How To Splice Landscape Lighting Cable?
Landscape lighting enhances the visual appearance of the garden or yard. You can create an ambient lighting effect at night that relaxes your mind and creates a joyful environment for your children.
If you want to add some more outdoor lights or you find any damage in your existing lighting cable, you don’t need to replace the whole cable.
You can splice the electrical wire to repair the damage or extend the wire. This will save you time and money.
Are looking for authentic ways on how to splice landscape lighting cable?
We have reliable and easy-to-follow instructions for you so that you can easily repair the damaged wires instead of getting new ones.
Step-by-Step Guide to Splice Landscape Lighting Cables
Splicing low-voltage Lighting cables is an easy DIY project if you have the proper tools and guides with clear instructions.
The process of splicing can be done on the electrical wire to …
- Repair the damaged wires
- Extend the wires
- Add new landscape lights
There is an easy and reliable guide on how to splice two low-voltage wires together. Follow all the instructions carefully to avoid any hazards.
Before starting the project, you need some materials that are essential for splicing…
Tools and Materials Needed
- Waterproof Connectors
- Electrical Tape
- Wire Stripper / Wire Cutter
- Heat Shrink Tubing
- Soldering Iron
- Solder
Splicing Project Preparation
Before starting your project, turn off the power. Working with live electricity is extremely dangerous and can be fatal.
After that, gather all the necessary tools listed above and stretch out the wire from where you want to splice it.
1. Strip the Cables
Mark the point from where you want to attach the new lighting wire or repair the damaged wire.
If you are going to fix the damaged wire, cut the wire using a wire cutter. Mark 1-2 inches from the end of each part of the cable and strip out the insulation carefully without damaging the wire strand inside.
OR
If you want to add a new wire then bring a wire of your desired length and mark 1-2 inches from the ends of each wire. Now strip out the insulation of both wires.
2. Connect the Wires
To connect the wire, twist the bare copper strands of the two wires together tightly. Make sure you are twisting the wire in a clockwise direction. Now, apply solder to the twisted joint and use the soldering iron to melt it. Allow the solder for a while to cool completely.
OR
In the case of connectors, use waterproof connectors that are designed for moist or wet environments. Twist the ends of the wire in a clockwise direction. Now insert the stripped wire into the connector and twist the connector for a secure connection.
3. Insulate the Splice
To insulate the bare ends of the splice use the heat shrink tubing over the cable.
Cut the piece of heat shrink tube according to the length of the wire where insulating is required. Slide the tube over the cable and make sure that the tube covers the entire bare splice. Now you can use the heat gun or hair dryer to fix it around the wire.
If you don’t have a heat shrink tube, you can use electrical tape to insulate the joints.
4. Test the Connection
After the successful connection, turn the power on and check the lights. If everything is working properly, enjoy your lighting. If not, turn the power OFF and recheck your connection.
Should I Splice the Landscape Lighting Cable in Series or Parallel?
To add the extra outdoor lights, it is preferred to use a parallel circuit.
In parallel circuits, all lighting fixtures receive an equal amount of voltage and glow with the same brightness, and can be controlled individually. If there is a fault in a wire you can easily locate it by observing which light is malfunctioning, so that you can easily fix it without inspecting the whole wire. Another reason is that if one light fails it doesn’t affect the rest of the lighting system.
In the case of a series connection, the whole lighting system is controlled by a single switch because all the components are connected one after the other. The amount of voltage is divided among each element and all the lights didn’t receive the same amount. This affects the brightness of each light. Moreover, if a component in the circuit fails, it breaks the whole circuit, making it difficult to troubleshoot the fault.
So, parallel connections are preferred over series connections because this is reliable and time-saving.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Dealing with electricity can be risky if you are not careful about it. For your safety here are some common mistakes that may lead to big loss if you act careless about them. Please read them carefully and remember them while working with the electrical wires.
- Don’t overstrip the wires, it can increase the risk of short circuits.
- Before insulating the wire, make sure that the wires are twisting securely. Please don’t make a loose connection, it may lead to flickering lights or even electrical fires.
- Match wires in the correct color order or markings to maintain the correct electrical circuit.
- To extend the wire, the new wire you’re using must be of the same gauge and type. Otherwise, it may lead to potential hazards.
- Properly insulate the spliced area, use shrink tubes, waterproof connectors, or high-quality electrical tape for secured insulation.
Conclusion
If there is damage to your outdoor lights, you don’t need to replace the whole wiring. You can easily fix the damaged part of your wire by splicing it. We have discussed the safe and easy method to splice the low-voltage landscape lighting cable.
Moreover, if you want to extend the existing outdoor lighting setup, you can use this method to add extra lights to your garden.
