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As a landscape or lighting professional, you are undoubtably confronted with clients who insist on LED’s and expect you to be the expert. That’s a tall task since understanding LED’s (especially as installed in an outdoor environment) requires some intensive study.

To jump-start your education, we’ve created a fact-filled online learning event. This hour-long webinar will cover the following: New opportunities for LED upgrades and new installations New challenges dealing with semi-conductor-based lighting A primer on LED science, including driver electronics, color, heat management, LED life, voltage loss calculations (power factor)  CAST LED product features LED installation techniques Sales and marketing strategies This webinar is an excellent introduction into the world of LED’s as they function in the landscape. Since you’re probably busy, we’ll be holding this webinar 8 times over the next two weeks!  Presenters: - David Beausoleil, Founder and President of CAST Lighting - Steve Parrott, CAST Lighting Communication & Marketing Director To register – click on one of the dates and times below! You can access the webinar from a PC or Mac; audio is available through your computer or via phone (long distance charges through your phone carrier may apply)  The webinar is a full-hour with time for questions at the end. All times are EST. Thursday, February 2nd: 7:00pm to 8:00pm Thursday, February 2nd: 9:30pm to 10:30pm Friday, February 3rd: 9:00am to 10:00am Friday, February 3rd: 11:00am to 12:00am Monday, February 6th: 9:00am to 10:00am Monday, February 6th: 11:00am to 12:00am Tuesday, February 7th: 7:00pm to 8:00pm Tuesday, February 7th: 9:30pm to 10:30pm Attending this event live is preferred, but the webinar recording will be available to all who attend and those who cannot attend.   Questions? Contact Stephanie at 973-423-2303 or email.

One-hour intensive LED webinar aimed at landscape lighting professionals. LED voltage loss calculations require use of “Power Factor”. CAST LED landscape lights have many advanced features that require some explanation.

Award-winning landscape lighting design by Bernie Granier

Winning a lighting design award is a great achievement. Winning four awards in the same competition is outstanding! This is what Bernie Granier, of StarShine of Texas, did in the 2011 AOLP (Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals)  annual outdoor lighting design competition.

Janet Moyer, the world-renowned landscape lighting designer, was among the judges. She has been instrumental in helping the AOLP develop their training programs and attracting the natural talents of designers like Bernie.

Unlike many lighting firms, Bernie Granier (based near Houston, TX) is a master in finding the perfect blend of architectural lighting and landscape lighting. The result is an exuberant nighttime experience  that embraces the totality of the property.

Exceptional architectural lighting, as shown here, requires an artistic eye and complete mastery of lighting tools.

Using only the best landscape lighting products (CAST among them), Bernie also takes care to ensure that the lights will survive the outdoor environment and continue to provide exceptional lighting year after year.

Our hats off to Bernie and StarShine of Texas for elevating the art of landscape lighting in the Lone Star State. Homeowners looking for exceptional lighting customized to their property, their homes, and their lives should contact Bernie. He’s a master of light and is fully capable of transforming your nighttime experience. We are proud to include Bernie among the CAST Lighting Masters of Landscape Lighting.

Before LED’s, selecting outdoor lights was fairly straightforward. You could assume that the bulbs were pretty much the same – cheap lights used the same bulbs as the higher quality lights. All you had to do was select the light that looked sturdy, was made by a reputable manufacturer, and had a good warranty. Of course, looks could be deceiving, and warranties are often misleading. Still, before LED’s the decision was easier.

LED’s enter the stage. On the surface, they look great. They use about 1/3 the energy. They last up to 20 years. What could be better? The reality, however, is less rosy. The majority of these outdoor LED’s have failed to live up to their promises. The Dept. of Energy (DOE) launched a testing program (Caliper) that put these products on the block. The results were staggering; nearly every product failed to meet its claims. One LED manufacturer faces a lawsuit because their products were so abysmal.

The LED problems are light, heat, moisture, color, and fixture body integrity – a lot of factors to consider. Lets not forget, LED circuits are sensitive bundles of electronics. Would you put your cell phone in a leaky box, plant it in your back yard and expect it to last 20 years? It’s not easy to manufacturer a sensitive piece of electronics that will survive the worst of Mother Nature.

That’s why CAST Lighting spent four years developing its LED landscape lights. We hired some of the best engineers in the industry to custom-design our LED’s to withstand the outdoor environment and to perform optimally for up to 20 years. You would need a degree in semi-conductors to understand how they did it, but the following 7 points will (hopefully) hit the main points and help you decide.

CAST Lighting LED Engineered Wall Light - Replaceable LED board thermally mounted to solid bronze body and copper bracket - highly effective heat sinks.

1. We Stay Cool

Heat is the number one enemy of LED chips. They function well up to about 150 degrees (F), but above that they start to fail. CAST LED’s transfer heat into solid bronze bodies – massive and effective heat sinks. Enclosed fixtures are like ovens and air is the worst heat conductor. Even short periods of overheating can diminish light output dramatically and reduce LED life by 50%. The thick-walled bronze is extremely effective in pulling heat away from LED’s.

2. We Stay Dry

Water is the number one enemy of electronics (just drop your cell phone in a puddle and see what happens). Water can not only short-circuit the electronics, it leads to corrosion that eats away the entire assembly. CAST LED’s are protected from water intrusion – through multiple methods. All CAST LED components use conformal coatings or epoxy potting to protect from water intrusion. Additional protection is provided with compression fittings, sealed glass lenses, and high-temp silicone gaskets.

3. We Stay Solid

CAST LED’s are the only fixtures designed to last longer than the LED’s. Aluminum, copper, and brass fixtures may claim long warranties, but these metals corrode, bend, and break long before the LED fails. CAST bronze fixtures are the only ones that will never end up in a landfill.

CAST Lighting LED Path Light Module - converts CAST Lighting Path Lights to LED

4. We Range Far and Wide

CAST LED’s have a wide voltage range (8 to 18) and are protected from spikes and surges. Most other LED fixtures have narrower ranges and may not perform well throughout the range. A wide voltage range gives installers a lot of flexibility and allows them to connect many more fixtures on a single wire. The protection from voltage spikes and surges is especially important since such events are more common than you might think. A single spike can take out every LED in your yard unless your LED’s are protected.

5. We are Great Drivers

The driver is the circuitry that supplies and conditions power to the LED chip. The driver design is what separates the men from the boys in the LED world. A poorly designed driver with cheap components can greatly reduce the life of an LED. CAST LED’s have extremely high quality driver components rated for extreme conditions. One common component,  the electrolytic capacitor, is very susceptible to heat damage, and often leads to failure. Nearly all LED fixture manufacturers use them – CAST does not. Our driver components are extremely robust and are selected to withstand extreme time and temperatures.

6. Our Colors are Right

CAST LED’s have tight control over color temperature & rendering to match incandescent. Most so-called “warm white” LED’s have color temps that range between 2,800K and 3,000K – noticeably cooler than incandescents. All CAST LED’s are rated at 2,700K – indistinguishable from halogen lights. Another common color problem among cheap LED’s is maintenance. A phosphor layer coats the LED chip, this layer transforms the blue light coming from the LED into a mixture of colors that combine to make white light. This phosphor layer is heat sensitive and deteriorates in time. That’s why cheap LED’s may initially have a nice white light, then gradually become bluer. We do two things to prevent deterioration: 1. We only use the highest quality Cree and Nichia chips that have superior phosphor coatings, and 2. We effectively pull heat away from the chip so it never overheats.

7. We Will Never be Discarded

CAST has the only LED Fixtures that will last longer than the LED’s themselves. (I said that before, but it bears repeating!) Despite long warranty claims of other manufacturers, CAST is the only true lifetime product. Even if the LED modules are damaged due to lightning, they are replaceable. Our fixtures will never be found in a landfill.

View CAST Landscape Lighting LED Products

CAST Set-in-Stone Wall Light Installation System.

Stone or block walls are distinctive features found in nearly every well-designed landscape. Installing lights in these walls is a wonderful way to illuminate their beauty. These lights also illuminate adjacent pathways or garden beds. For these reasons, many under-capstone lighting fixtures are purchased and installed.

Among these wall light fixtures, the CAST Engineered Wall Light (both incandescent and LED versions) has become a light-of-choice, primarily because of its durability (solid bronze) and sustained performance – lamp compartment enclosed in frosted glass, integrated LED board, corrosion-resistant components, etc.

One of the biggest challenges facing wall light installers is the fact that once a light is mortared under the capstone, it is nearly impossible to remove. The same is true of wires that run through the walls. Another problem is that wall lights must be installed during the wall construction phase – a messy process and often a logistical nightmare among contractors.

The New Invention

CAST Set-in-Stone Wall Light Mounting Module and Flexible Conduit. Mylar label is peeled back for wiring, then re-sealed to prevent mortar intrusion.

The new invention, the CAST Set-in-Stone™ Wall Light Installation System includes two components:

• CAST Set-in-Stone™ Wall Light Mounting Module (Part# CSIS)
• CAST Set-in-Stone™ Flexible Conduit (Part# CSISC)

These components are installed during wall construction to provide fixture mounting locations and wiring conduit. This allows the lighting installation to occur after the wall has been completed.

How it Works

The modular system can be used for any wall light installation including between blocks and in solid walls, but the most common use will be under capstones. Let’s go through the steps for an under-capstone installation:

1. Prepare the Wall. With the wall completely assembled except for the capstone, drill a hole to exit the wall.
2. Put Wall Light Mounting Modules in Place. At each fixture location, place a module (holding it in place with a brick).
3. Attach Flexible Conduit. Connect modules with Flexible Conduit, and run conduit from the first module to exit the wall.
4. Run wires through Flexible Conduit. Run wires into and out of modules, and to exit the wall.
5. Seal Modules. Each module has a Mylar flap that is opened to run wires then closed to prevent mortar intrusion.
6. Connect and Insert Wall Lights. After the capstone has been mortared in place, open module wiring compartment, connect fixture wires, then insert bracket into module sleeve. The wall light (and its wiring) may be removed at any time for servicing or replacement.

Learning the System

The CAST Set-in-Stone Installation manual contains detailed guidelines for wall light positioning and optimal wiring methods. This illustration shows the three main wiring methods.

The CAST Set-in-Stone wall Light Installation System is a rapid method that is easy to learn. A complete installation manual accompanies the modules.

Not so simple to learn are the subtle design considerations that determine exactly where each wall light should be placed. Also a little tricky, is determining what wiring configuration is ideal to ensure proper voltage to each fixture. The installation manual addresses both the location and wiring configuration issues.

CAST Lighting communication award from Constant Contact

CAST Lighting’s outstanding communication efforts have been acknowledged with receipt of the Constant Contact All-Star Award. The criteria for this achievement include:

• Communicate with customers for all four quarters of the year
• Update mailing lists often and obtain permission from all their subscribers to contact them
• Have high open and click-through rates, and low bounce rates
• Use reports to gain insights about their contact list and online marketing activities
• Make effective use of social media tools

CAST Lighting has been using this online marketing tool for the past ten years. It enables us to maintain appropriate ongoing communication with our distributors, manufacturer representatives, contractors, and homeowners.

CAST goes beyond the usual promotional intention of newsletters to share industry information and articles on the business, technology, and artistry of low voltage landscape lighting.

Newsletter recipients often comment that they highly appreciate the communication, and that it keeps them up-to-date regarding the latest in landscape lighting. CAST is also conscious of the flood of email communications and releases newsletters only when new information arises. Because of this, CAST newsletters are rarely reported as spam, and very few recipients unsubscribe from the publication.

Steve Parrott, Communication and Marketing Director of CAST Lighting, comments, “Constant Contact has been a valuable partner and enables us to feed valuable information to our subscribers in a professional and effective manner. The landscape lighting industry is hungry for knowledge and there are very few venues for professionals to gain access to useful information. For this reason, in addition to promoting our products, we strive to contribute to the landscape lighting knowledge base.”

We encourage all readers to subscribe to the CAST Lighting newsletter.

Putnam Hall lit by UNH landscape lighting students.

Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Installation and Design is a niche profession – part lighting design, part electrical installation, and part horticulture. For this reason, very few colleges teach the subject*. One notable exception is the University of New Hampshire in their Thompson School of  Applied Science.

“Landscape Lighting”, created and led by Rene Gingras, Associate Professor of Horticultural Technology,  is a one credit course offered once a year. This 4-week course combines classroom work with hands-on training. It represents one of the most in-depth trainings available anywhere. Upon successful completion of the course, students receive a “Certificate of Completion” from CAST Lighting (a landscape lighting manufacturer).

Professor Gingras remarks, “We established this class three years ago with the support of CAST Lighting and BISCO (a green industry distributor). We also received a grant from the University Parents Association. Next year, we plan on adding LED information and extending the course to 7 weeks for an additional credit.”

Students learn hands-on landscape lighting installation techniques.

Steve Parrott, Communication and Marketing Director of CAST Lighting, comments, “Most landscape lighting professionals received, at most, one or two days of training before launching into the work. In fact, CAST Lighting offers a very effective full-day hands-on landscape lighting seminar that teaches the basics. While that’s enough for most, it doesn’t compare to the comprehensive 4-week program that Professor Gingras provides.”

*One other university class also presents an exceptional training opportunity, “Landscape Lighting” a two-day class taught once a year at Rutgers University by CAST founder, Dave Beausoleil.

For more information about the UNH class, contact Admissions by email or phone (603) 862-1360.
View the schedule of CAST Lighting Landscape Lighting Seminars.

CAST 1,500W Master Series Landscape Lighting Transformer

Low voltage transformers are at the heart of every landscape lighting installation. Their job is fairly simple – to convert 120 volts to the voltage required to power a 12-volt lighting system. Not so simple, is the engineering that goes into the construction of these power supplies.

CAST Lighting produces transformers that range in capacity from 300 watts to 1,500 watts (the largest in the industry); and that range in output from 12 volts to 22 volts. Throughout the past ten years, CAST engineers have modified the components and design of these transformers – to improve their functionality and reliability.

The larger transformers (900 watts and above) presented the greatest engineering challenges. These transformers carry a high current load that stress the unit’s electronic components. Additional stresses are applied due to the occaisional presence of “Inrush Current” – a powerful surge that floods the unit upon start-up. After all these modifications, CAST is confident that their transformers are now the most rugged and reliable in the industry.

CAST Lighting Transformer Features

• Highly efficient resin-sealed torroidal cores (the best in the industry)
• Double inrush protection (on models 900 watts and above) – using two simple and robust thermistors
• Extra-rugged Power Bypass Relays – to protect sensitive time clocks and photocells
• “Full-Load Commons Configuration”  (Master Series only) – enables full use of  transformer capacity
• Extra-large terminal blocks and wiring compartment
• PVC wire conduit (Master Series only)
• More features. . .

Related Articles

• Comparative Test of Low Voltage Lighting Transformers
• Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Transformers – Criteria for Selection
• Green Energy and CAST Lighting

Our first priority in lighting the landscape is to provide the basic illumination that enables our vision. From there, we expand our designer’s skill to include several other goals – some obvious, others more subtle. The following article not only elucidates these goals, it sets them in relation to each other. It is the relationship of lighting goals that defines lighting quality. Lighting quality is the value we bring as professional landscape lighting designers.

In the complete article, each bullet point is discussed in detail.

What is Lighting Quality?

Quality is a nebulous word and largely subjective. One person loves the lighting, another hates it, and another is indifferent. With such a range of opinion, how is it possible to define and achieve this quality? The answer can be found by considering a host of factors including human needs, economics, energy efficiency, environmental issues, and considerations of architecture and plant material. The next time a homeowner asks why she should hire you to do the lighting, you will explain lighting quality and how you achieve it.

A 2008 landmark publication by the IESNA, A Guide to Designing Quality Lighting for People and Buildings defines and illustrates quality lighting from a needs standpoint. The following points are distilled from this publication and commentary provided by CAST Lighting’s Steve Parrott.

Human Needs

1. Task Visibility.
2. Task Performance.
3. Mood and Atmosphere.
4. Visual Comfort.
5. Aesthetic Judgement.
6. Health, Safety, and Well-Being.
7. Social Communication.

Summary of Quality Landscape Lighting for Human Needs

The lighting designer illuminates the landscape to serve the needs of people who live and visit there. The designer provides sufficient illumination of the right type to enable people to perform needed actions in an environment that is visible, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing.

Economics and Environment

1. Maintenance.
2. Ownership Cost.
3. Sustainability.
4. Lighting Control.
5. Dark Sky.

Summary of Quality Landscape Lighting for Economic and Environmental Needs

The lighting designer selects fixtures and components that are long-lived, reasonably priced, energy-efficient, and that represent a minimal impact on environmental concerns.

Architecture

1. Integration with Existing Architecture.
2. Lighting Emphasis and Variation.
3. Codes and Standards.

Summary of Quality Landscape Lighting for Architecture

The lighting designer recognizes important architectural and landscape features, and creates a design to selectively highlight these features. The designer also selects lighting fixtures that are visually appropriate to the surroundings.

Plant Materials

1. Integration with Existing Plant Material.
2. Plant Growth.
3. Plant Health.
4. Plant Aesthetics.

Summary of Landscape Lighting Quality for Plants

The lighting designer incorporates plant material into the lighting design with recognition of each plant’s distinctive qualities, and plans for lighting system changes as plant materials grow.

Conclusion

Quality lighting for the landscape is comprised of a host of factors including human needs, economics and the environment, architectural factors, and plant material considerations. The lighting designer who embraces all these factors and incorporates them into lighting plans offers great value to lighting consumers.

Search for a CAST-Trained Landscape Lighting Designer.

CAST Lighting LED Engineered Wall Light (CEWL5LED1)

The use of LED’s in Landscape Lighting has become more and more widespread. This trend picked up momentum as consumers learned of the long life and energy efficiency of these electronic light sources. With the growing demand, lighting manufacturers rushed LED lights to market, and hundreds of new LED fixtures and replacement lamps found their way into gardens and lawns across the land. Unknown to consumers, however, was that the great majority of these lights will fail long before their promised lives.

CAST Lighting’s LED Research and Development

Several years ago, CAST Lighting launched an intensive research and development effort to create integrated LED lighting fixtures that live up to the company’s high standards of durability, reliability, serviceability, and performance. It was a long process because the technology continued to improve over time; many of the early LED components were unsuitable because of their susceptability to heat and moisture damage. 

The release of CAST Lighting’s LED Engineered Wall Light (CEWL5LED1) constitutes a breakthrough in the industry. It is the first in a series of  outdoor luminaires that are designed specifically for the harsh environmental conditions present in the landscape.

Long Life – For Both LED and Fixture Body

The Nichia LED chips used in this new lighting fixture were specifically chosen for their durability, brightness, and lumen maintenance. To further enhance their long life, these chips were driven with only half their maximum current. Many manufacturers push the current to the maximum to achieve greater brightness at a lower cost. By reducing the current, far less heat is produced and full brightness is maintained over a longer period of time. The CAST Lighting Engineered Wall Light is estimated to maintain at least 70% of its brightness (L70) for 50,000 hrs. – that’s over 20 years.

While many lighting manufacturers also claim an LED life of 20 years, the consumer should ask the question, “Will the lighting fixture itself last as long as the LED light source?” CAST Lighting fixtures are uniquely constructed to make this claim. The body of the wall light is made of solid sand-cast bronze – a material that resists all types of corrosion. (Bronze statues have been known to survive for over 2,000 years with minimal corrosion.) The wire used in the fixture, and throughout all components of a CAST Lighting system, are tin-coated, marine-grade No-Ox - specially made to survive the most corrosive marine environments. Other manufacturers use copper, brass, aluminum and other materials – all subject to corrosion damage from soil and atmospheric salts and acids.

Other factors that can reduce the life of an LED fixture are voltage spikes and fluctuations. The CAST Wall Light is engineered to accept a wide range of voltages (8 to 20 volts) and has built-in voltage spike protection. 

Serviceability

Many LED manufacturers that integrate LED chips and drivers into the body of the fixture, permanently seal the fixture to prevent moisture intrusion. If an LED board fails in such a fixture, the entire fixture must be discarded and replaced. The CAST LED Wall Light eliminates this problem by using a propriatary conformal coating on the LED board to protect it from water. In the unlikely event that the LED fails (a lightning strike, for example), the glass cover can be removed and the LED board replaced. This is a simple, inexpensive repair that can be done by the installer in the field.

Performance

The CAST LED Wall Light is designed to deliver a warm white (2,700 degrees kelvin) diffuse light, with a very wide beam angle (100 degrees). This light also has a very high color rendering index (86) to closely match the illumination of incandescent light. It’s light output is about 90 lumens, somewhat brighter than the incandescent version of this fixture.

CAST Lighting plans to introduce LED versions of its other popular luminaires – each one designed and engineered to provide optimal illumination for the landscape.

Steve Middleton adds a compelling nighttime dimension to water features.

Landscape Lighting is a profession that hosts a wide variety of individuals – with a wide range of talents. This fact complicates the selection of a landscape lighting designer. How does a homeowner know who’s good, who’s bad, and who’s truly exceptional? Like all complicated decisions, the best answers come from knowledge – preferably knowledge based on evidence.

With Steve Middleton (owner of Treasure Coast Landscape Lighting in Hobe Sound, FL), the evidence of his exceptional work can be seen every night along the sleepy roads of Florida’s Treasure Coast.  Because of Steve, countless homes shine as though the walls themselves are glowing; tropical vegetation emerges from the darkness as though the moon itself had been captured and put to the task. But the most compelling evidence is found on the faces of Steve’s customers – expressions that range from gratitude, to delight, to serenity, to pride. Clearly, the evidence of Steve Middleton’s skill is overwhelming.

What sets Treasure Coast Landscape Lighting above their many competitors in the region?  The reasons are set out in the company’s website (Treasure Coast Landscape Lighting). Primary among them, is Steve’s absolute expertise in tropical vegetation and its illumination. He is widely recognized as the nations leading expert on the subject, and was featured in an article on the topic (Palm Lighting Particulars) in Landscape Contractor National.

Landscape lighting creates nighttime depth and mystery through the juxtaposition of illuminated architectural and plant elements.

Some may wonder, “What’s there to know; you put a light in the ground and shine it onto a tree?” The truth is much more complex and involves three main factors:

1. Understanding how lighting fixtures coexist with plant systems
2. Understanding how illumination affects the visual appearance of various types of plant materials
3. Understanding how lighting fixtures are affected by environmental factors

The first point is not even considered by the great majority of lighting installers. Tropical vegetation (especially palm trees) have the fastest and most aggressive root systems of any plant type in the world. A lighting fixture staked in the ground at the base of a palm tree will, in a few months, become completely entrapped by the roots. This will not only immobilize the lighting fixture (note: fixture locations need to be adjusted as the tree grows), the roots may also grab the wire and pull it away from the light socket. Many Floridian properties are littered with lighting fixtures that have been destroyed in this way.

Years ago, Steve recognized this problem and devised ways to insert lighting fixtures and their wires so roots would not entangle them. He also learned how the various types of palms differ in their root growth, and applies specific techniques appropriate to each specific tree.

To appreciate the second point, one needs to understand the dynamic nature of light. Depending on the angle of illumination, its brightness, its beam spread, determines how a surface appears. As children, we all shone flshlights from under our chins to create a monstrous appearance. In the same way, illuminated trees and structures can look garish or charming, scary or welcoming, unsightly or beautiful – it all depends on the hard-earned talent of a lighting designer like Steve Middleton.

Finally, many underestimate the extremely aggressive nature of the Florida environment, and its affect on outdoor lighting fixtures. Only the most corrosion-resistant materials can withstand coastal regions. That’s why Steve Middleton primarily uses CAST Lighting fixtures (composed of solid bronze), CAST No-Ox Marine-Grade Landscape Lighting Wire (tin-coated), and CAST stainless steel low voltage transformers.

Steve Middleton, of Treasure Coast Landscape Lighting, can be contacted at (561) 222-1077 or by email.