Low Voltage Power Control Option

[davidliles]

I would like to install low voltage LED lights along the edges of my driveway and utilize various rules to control them based on criteria.
I have an ELK M1 and Homeseer available for controlling the lights... and I'm thinking I could either incorporate a relay with the Elk panel, or utilize a controllable outlet plug to control power the transformer for the lights.

The Elk panel is located in the master closet and the power source for the LED lights will be located in a lower level mechanical room or possibly the garage.

From a novice perspective, utilizing a controllable plug seems like the simplest implementation route. Would there be an advantage of utilizing a relay over a controllable outlet plug?

 

[pete_c]

Here is what I did in 2011. The original toroidal transformers were near the HAI OmniPro panel and used X10 relays. (UPB, ZWave did not work for me). Then went to using UPB wall switch relays for the DIN mounted DC transformers. I have had better luck with converted to LED analog lamps versus integrated LED outdoor lamps. (no plastic outdoor lighting fixtures). Best constructed outdoor lamps were Kichler.

 

[davidliles]

Greatly appreciated @pete_c, a picture is worth 1000 words...

Once I saw your images, I had a palm-to-forehead moment... I was mentally locked in the concept of a "traditional" relay board. I have a few unused UPB light switches and the switch/outlet combination is clean and simple.

 

[pete_c]

I had issues switching on and off the 3 300watt Toroidal LV transformers. The X10 relay switch worked except the surge tripped a 15 AMP breaker.

Switching over to DC transformers and multiple zones worked for me and it was easy to turn them on and off. Thinking I had gone up to around 100-120 LV lights at the time. For the original deck lighting used little grain sized LEDs which worked great at the time. Used 12 guage landscaping cable outside (some runs were over 250 feet).

When the irrigation lines were run also added tubing out to the berms (which had not been built yet). I asked the installers to show me how they were doing the installation of the irrigation lines and then added my PVC tubing (they gave it to me) and bought them lunch. Used the multiple PVC tubes to add 120 outdoor outlets, LV cabling and CatXX cabling out the edges of the property. (Later on had my landscaper pull cables while landscaping). I also showed him how to install and configure low voltage lighting and he started a second business.

 

[davidliles]

I don't envision my LV lighting to be as extensive as yours, probably fewer than 30. The drive will be basically 'L' shaped when finished and I intend to run conduit under it in order to run any additional wiring in the future. I estimate the furthest LED will be approximately 70 - 80 feet from the garage and I plan to space the lighting about 10' along each edge.
The purpose is to serve more as edge boundary markers, and not actual driveway lighting.

 

[Mark S.]

I have two 12V AC transformers for outdoor LV lighting, and each has multiple taps (12V, 13V, 14V, 15V) that can be used for short, medium and long runs. I control power to each transformer with an old X-10 light switch - sort of a master switch, which ELK turns on/off at dusk/dawn every night. Then the taps/runs are switched via Shelly 1 wifi relays. Both the switches and relays used to be all X-10, but I have been slowly transitioning from X-10 to Shelly wifi devices. Shelly also offers a Shelly Plug, which is like the old X-10 appliance modules - I will eventually use these to switch transformer power. My Shelly relays are controlled by HS events (via the AKShelly plugin), based on time, motion, pressure and driveway sensors.

One word of advice, run 12 gauge wire minimum (direct burial) to your lights - the voltage drop on long runs (more than 75 feet) is more than I thought.

 

[davidliles]

Mark, definitely plan to use large gauge wire. Curious, why use both X10 and the relays for each run? Wouldn't the relays be enough to control the on/off of the individual runs?

 

[Mark S.]

The master switch plus relay situation evolved over the years. I originally used X-10 to turn the transformer on and off, which turned all my lights on and off at the same times every evening. Then I added flagpole lighting which I wanted to stay on dusk to dawn, but I still wanted the other landscape lights on only during the evening hours. So I added the Shelly relays to control the walkway and landscape spots off that same transformer. The relays simply interrupt the transformer taps for the pathway and spot lights, and lets me control each run independently.

So basically, the X-10 turns on the transformer at dusk - now acting as a master switch - which also turns on the flagpole lights because they are direct-wired to their tap. At that point, power to the other lights is not on because their taps are run through the relays which are off. But a little later in the evening, HS turns them on/off based on time/motion etc via HS events.

At some point, I will replace the X-10 switch with a Shelly Plug or wall switch, but I am still with X-10 right now because ELK still controls the master switch with a dusk-dawn rule. I find that ELK rules are more reliable than HS events, so I haven't changed yet. I wish ELK would support more lighting options, like Shelly.