How to wire your deck for low voltage lighting
Tools Needed to wire your low voltage deck lights.
With a good set of tools it is much easier than you might think!
If you live in Kansas City and you want us to do the install just call.
Draw an X on top of the post to find the center.
First, drill a hole with the Forstner bit just off center about 1.5″ deep to accommodate wires.
Then drill a hole with the auger bit just off center and down until you are sure it is deeper than the hand railing.
When you are finished drilling all the posts, use your shop vac or blower to get as much of the sawdust out of the holes as possible. A clean workspace makes your job easier and mistake free.
Use the 1/2 inch drill bit to drill up at an angle from under the hand rail into the augered hole.
You may have to drill the 1/2 inch holes on both sides of the post to accomodate the daisy chained wiring.
This shows one of the end posts with a single 16-2 wire coming out.
Here is the wire with the light socket and wirenuts.
I usually tape the wirenuts. This helps avoid breaking the connection when stuffing the wires into the hole.
Here is the single wire finished and stuffed into the hole with the light socket centered and screwed in.
Wire is run from post to post underneath the handrail, stapled up every 6 inches or so.
Make sure you DO NOT staple through the wire. Make sure the staple goes completely around the wire. It will ground it and your lights won’t work.
If you do staple through it, just pull it out and get it right on the next shot. No worries.
This shows the wire coming up the post from the transformer and heading out to the next post.
This shows the wire coming up the post from the transformer and heading out to the next post.
*If you want to hide this wire, you can use a router again and notch out a spot for the wire up the post. Then add a decorative piece of wood to cover it up.
Most of your posts will have 2 wires. Peel each one apart and strip them. Then attach one side of one wire to one side of the other. Then again for the other 2 remaining wires.
You’ll have 2 wires in one group and 2 in another. Both wires in a group will be from separate wires.
Then attach one side of the socket to one group of wires and the other side to the other group of wires. Cap each set off with wirenuts.
Tape up the 2 groups of wires. Screw the socket down.
Tuck in the wires and you are finished. Just push in the bulb and put on the cap.
When wiring the transformer, just put one side of the wire into A and one into B.
If you are using a Kichler Transformer you will put one side into the “Common” hole and one into the 12V hole.
How much does it cost?
90% of our clients’ installations range from $1,000-$3,000. This includes the fixtures, transformer, labor, and materials.
How long does it take to install?
Most systems take 3 – 6 hours to install. I usually keep 20-30 post caps of each color in stock. However, if I run out, the post caps take between 1 and 2 weeks to be forged. Installation of the wiring can begin anytime after the estimate and the tops should arrive shortly after that.
Will installation damage my deck, or yard and landscape?
Post cap installation – the wiring is run underneath the hand rail. We try to hide as much of the wiring as possible. Small holes are drilled into the post from the sides underneath the handrail. A 1 inch diameter hole is drilled into the top of the post approximately 6 inches deep, or however deep you need to go to reach below the handrail, to accomodate the wiring of the light kit. The lights are then wired and the post cap sits on top of the post and is secured with small screws.
Of course if you only want the caps without the lighting system then the only damage to the deck is the small attachment screws.
Doing it yourself?
Installation tips –
Plan out your wiring before you start so that you can avoid voltage drop. I usually try to run no more than 5 lights on one home run to the transformer. From the transformer, take the home run to the middle light and “T” off to the other 2 lights in each direction. So if you have 15 lights, you might have 3 different home runs to the transformer. Call or email us if you have any questions about this.
I usually use a 300 watt transformer from Lowe’s or Home Depot. They are the easiest to install and maintain. They are a little less reliable than the professional grade transformers though, so if you want to get a quality transformer check out the Accessories page on my website, www.MoonlightDecks.com. If you have more than 15 lights you will need another transformer or one that can handle more watts.
Draw 2 lines from corner to corner making an “X” on the top of the post. This is where you need to center the bulb. So when you drill down through the top of the post in order to run your wire up through it, drill just slightly off center to allow for the placement of the bulb.
I use a 1 3/4″ Forstner bit drilled down about an inch just off center of the post. This allows me some room to make my connections and stuff them below the base of the post cap. Then blow out the sawdust as best as possible.
Then I usually use a 1” auger bit (approximately 15” long) to drill down just off center of the top of the post to just below the handrail.
Then I use a ½” bit to drill at an angle from underneath the handrail up into the 1” hole.
You will do this on each post you want to light. The holes under the handrailing will usually be on both sides of the post since one wire will be coming into the hole and one going out to the next light.
Then I usually pick a post that is close to the house and run my low voltage 16 gauge wire up that post, then under the handrail, and up through the ½” hole, and finally make my connections to the sockets.
I run the wire from post to post underneath the handrail making my connections to the sockets inside each post. Staple the wire up to the underneath side of the handrail. Be sure not to staple through the wire! Make sure the staple goes cleanly around the wire.
*If you are building your deck, another great way to wire it is to take off the hand rail and router the top 2×4 to lay your wire into. Then drill your holes up into the post. This way, you definitely won’t see any wire. Just be careful when you put the handrail back on not to screw into your wire.
*If you want to hide the wire going up the post to your caps, you can use a router again and notch out a spot for the wire up the post. Then add a decorative piece of wood to cover it up.
Make your connections to the light socket. Use the black wood screw to attach the light sockets to the top of the post, centered so that the cap fits over the bulb. The bulb and socket need to be at the very center of the post. Again, the best way to do this is to draw 2 lines from corner to corner making an “X” on the top of the post. This is where you need to center the bulb. So when you drill down through the top of the post in order to run your wire up through it, drill just slightly off center to allow for the placement of the bulb.
Finally, use the wood screws with the black pan heads to screw the base into the post or check out some different screw colors at your local hardware store.
FYI – The smooth post caps have a slightly lower profile. So you may need to recess the socket about a 1/2 Inch into the top of the post if you don’t get it perfectly centered.
How do I control the lights?
A timer, located inside the transformer, controls the system. It is set to your desired on/off times.
If you live in the Kansas City area, and would like to see the post caps in person, please call me for a free estimate.
If you are not comfortable wiring up your deck, consult an electrician or landscape lighting professional.
Moonlight Decks LLC will not be held responsible for any faulty wiring that causes a fire or other damage.
How to install low voltage deck lighting
Deck Lights, Deck Lighting, Lighted Post Caps, Low Voltage Deck Light Installations
Moonlight Decks installs deck lighting and landscape lighting all over Kansas City including: Johnson County, Jackson County, North Kansas City, Blue Springs, Lees Summit, Prairie Village, Leawood, Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, Shawnee, Gladstone, Wyandotte County, Belton, Gardner, Grandview, Raymore, Raytown, Merriam, Basehor, De Soto, Fairway, Lake Lotawana, Lake Quivera, Lake Winnebago, Riss Lake, Mission, Mission Hills, Roeland Park, Westwood, Westwood Hills …and more.
