If some of your landscape lighting fixtures look noticeably dimmer than others—especially those furthest from the transformer—you're likely dealing with voltage drop. It's one of the most common issues in landscape lighting systems, but understanding the cause makes it entirely fixable.

What Is Voltage Drop?

Voltage drop occurs when the electrical resistance of the wire between the transformer and a fixture causes the voltage to decrease along the run. A fixture designed to operate at 12 volts might only be receiving 10 or 10.5 volts by the time the electricity travels 100 feet of wire—resulting in reduced brightness and shortened lamp life.

Common Causes

The most frequent causes of voltage drop in landscape lighting are using wire that's too thin for the run length, running too many fixtures on a single wire run, and wire runs that are simply too long. Daisy-chaining fixtures—connecting them one after another in a long line—is particularly prone to voltage drop at the end of the chain.

How to Fix It

The most effective voltage drop landscape lighting fix depends on the severity of the problem. Solutions include upgrading to heavier gauge wire (10 or 12 gauge instead of 14 or 16), switching from a daisy-chain layout to a hub or T-method wiring approach, splitting long runs into multiple shorter ones, or adding a second transformer to handle additional zones.

When to Call a Professional

If your system has multiple dim zones or you're unsure of your wiring layout, a professional diagnosis is the most efficient path to a lasting fix.

Outdoor Lights + Shades provides expert landscape lighting repair and system optimization for homeowners across the Los Angeles area. Visit myolspro.com to schedule a service call.