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Lamp Wattages & Beam Angle Choices
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Tips & Tricks
Tips &
Tricks
What you can
light
Generally speaking, if you want to light something, you can
with Hunza lights – architectural features, decks, tree
trunks, lawns, leaves, flowers, fountains, ponds, pergolas,
patios, paths…you name it.
Paint a picture
with light and shade
When designing your scheme, try to think of it in its entirety,
rather than as separate bits. All the elements should hang
together and be in balance. Remember that things visible during
the day can be left in darkness, so you have the opportunity
to make dramatic changes to your visible landscape.
Less really
is more
Shadow is as important to your scheme as light, so don’t
try to light everything. Instead, retain some mystery. Also,
keep it subtle – very bright garden lighting can look
brash and artificial.
Hide your
light under a bushel
Hunza lights are handsome, but ultimately it’s the lighting
effect you want to see, not the fitting. So wherever possible,
hide the light source – behind a shrub, perhaps, a rock,
a pot or a wall.
Avoid glare
When it comes to garden lighting, there’s no razzle
in dazzle. So try to angle the light beams away from your
lines of sight. Where this isn’t possible, glare guards
can reduce the dazzle factor.
Placing lights
near plants
If you’re installing lights in winter, remember that
your herbaceous plants will be growing in the summer. Try
to avoid placing lights where they will be swamped by summer
foliage.
Experiment
with lighting effects
Try throwing shadows onto walls, creating reflections in ponds,
or using backlighting to create interesting silhouettes. The
possibilities are almost endless.
Wattage and
beam angles
The wide choice of beam angles, Wattages, mounts and options
such as frosted lenses means you can tailor each light source
to create a precise effect. If you need to increase the beam
throw of a lamp, try using a 20W lamp with a 10 deg. beam
angle, rather than upgrading to a 35W or 50W lamp.
Coloured lamps?
Lamps are available in a variety of colours, although with
less choice of Wattage and beam width. Used sparingly they
can create interesting effects, but avoid the Las Vegas look.
Changing lamps
When you’re replacing a lamp, check it’s the right
Wattage and beam angle. Avoid cheap lamps – they’re
a false economy because they have shorter lives and need changing
more often. We recommend using lamps with a rating of at least
5000 hours.
Keep your
stainless steel stainless
If you opt for stainless steel fittings, regular washing to
remove salt spray will prevent staining. There are also cleaning
products especially for stainless steel.
Taking care
of your cable
Black low voltage electrical cable is fairly invisible when
placed on soil, but you can hide it by burying it in an inch
or two of soil, or under a mulch. Keen gardeners might prefer
to keep the cable visible to avoid accidentally damaging it
when digging.
Installing
your lighting scheme
We recommend using a qualified electrician to install your
lighting, and make sure all the electrical circuits are protected
by an RCD. Only use electrical equipment designed for exterior
use with the appropriate IP rating, and please don’t
even think about protecting equipment with plastic bags or
temporary wrappings, rather than proper weatherproof enclosures.
Heat
Halogen light sources do generate a considerable amount of
heat therefore precautions should be taken when considering
their location, particularly at low level in public areas
where children may come into contact. Normally there is always
a solutions, therefore, if in doubt please contact your local
Hunza distributor for advice.