120v led off 12v power supply - noob question

Thread Starter

Johnz_

Joined Oct 21, 2018
3
Hi there. Apologies for the total noob question but I’ve just completed a backyard with direct bury 12v led lighting that looks great and consumes very little power.

I want to run a few exterior wall mounted lights off the same system but all of the nicest choices are 120v led lights that consume 5-10 watts.

I’m assuming that these lights have some sort of step down internally to take the 120v to work with what look like the same 12v led bulbs in use in my garden but wanted to ask you folks what to do.

Is there an easy way for me to take these nice exterior 120v led lights and convert them to run off the 12v low voltage system I have in the yard?

Thanks - again sorry for the novice question.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
Actually your assumption is likely correct. Even the 12 volt LED lights have built in current limiting resistors so they actually run at a lower voltage.The 120 volt AC lights are as you guessed, they convert the 120 VAC to a much lower DC rectified voltage which powers the LED. The problem is you about need to buy a 120 volt one just to see what's in it and unless it uses a 12 Volt LED with a limiting resistor you now have something you can't return.

With that in mind I would really try and find a good looking LED lamp which can be powered using your existing power supply and make sure you do not exceed the limits of your existing supply.

Ron
 

danadak

Joined Mar 10, 2018
4,057
You could always consider a car inverter, relatively cheap at auto parts store, will
take 12 VDC and produce 120 VAC.

Is your yard circuit 12VDC or 12VAC ? The above only works if yard is DC.

And then its a bit of a crapshoot concerning inverter startup, is yard circuit,
if DC, capable of supplying startup current of inverter.

Regards, Dana.
 

Dodgydave

Joined Jun 22, 2012
11,284
Chances are your lights will use a Transformerless psu inside, to drop it down to a lower voltage, the leds will be in series or there maybe just one led .

Can you post a link for these lights?
 

ArakelTheDragon

Joined Nov 18, 2016
1,362
Hi there. Apologies for the total noob question but I’ve just completed a backyard with direct bury 12v led lighting that looks great and consumes very little power.

I want to run a few exterior wall mounted lights off the same system but all of the nicest choices are 120v led lights that consume 5-10 watts.

I’m assuming that these lights have some sort of step down internally to take the 120v to work with what look like the same 12v led bulbs in use in my garden but wanted to ask you folks what to do.

Is there an easy way for me to take these nice exterior 120v led lights and convert them to run off the 12v low voltage system I have in the yard?

Thanks - again sorry for the novice question.
It will be better if you give us an exact device(link, part number, datasheet) and we can tell you for certain.
 

Thread Starter

Johnz_

Joined Oct 21, 2018
3
Hi there,

Thank-you for the prompt reply. Further to ^^ requests:

This lantern is an example of a light that I think would look nice outside our garage. It's 120v that is converted to something else to power the LED bulb inside.

Wheres, this spotlight (and etc in that category) is an example of the 12v "low voltage" lights I have running off of this 600w transformer.

It's an oddity but all of the "low voltage" outdoor lights that I can find are all pathway or spot light, etc and nothing designed to be wall mounted exterior lanterns. There are a few locations, like the sides of my garage door and above the entrance to our shed that I'd like to install a lantern and have it running off the same timer / system as the rest of the yard.

Could it really be as simple as this video suggests? (Summary, buy a regular 120v lantern, swap the bulb for low voltage 12v bulb and then simply provide 12v from transformer to lantern not regular 120v). If so, that could be elegant as the 120v LED lanterns are expensive and it's likely that at least part of that cost is the internal parts needed to step the power down? Therefore buy a cheap 120v lantern which is nothing more than a wire and switch and then power it with the lower voltage direct to the lower voltage bulb?

(I did just find this bulb on amazon - use with a regular lantern but run at 12v through the cheaper lantern?)

Thanks!

John
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
The simple approach would be to find a suitable lantern style for the garage and use the bulbs in your last link designed for 12 volts. The bulbs use a standard E26 or E27 Edison base making for easy and there is no shortage of nice looking fixtures they will be compatible with. Since you want to use your existing 12 volts that is what I would do.

Ron
 

Thread Starter

Johnz_

Joined Oct 21, 2018
3
@Ron - thank-you.

As I said earlier, I know only enough to be dangerous and wanted to run this by the minds here before attempting something that could short the system or cause a larger issue.

I'm pleasantly surprised to have found this forum and look forward to "lurking and learning" here... if I can, I'lll try to contribute but I suspect there's few topics here I'll have a sufficient knowledge base on to be of much usefulness.

Cheers
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
Anytime you have a question someone here should be able to help you out. Feel free to lurk or ask questions. Your post got me to thinking my wife has been on me to put some nice looking lights on the garage exterior. I should give that some thought before I am butt deep in snow. :) Then too, there is always Spring of next year.

Ron
 

ArakelTheDragon

Joined Nov 18, 2016
1,362
Anytime you have a question someone here should be able to help you out. Feel free to lurk or ask questions. Your post got me to thinking my wife has been on me to put some nice looking lights on the garage exterior. I should give that some thought before I am butt deep in snow. :) Then too, there is always Spring of next year.

Ron
Or next life, after all the wife can wait.....
 
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