# Retrofitting Low-voltage Landscape Lights with LEDs



## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

I recently retrofitted all of my Malibu low-voltage landscape lights that originally had incandescent or halogen bulbs with LED modules. I got tired of replacing the bulbs, plus I was never happy with the amount of heat they produced. Unlike the original bulbs which had a life expectancy of 700 hours (very optimistic), the LED modules should never require replacement. LED modules are 90% more energy efficient than incandescent or halogen bulbs. They resist shock and vibration and they produce very little heat. 
Here is what the original 7W T10 wedge-base incandescent bulb looks like from one of my tier-style pathway light fixtures: 








And here is the LED module I used to replace it: 








This LED module has a working voltage of 8 – 18 volts, AC or DC. The light color is warm-white at 3300K and looks similar to the incandescent bulb. Each module consumes 1.2W. The module is 27mm (1.06”) long, 12mm (0.45”) wide, and 6mm (0.22”) thick. Each module has six surface mounted LEDs (two on the front, two on the back, and two on top). They cost $3.00 each and are also available in packages of 10. I got mine from Amazon; here is the link: 

Replacement LED Module (T10 Wedge-base)

Here is what the original 20W bi-pin base halogen bulb looks like from one of my flood light style fixtures: 










And here is the LED module I used to replace it: 










This LED module has a working voltage of 12 - 30 volts AC. The light color is warm-white at 2700K and looks similar to the halogen bulb. Each module consumes 1.5W. The module is enclosed in an aluminum canister and is approximately the same size as the halogen bulb it replaces. Each module has a single LED with a built-in magnifier/focus lens and does not require a reflector. Output is 120 lumens. They cost $7.95 each. I got mine from Amazon; here is the link: 
Replacement LED Module (G4 Bi-pin Base)


If you are tired of replacing bulbs in your landscape lighting fixtures, want to reduce the heat output, and want to save money on your power bill, give these LED replacements a try. I think you will like them.


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## Brandon (Jul 6, 2011)

Do you have any before and after photos of your landscaping being lit? LED is typically only good for directional/spot lighting and do not provide the same light diffusion patterns and more critically LED's lack the number of lumen output. I'd buy these in a second if they produce the same light output or better though. I'm using about 50 low votlage fixtures in my yard and lumination of the yard is #1. Bulb replacement and power usage would be somewhere around #50 and #51 on my list of priorities...


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I've been getting superbright LEDs for


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Brandon,
I don't have any" before" photos, but I just went outside and snapped these "after" photos. I shot them without a tripod and with the flash turned off, so the quality isn't that good. Also, please keep in mind that the ponds and streams are a "work in progress" so some of the landscaping is yet to be completed. The only light is from the various LED fixtures.

This first shot is looking across Lake Chloe up the Jocelyn River. Lake Chloe is illuminated by three 11 watt LED floodlights (unmodified.) Along the river bank, there are four LED pathway fixtures at 1/2 watt each (also unmodified.) Just where the river flows into the lake, there is a LED flood light highlighting the rapids. In the upper left of the photo, you can see the plants in Lake Jocelyn illuminated by two additional LED flood lights. Each flood light uses one of the 1.5 watt modules.











This second photo is looking up Kamryn Creek. The only illumination is from four LED pathway lights at 1/2 watt each (unmodified.)











The third photo shows some of the tier lights along the path above the Red Rock Canyon area of my layout. Each light uses one of the 1.2 watt LED modules.











The last photo is taken from the same spot as the first, but looking at Tayler Falls. Illumination is from the three 11 watt flood lights (unmodified) plus there is one tier light showing at the upper right with one of the 1.2 watt modules. The glare at the lower right is from one of the flood lights bouncing off the rocks.











Again, I apologize for the poor quality of the photos, but I wanted to give you an idea of the large amount of light that LED fixtures produce. I'll try to get some better shots when I have more time.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Sure would be nice to know the lumens of the incandescent bulb vs. the led. 

Every time I look at LED lights, they are either way less light or very expensive. 

With the short time they are on during the day, I believe the payback time is quite a few years. 

Greg


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## Brandon (Jul 6, 2011)

Thanks for posting the pictures. 

That looks quite better than I would have expected... I may have to get a few of those to test out. I've heard some low voltage lighting packs (malibu for example) don't run as efficient and have lower life if they aren't run around 80% of the packs rated watts, I wonder if this would still be the case with LED lights or if that's some wives tales. 

If you do find out the lumens let us know.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

malibu is just transformers, running hotter can make them break down sooner, but other than overloading I can't see how the life is affected by any way. 

All they are is 2 big coils of wire with a varnish like coating on the wire for insulation. After a long time, this can break loose, allow vibration and eventually cause the insulation to fail or (pretty unusual) the wire to break. 

I have not investigated efficiency vs. load, but it makes sense there is a "sweet spot". 

I would not consider anything except my total energy consumption, at least here in So Cal, electricity is expensive. 


Greg


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

The problem with measuring Lumens is that it does not take into account the frequency of the light. An LED (especially the early ones) output a very narrow band of light frequencies. Even a "White" LED is not putting out the entire frequency spectrum of visible light. It is outputting just 3 colors in very narrow bands and your mind sees those three narrow bands and interprets it as white light. 

If you look at an LED it can appear to be very bright because it is putting out a lot of energy at just a narrow band of light. But if you shine that light on a surface, if that surface does not reflect that particular frequency, then it appears dark. I have some LED flashllghts that can be seen a mile or two away, but you cannot read the newspaper with both the light and your eyes only few inches from the paper. The "white" paper does not reflect the particular frequencies given off by the LED and so it appears dark and the "Black" ink does reflect some light and so it appears lighter and there is not enough contrast between the two to easily read the text. 

100 lumens at one frequency is the same as 100 lumens at all frequecies but the single frequency light source will appear brighter to the eye than the broad spectrum source when looking directly at it, but the broad spectrum source will produce a brighter scene of what it is illuminating than the single frequency source.


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

Several years ago, I did the same thing with a home brewed solution. I, too, was tired of replacing bulbs. My design worked fine at voltages up to ~40V, but they blew out just as fast as the incandescent bulbs. The problem, as I eventually discovered, was line transients were destroying whatever I put in there. So, if you don't take some steps to limit the incoming AC to some reasonable value, switching to LEDs ain't gonna help.


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

A great find, and an elegant solution for those of us who bought Malibu light starter sets with small transformers and six or seven 7 watt bulbs. I eventually relaced them with 4 watt bulbs and then added a few more. I don't worry about the bulbs burning out, as I only have them on a few hours a night, but I am concerned about the load on the transformers. I think I'll take the chance of loading the transformers too little, as opposed to knowing what happens when you load them too much! Thanks, Bob.


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

My LED malibu light replacements arrived in the mail today. This afternoon, I put the first of them into a malibu light just outside the back door. Seems just as bright as the incandescent it replaced. Tomorrow, I'll replace the others. Now I should be able to about double the number of lights on each transformer! Wow lots of light for not much price! Now I'll got to some garage sales and see if I can find other fixtures!


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## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

I ordered three different types of leds. They end up coming from two different vendors. One of them charges me as much for shipping as the lights? Maybe he felt they were six different orders (six pkgs)?


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## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

I just tried out the bulbs that were posted and they do look great. I hope they last. No paperwork so I'll have to look up the specs again. Seem slightly more white and brighter than the incandescent ones they replaced. I also tried another type that looks exactly the same. Both types shine in a good full pattern. I bet you could get a lot more on a small transformer. Great deal overall, Thanks


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## avlisk (Apr 27, 2012)

Do any of you folks know if the Malibu transformers put out AC or DC? I bought some Malibu LED low voltage fixtures and their 45watt transformer, but nowhere does it say if it puts out AC or DC or even what voltage it is. I ask mostly because I have some 12v DC bulbs that I want to use, but I don't know if I can. Thanks. Ken S.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

AC, about 16 volts. Since they run incandescent bulbs, no need for DC. 

If you look at the first LED module on the thread, you see the diodes needed to "convert" AC to DC... 
(I'd guess the other side has 2 more diodes for a full wave bridge, since they claim 90% efficiency) 

Greg


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## avlisk (Apr 27, 2012)

So, what will happen to my 12v DC lamps if I wire them up to my Malibu? Will they blow or just not illuminate? And, does this mean in a DCC equipped loco, (such as in my HO trains), the power from the rails is AC, the motor is getting DC, but the LED lights are getting AC? What are its bulbs/lamps getting, AC or DC? Sure sounds complicated.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

OK... let's take this one at a time ha ha! 

what is a DC lamp? If it is an incandescent lamp, i.e. has a white hot wire inside a glass bulb, it is neither AC or DC. 

A 12 volt lamp on a 14 to 16 volt source will burn out, how quickly is variable. 

On DCC, the power to the rails is a square wave AC in variable frequency, as opposed to 60 cycle per second sine wave AC like in your outlet. 

DCC decoders rectify the AC on the tracks and provide DC on the function outputs. (they use DC for powering the microprocessor and ram). 

Greg


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

The malibu lighting systems usually wire the fixtures in parallel not series. The physical difference is that in series, if one burns out the others all go out too. Not so with parallel. Problem with parallel is that EVERY bulb gets the full juice, thus overpowering (over some unspecified time) the 12V bulbs. 

Don't throw them away though. If you've got a need for lighting in a bullding, wire two of the 12V bulbs in series, and each bulb will get only half the juice, resulting in dimmer (but longer lasting) bulbs. You could put one inside a building and another on the outside of that same building. or in two nearby builidings (like a commercial strip).


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

This compares the 12 volt "dash light" LEDs with two different value bulbs. IIRC, the bulb in the center is rated at 1.5 candlepower.


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## ka3ebe (Feb 26, 2013)

Some time back you stated that you were using LED to retrofit some Malibu lights, I am now trying to do the same thing. I liked your approach of LED and resistors. Can you elaborate on the configuration. What LED, Resistor value and mounting. I am now using 4 watt incandescent bulbs and would like something as bright or brighter 

Thanks
Casey
ka3ebe


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## kathy82 (Aug 28, 2013)

I want to replace some 20W G4's halogens with LED's, it's no problem finding replacements but it can be a bit of a lottery when it comes to the 'colour' of the LED's. 

I've bought one LED replacement ( http://www.lightingnext.com/led-tower-g4-lamp-with-18-smd-5050-leds.html ) as a trial, but it is far 'too' white, I'm looking for a 'warm white' LED which is as close as possible to the colour of halogen lamps.


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

try this place: 

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=/compcool_warm.htm


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

These are really useful lights. I found mine on Amazon. They are not much more costly than incandescent bulbs, and of course will last longer and cost less to operate.

Don't own stock in the company, but wish I did.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

12 volt bulbs are really made for higher voltages.

Cars with alternators charging the battery output 13 to 14 volts, therefore automotive bulbs are really made for more than 12 volts. And since 12 volt lead acid batteries are really 12.6 volts, this is another reason for higher rated voltage on bulbs as the 12 volt rating is just a generalization.

I did place a 1 ohm 20 watt resistor in series with all my lights on my Malibu system in order to dim all lights and to give the bulbs a longer life and I also use 4 watt bulbs as 7 watt bulbs were too bright.

PS TV and radios with tubes had 6.3 volt and 12.6 volt transformers to light the filaments in the tubes.


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## buck95 (Jul 6, 2014)

I bought Wedge Car LED Lights T10 bulbs for around 18 cents apiece, they fit perfectly in my Malibu sockets. Since these were DC, I took an old laptop power supply and used it in place of my AC malibu transformer. Was thinking about building a dc supply but hard to do and get it ripple free. Use a programmable dusk to dawn cord to set the timing. Must put the lights in the correct way or they won't light on DC. The brightness is not as great as the 4 watts I replaced, but at 1/20 the power I can easily live with it.


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