the 350 ft run with an 80W load (which is about 6.66 amps at 12V). Daisy chaining can lead to significant losses, especially if you're working with 12/2 wire. It's often better to consider using AC with multiple smaller transformers, as they will reduce the current significantly compared to running everything off a single 12V line. Keeping things less complicated will also help with voltage drop.
That's a good point, but just be aware that this assumes your lights are all at the end of the run. You also have to factor in the distance between each light along the line.