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What is Low-Voltage Lighting?

Between incandescent and LED lighting, there are a lot of lighting terms these days, and it can be hard to distinguish them. Low-voltage is an important type of lighting you should know about. In this blog post by The Lighting Corner of Grandville and Grand Haven, learn about what exactly is low-voltage lighting and how it can benefit you. Contact us today to learn more!

WHAT IS LOW-VOLTAGE LIGHTING?

Without diving into physics and electricity, a volt is an electrical force and a voltage is a potential for energy to move. When we talk about voltage for lighting, we are talking about either line voltage of low voltage. Line voltage is the energy that is typically used in your home, which is 120v, and it does not use a transformer. Low-voltage is the energy that would normally come into your home at 120v, but instead, it is being fed through a transformer that then converts it to usually either 12 volts or 24 volts. Many types of light fixtures use low-voltage lighting, including some chandeliers, recessed lighting, landscape lighting, and some task lighting.

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WHEN WOULD YOU USE LOW-VOLTAGE LIGHTING?

Low-voltage lighting allows you to use smaller light bulbs that typically would burn out with the higher volts of the 120v line voltage.

Low-voltage lighting is used to get light to tight spaces, such as corners and alley-ways.

While line voltage lighting remains by and far the more popular of the two kinds of voltage lighting, low-voltage lighting is gaining speed. There are many benefits to low-voltage lighting:

  • Safety. It stands to reason that when you have less electrical current running through wires, it gets less hot, which means it is less likely to start a fire in case of damage to the casing.
  • Mobility. Low-voltage lighting is significantly easier to add another light fixture to than with line voltage lighting.
  • Potential energy savings. Many people assume that just because the voltage is lower that you automatically save on utility bills and energy. This is not necessarily the case. Basically, you have to do some high-time finagling of your light fixtures, using the same voltage that would normally power just one light to power more than one light, to see any benefits.

There are also clear disadvantages to low-voltage lighting, which we’ll cover in our next blog, along with how to choose either line voltage or low-voltage lighting options.

THE LIGHTING CORNER IN GRAND HAVEN AND GRANDVILLE

The Lighting Corner provides both homeowners and businesses indoor and outdoor lighting. There’s no doubt that lighting creates a cozy home on a cold winter’s night, an enjoyable patio on a hot summer’s night, and a great task lighting to read your kids books at night.

The Lighting Corner offers Tech Lighting products and fixtures, which is one of the best manufacturers of low-voltage lighting. Our lighting designers are waiting to help you choose the lighting and the voltage that will best meet not only your needs but also your style. Visit us online to get started today!