Planning outdoor smart lighting that isn't on all night

What you’ll need

• Low-voltage cable
• A transformer
• Outdoor GFCI outlet
• Garden spade

Step by step

1. 1

   Sketch the layout first

   Mark path lights, wall washes and any step lighting. Aim for pools of light at decision points, not a runway.

2. 2

   Add up the wattage

   Total the fixture wattages and choose a transformer with meaningful headroom — undersized transformers dim the far end of a run.

3. 3

   Lay the cable before committing

   Run the cable on the surface and test at night for a few evenings before burying anything.

4. 4

   Set dusk-to-dawn plus a cut-off

   Dusk-on is fine, dawn-off is wasteful. Set most fixtures to switch off around midnight and let motion handle later hours.

5. 5

   Use motion for security zones

   Driveways and side gates benefit more from a bright motion trigger than from constant low light.

Energy-saving tips

• Warm white (2700K) looks far better outdoors than cool white and attracts fewer insects.
• Choose IP65-rated or better fixtures; cheap housings corrode within a season or two.
• Aim fixtures downward — it reduces glare, light trespass and wasted output.