Is there anyway to run 300W, low voltage lighting more than 200 ft in a straight run? I would like to run it down the length of our long driveway, but everything seems to be limited to 200ft with 12G wire. It seems you can buy bigger transformers, but you then run separate legs from the same source. Not a help in this situation.
Thanks in advance! Joe
Bigger wire.
Double the wire size (area, not diameter) and you can go twice the distance. Of course you are limited in total wattage.
Joe,
I don't believe that a bigger transformer is the answer. The problem is the voltage drop due to the wire resistance. For this reason if the run is too long the lights at the end of the run will be dimmer. One way around this is to increase the diameter (i.e. lower gauge) of the wires. I don't know what you need for 200 feet or even if it's possible but there are charts for this. This is one I found for recessed lighting:
WIRE SIZE 35W 50W 75W
18 gauge 8' 8' 6' 16 gauge 12' 12' 10' 14 gauge 16' 16' 14'Philip
There is another way to do it. After the initial run of 200 feet or so, you can install a simple in-line booster transformer, which will step the voltage back up to 12 volts after the slight loss at that point. I don't recall the price range, but I don't think they cost much.
I don't recall what **exact** name they give it, but it is in fact a step-up transformer, and is made for the exact circumstance that you describe.
Good Luck !!
--James--
A cheaper solution is to just run 2 individual stranded #10 ga. THWN conductors down to the middle of the circuit, then splice there both ways onto the #12
By far the easiest (and cheapest) solution would be to use a few of the solar-powered yard lights. They are surprisingly bright, and I've seen them on sale for as little as $5 apiece.
Cheers -- Pete Tillman
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