3 ways to add landscape lighting

By Emma Peterson. 

With Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies, landscape lighting is more customizable than ever. 

One of the more recent technological shifts in the lighting industry was the advent of LED technology hitting the consumer market. As this made lighting far more accessible and affordable, it led to a distinct rise in consumer demand for outdoor lighting. This is now old news, with the latest technological development in the lighting industry following the home automation trend (think Roomba vacuum or Nest thermostat). In this article, the experts from Wolf Creek Co. Distribution dive into three ways you can utilize automation like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Cloud connectivity to create stunning, custom lighting for whatever your client needs. 

1 – Upgrade an existing system 

Many homeowners who are interested in automating their lighting already have a system in place, they just need to add the automation part. Thanks to Wi-Fi, you can help them make this upgrade easily by retrofitting each fixture with a new smart lamp (Chameleon’s Brilliance line is a great example of this!).  

Each of those retrofitted lamps would then connect independently to an internet router and can be controlled by an app or a home management system like Alexa or Google home. 

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2 – Bluetooth on a budget 

If you are working with a client who wants color enhancement on a budget and doesn’t have any existing systems, Bluetooth is a great way to go! This is also perfect for clients who may be less tech-inclined as Bluetooth does not use the internet, instead using a specific type of radio wave to communicate. This is probably the simplest option, but do note that if it's a large installation, Bluetooth mech technology (tech that creates a relay system so all fixtures act as a group) is a game changer.  

The key products:  

• A fixture that integrates Bluetooth, like the Alliance BL400-BT fixture.  
• The manufacturer’s phone app. This is what your client will use to turn lights on and off along with changing colors and brightness.  
• Bluetooth power meters. While optional, these showcase the percentage of watt capacity used, so it is helpful for you to see what is possible in the space.  
• Timers, if requested. Most Bluetooth system apps do not provide the ability to schedule lighting. See if this is a desired functionality; if yes you will want to use something with a built-in timer (like the Alliance IT timer) or to install a Bluetooth timer to the normal transformer. 

3 – High-end Wi-Fi install 

While these systems are more expensive, the technology implemented is also more advanced. High-end Wi-Fi lighting systems give homeowners more control over their space. Take the FX Luminaire ZDC system for example. This system allows management of zoning, dimming and color through a Luxor transformer that uses a two-wire path that does not burden the homeowner’s Wi-Fi system.  

This specific system includes a variety of built-in features: 

• Mobile app: There is a Luxor app that gives the owner remote control of their lighting from anywhere that they have internet connection.  
• Dimming: As mentioned earlier, this system offers control of light intensity. With a full range of 0-100%, this helps create the perfect atmosphere. 
• Colors: There are over 30,000 colors available with 40 custom themes.  
• Zones: Both dimming and color can be assigned to specific zones. This gives the owner the opportunity to create up to 250 different groups of fixtures to have unique characteristics. 
• Scheduling: Through the Luxor app, events can be programmed for each day of the week. This schedules unique themes to play at specific times! 

Do you have a customer who's ready to upgrade their lighting? Once you know what they want, contact the staff at your nearest Wolf Creek branch and they will get you started!