Gambino Landscape Lighting

How to Prevent Corrosion from Destroying Outdoor Light Fixtures

Mike Gambino — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:12:20 +0000

By Mike Gambino

Over time a lighting system is only as good as the materials that they are constructed of and if you live within three miles of a brackish or salt water environment than you know what happens to outdoor products of any kind. Living in coastal California areas will teach you this valuable lesson. Outdoor light fixtures take a beating when installed in these areas that is why it is important do find the right light fixtures for the right areas. Even if you don’t live near the coast using landscape lighting fixtures made from materials that will last is paramount unless of course you don’t want the lighting system components to last.

What Some Outdoor Light Fixtures are made of

Outdoor light fixtures are made up of different materials and different qualities of those materials.

Below are examples of the main materials used in outdoor lighting fixtures

Spun Aluminum casts are made of pot metal or recycled aluminum that usually have reminisces or contaminants in the cast. These impurities in the aluminum cast make the fixture break down faster especially if in coastal areas. Usually found in cheaper outdoor light fixtures. Life expectancy is 4 months to 1 year.

True aluminum casts are made with raw aluminum with no supplemental materials in the cast. This is still not the best product for coastal or outdoor areas but will last longer than spun aluminum fixtures especially when there is an added textural powder coat finish added. Life expectancy of non-textured is 1.5 years to 3 years. Heavy-textured or marine coated is 3.5 years to 7 years.
PVC and Composites are made from recycled plastic products that are melted down and poured into molds. These products are not desirable for outdoor lighting fixtures because they dry out and become brittle from exposure to the UV rays of the sun. This leaves them susceptible to breaking, cracking and expansion and contraction during heating and cooling which allows water ingress and intrusion into the fixture body that houses the lamp.

What Gambino Landscape Lighting fixtures are constructed of

Solid Brass Castings of outdoor light fixtures stand up well to salt corrosive environments. The raw solid brass material will patina with age but must be rinsed to control salt build up. Solid brass outdoor fixtures can come in different finishes like bronze and brushed nickel made by creating a chemical reaction. Beware of cheaper plated brass which is a coating over metal which will come off and not last outdoors. Life expectancy of solid brass is lifetime with scheduled maintenance.
Solid Copper outdoor fixtures are made of raw copper and will last in salt corrosive environments. Solid copper light fixtures patina very well with age, better than any of the other affordable raw materials. These outdoor fixtures should still be rinsed frequently. Beware of the copper plated aluminum outdoor fixtures as they will not last. Life expectancy is lifetime on copper with scheduled maintenance.
Mike Gambino in February 2012 cleaning a first generation copper Gambino "Torino" spreadlight fixture that was installed 30 feet from the Pacific ocean in 2004. One of the most brutal environments possible. Besides some bird droppings on its cap the entire fixture is in excellent condition with no signs of degrading.
Stainless steel is used in transformer enclosure construction because it is a very hard metal that is impervious to the elements. Even so the surface should be cleaned of impurities on a regular basis. Beware of product that may be built of stainless steel but the hardware used to keep all the parts connected together is not which will pit rust and leave your box to fall apart.

Outdoor Light Fixture Maintenance

All outdoor light fixtures need to be maintained and cleaned to preserve the life of the product. Imaging if you never washed your car how it would look in two years especially if you lived beachside. If you plan on installing outdoor light fixtures in a salt corrosive area then you want to make sure you can rinse the fixture with fresh water at least once a month. Rinsing the lighting fixture will remove salt build up, if you cannot rinse the fixture use a damp cloth to remove excess salt build up.

Another main concern with outdoor fixtures is bird droppings. Bird droppings contain an acidic component that will break down the paint finish if not rinsed off with fresh water.

Aged Outdoor Light Fixtures

Top of a copper Gambino generation 2 "Torino" spreadlight after less than 1 year in the landscape. Some interesting patina has formed which will only become enhanced by mother nature with age.

As you can see the clear winners are materials constructed from Brass, copper and stainless steel outdoor light fixtures and components.

Even fixtures made of these quality metals that have had factory hand applied stain finishes will change in color and appearance over time. I call it mother natures way of putting her personal touches on it.

This landscape lighting blog is published by Mike Gambino of Gambino landscape lighting inc. all rights reserved. Mike is a professional landscape lighting system designer/ builder and has been designing, installing and maintaining landscape lighting systems for more than 20 years. Mike resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife and 2 sons. To visit his website go to www.Gambinolighting.com . To inquire about hiring Mike please click here .

Blog articles may be published with permission on other websites without editing or removing links.

Landscape lighting tips to help you sell your home

Mike Gambino — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:08:29 +0000

By Mike Gambino

Selling a home is difficult right now, I don’t need to tell you that. The value of houses is lower and there is a lot of competition in the marketplace. However, it is possible to make your home appealing enough to find a buyer. Paying attention to your home’s landscape lighting is important for setting your house apart from the rest of the crowd and increasing the likelihood of a sale.

Why Lighting Matters

Does changing the lighting of a home really make a difference to buyers? Yes. Light has the power to flatter a space or make it unattractive. The right lighting can have a major impact on the aesthetic appeal of the home. A dark home looks dingy and unappealing. A home with glaring lighting feels harsh. A space with the right amount of accent lighting and ambient lighting is warm and inviting, something that buyers are definitely looking for. The right landscape lighting fixtures can also enhance the design of the home, making it more elegant or more contemporary.

Tips for Improving Existing Lighting

The first thing that you should do is to look at the lights outside the home that you want to keep. There are things that you can do to improve existing lights outside the home to make the house more interesting for buyers. Top tips include:

Make sure the landscaping is right for your lighting. You may have great ambient lighting but if your plants and trees are overgrown and in need of pruning then the light will get absorbed and the property will seem dark. Have the landscaping professionally pruned and detailed to enhance the value of your existing lighting.
Turn on the outdoor lighting at night when showing the home. Your existing lighting is important, there’s nothing better than a beautifully illuminated landscape. Make sure that you let it showcase as much of it as possible when showing off the home to potential buyers.
Clean all of your light fixtures and lenses. This allows the brightness of the lights to shine through and also makes the fixtures themselves more appealing. What a great cheap way to make it more likely that your home will sell quickly.
Check that all of the lights are working properly. A big mistake that homeowners’ make is that they forget the little details. A buyer who walks around a property after dark only to find that some fixtures don’t work is immediately turned off.
Listen to your lighting system. If a transformer is making a humming noise then they need to be serviced or replaced to increase the likelihood of not turning off a buyer and creating an obstacle to a sale.

Tips for Adding New Lighting

There will be some areas where you want to add new lighting to enhance the value of the home. Here are some tips for adding that important lighting:

Start with the front yard. Curb appeal is the most important part of getting a home to sell. Make sure that your home’s exterior is well lit with quality landscape lighting fixtures.
Replace outdated lantern style light fixtures. If you walk into a yard and the first thing that you see is an out-of-date light fixture then you’re going to look at the rest of the space with a bad taste in your mouth. Invest in upgrading the main light fixtures that get attention outside the home during daylight hours. Rusting and broken fixtures need replacing.
Replace light bulbs with fresh high quality constant color lamps not the cheap offshore stuff at your local home improvement store. Landscape lighting is terrific when you’re actually living in a space. However, when you’re looking at whole property to see if you want to live there, you need great ambient lighting. Many visible fixtures look like clutter to potential homebuyers and the wrong style of fixture can turn off buyers who would otherwise be interested in the home. Conceal fixtures so you see the effect and not the source in order to avoid this problem.
Update the lighting fixtures on the patio. This is one area where the task lighting is important. You should make sure that there’s adequate lighting for tables and BBQ grills. The fixtures should be in keeping with the style of the home. An impressive back yard patio can help clinch the sale of a home and lighting helps with that.
Retrofit LED lighting bulbs.This is a great little touch that appeals greatly to buyers, making it noticeable that you’ve really put some effort into making the house convenient and comfortable for them.

Have your landscape lighting specialist walk through your property to recommend lighting updates. They can provide you with an outside perspective as to whether any additional lighting changes should be made to make the home more appealing to buyers.

Blog articles may be published with permission on other websites without editing or removing links.

Don’t be fooled by Awards and self proclamation

Mike Gambino — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:58:13 +0000

By Mike Gambino

Building a custom landscape lighting system in Los Angeles means you first must find a custom landscape lighting system builder. Let’s be honest about how builders, and many companies around the country, promote themselves. It has been popular in marketing for businesses to boast about themselves. It’s been popular for salesmen in key industries to boast about themselves, too. “I’m the top producer in my area,” or “We have more awards than any builder.”

When someone says something akin to, “I’m the greatest,” it reminds me of Muhamed Ali. That was his phrase, and most of us can see him saying it in our mind’s eye as he danced to and from the ring. That cocky statement worked for Ali, not only because of his personality, but mostly because he really was the greatest.

But when a salesman or a lighting system builder brags in all their promotions about being the greatest, it just doesn’t work for most people. First, who can say a builder actually is the greatest? We knew when Ali knocked out his opponent, but how do we know about builders?

Second, and more importantly, and most people probably don’t know this, anyone can get certificates and “awards” issued from companies that specialize in issuing certificates and awards (FOR A FEE). In other words, if you pay for a seminar, you will get a certificate you can frame and place on the wall. But it doesn’t end there. You can then mention that certificate or award in your advertisements.

Let’s take it to the next level. There are national associations which will issue certificates and awards, provided you pay for the courses and provided you can complete applications to receive awards. Not everyone will bother with these kinds of little gimmicks, so that makes it easier for those who do take the time and money to “win” such awards. You see, you “win” if you play and pay.

What is the real key to a landscape lighting system builder’s competence and professionalism? Listen to their clients. The level of customer satisfaction is the real answer. But there’s a trap here, too, for the unwary customer looking to select a builder.

There’s a game called “Highest Customer Satisfaction.” Anyone can say, “We’re number 1,” or “We have the highest customer satisfaction,” but most of the time that is just self aggrandizing promotion. You can vote yourself number 1, and you can pay an association to vote you number 1. In the building business, any builder can get some clients to write happy testimonials.

I don’t play the games. I build, what is arguably the finest landscape lighting systems, in the Los Angeles area. I don’t go to seminars to get awards. I build high performance landscape lighting systems designed to last. That’s what I do.

Not all lighting system builders are the same. Not even close. Choose your builder because he is an outstanding builder, not because he has awards on his wall issued by associations.

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Bill Locklin the father of low voltage landscape lighting

Mike Gambino — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:18:43 +0000

By Mike Gambino

I am proud to say that I knew Bill Locklin and at one time we were so close that he used to call me his son. I began my career in the early 90′s using his system and lighting products. Bill Locklin invented low voltage landscape and Garden lighting in the 1950′s. He has mentored or taught and is either directly or indirectly responsible for most of the better landscape lighting contractors who are practicing today.

Much of my success is attributed to the teachings and philosophies that I learned from Bill Locklin which include:

Safety Security Beauty (in that order)

See the effect and not the source

The lamp does the lighting not the fixture

Always discover the reason a client wants lighting or Why Light?

People will expect lighting to be expensive-don’t disappoint them.

Bill passed away in December of 2007. Below is his obituary from his local Redlands California newspaper. I have also copied an article from Electrical contractor magazine about Bill.

WILLIAM J. “BILL” LOCKLIN, A longtime Redlands resident, passed away at his home Monday. He was 86. Mr. Locklin was a Redlands orange grower; the inventor and “father” of 12 volt outdoor lighting; and the founder and president of Redlands based Nightscaping Manufacturing business, as well as co -owner of Redland’s El Camino horse ranch. Mr. Locklin was born in 1921 in Alhambra, CA and was raised as an orphan in Lucerne, CA before moving to Colton, CA to attend high school. Bill served as a chief electrician aboard the Navy USS Trepang submarine during World War II, earning the Bronze Star for action in the Pacific. He returned from the war, and was a member of the Colton, CA City Council for several years. He settled in Redlands in 1953, and established Locklin Electric, serving the local communi ty’s interior electrical needs, and doing favors for customers who wanted lighting to show off their landscaping. His first exterior lighting job was at a Palm Springs church, preparing to welcome Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower to a service. The Nightscaping trademark was registered June 2, 1964. In the Christmas season of 1964 Nightscaping was used to decorate the White House outdoor tree, and later President and Mrs. Nixon used Nightscaping in the landscaping of their “Western White House” in San Clemente, C A. During the 1950′s and 1960′s Bill also ran the lighting for the Redlands Bowl productions every Tuesday and Friday nights during the summers. Then in 1987, Bill was again in Washington, DC where he lit the pathways in the park around the White House Christmas Tree. He was honored to be selected to light the traveling Viet Nam Wall when it was at the Riverside National Cemetery; and more recently lit the same wall when it came to the Sylvan Park in Redlands. Bill was an entrepreneur in every sense of the word. He designed lighting plans for homes and busineses all over the world, and always gave great consideration to pleasing the owner, often designing a new fixture to meet their needs.

Electrical Contractor Magazine Published: February 2002

Ask most landscape lighting contractors about low voltage and you’re likely to get a shrug—unless you talk to the growing number of low-voltage specialists who are learning just how lucrative the jobs are. Bill Locklin, president of Nightscaping, a manufacturer in Redlands, Calif., said this work is hands-down the most profitable.

Locklin, who could be considered the father of low voltage lighting and has been in this field for 40 years, has watched the industry change and upgrade. He commented, “Ten years ago, who ever heard of solid-brass fixtures [or any of the 100-plus lamps that fit 12 volts]?” General Electric is at work on light sources that move away from traditional incandescents into other sources.

Locklin was part of the birth of low-voltage lighting when he took on a job in the 1950s to illuminate a public address space for then-president Dwight Eisenhower. Locklin used tin cans, jars, and other scavenged items for special lightscaping effects. For safety, he turned to low-voltage products. Since then, low-voltage lighting has become an increasing presence in residential and commercial outdoor lighting.

What keeps the average contractor away from low-voltage jobs? The answer may be image. When some people think of low voltage, they think of toy lighting that’s not serious work or serious money. After all, The Home Depot offers kits that make it easy enough for homeowners to string their own lighting.

But that’s a far cry from the sophisticated consumers who are demanding creativity, aesthetics, and energy savings. Low voltage is not only lucrative, since there’s so little competition, but the training to install it is readily available.

For those interested in this growing area, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Regulatory codes are making it easier to map out how you set up low-voltage lighting. The National Electrical Code’s (NEC’s) Article 411 deals with low-voltage systems and provides contractors with direction to ensure that what they set up is Code-compliant.

The article, which originated in 1996, provides the installation requirements for low-voltage lighting listed as a complete system. Article 411 covers any power supply that operates at 30 volts or less with a maximum peak available voltage under any load condition of 42.4 volts. The power source can consist of one or more secondary circuits, but each circuit can not exceed 25 amperes.

An isolating transformer must be used for secondary circuits to insulate them from the primary of the power supply (branch circuit). A branch circuit larger than 20 amperes cannot supply the primary of the isolation transformer. When using a 120-volt primary with a 30-volt secondary, the ratio of the transformer would be 4:1.

Each secondary circuit cannot exceed 25 amperes, so additional secondary protection must be installed. This is versatile stuff. Three 20-ampere circuits, four 15-ampere circuits, or any other combination could be used as secondary circuits to supply low-voltage lighting fixtures.

Other specifications need to be considered, too. Most still don’t think of burial depth with respect to regulations and low voltage. In fact “scratching away with your foot,” as a Code expert pointed out, is not good enough when planning the burial of low-voltage lines. But the requirements are spelled out clearly if you look in the right place. Column Five of Table 300 deals specifically with requirements that can go to 24 inches of depth for alleys, driveways, and parking lots, while other residential sites can be 18 or as little as 6 inches, unless under a building.

Voltage drop on a low-voltage system is critical in permitting the lighting system to operate properly. Therefore, conductor size plays an important role.

The total area to be covered and the size and number of lights on the low-voltage system may require a larger system than permitted for the low-voltage lighting systems covered by Article 411. Individually Listed low-voltage components could still be assembled to cover a large low-voltage lighting system, but would not be covered by Article 411.

Energy saving is one of the most desirable benefits of low-voltage lighting. Compact fluorescent products require less power than incandescent ones. For commercial work, electronic ballasts are a good option in linear or compact fluorescent lamp units. The most energy-efficient light sources available so far are still high-pressure sodium (HPS) or metal halide products. Electronic ballasts have a much lower noise level and there is no visible lamp flicker.

Low-voltage lighting offers a wide variety of beam spreads and easy control over the shape of the light pattern.

For these energy savings and aesthetic options, customers are likely to continue seeking more low voltage as opposed to line voltage and the low-voltage experts are poised to reap the benefits.

This landscape lighting blog is published by Mike Gambino of Gambino landscape lighting inc. all rights reserved. Mike is a professional landscape lighting system designer/ builder and has been designing, installing and maintaining landscape lighting systems for more than 20 years. Mike resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife and 2 sons. To visit his website go to www.Gambinolighting.com . To inquire about hiring Mike please click here .

Blog articles may be published with permission on other websites without editing or removing links.

LED landscape lighting retrofit in Sherman Oaks California

Mike Gambino — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:41:14 +0000

by Mike Gambino

I installed this Gambino landscape lighting system originally in 2005 with halogen lamps for the property owners. In 2008 it was expanded by adding several new fixtures and by moving and repositioning existing ones to compensate for growth of plant materials and changes to landscaping since the original installation . Now in 2012 we have upgraded the system by retrofitting all of the existing fixtures from halogen to LED lamps .

The clients are very satisfied with the results. They went from a halogen low voltage lighting system that required 1200 watts of power to operate to an LED low voltage lighting system which operates on less than 150 watts of power without sacrificing light output performance or color rendition. Below are a few photos of the new LED upgrade.

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Outdoor lighting should be appreciated from inside the home

Mike Gambino — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:41:08 +0000

By Mike Gambino

What makes this business interesting and exciting is that sometimes we are asked to add accent lighting to unusual and special subjects which are near and dear to the client. Sometimes the subject of interest is really special and that is the case with this spectacular piece of vintage artwork.

Although all of our work is performed outside of the home. Often times it is featuring gardens, statues, art works, water features that are viewed and enjoyed from within the home. I think that this is one of the aspects of landscape or outdoor lighting that somewhat goes unnoticed.

Recently we were asked by a longtime client to back light an ancient stained glass window which originally came from an old church in Italy. My client got a lead from a friend that a home in Malibu was going to be demolished to build a new one on the property. This home had a unique feature that had been built into the wall by the owner. An antique that apparently was purchased in Europe on a vacation visit and crated and shipped to the United States and subsequently installed in the wall of the home.

For whatever reason the owner of the home to be demolished did not wish to salvage it and this is where my client came in. The artifact required minor restoration after being removed from the residence before demolition. Based upon the type of glass used, the artisan who worked on the restoration estimates the stained glass panel to be around 250 years old.

When the work was done my client had her contractor remove a sliding glass door in her living room and custom fit this beautiful piece in its place.

Immediately upon completion of the work I was contacted by my client to illuminate it . During the day the artwork looked stunning with the sun shining through its brilliantly colored antique glass.

However at night with its illuminating qualities missing the piece looked drab and uninteresting.

Gambino landscape lighting was tasked with bringing it to life after dark.

The client made the special request of having control of the lights from an existing wall switch located next to it on the interior wall.

This switch controlled an old wall sconce located on the wall directly behind it which had long since been removed. The 120 volt wiring in the wall to the switch had luckily been left behind. Our lamps of choice were two Constant color 35 watt halogen 12 volt which required the installation of a discrete electronic transformer inside the junction box that formerly housed the wall sconce. Then low voltage cable inside flexible conduit was carefully concealed under and through the soffitt and run to the top of the patio cover.

The switch itself had to be replace as it no longer worked. In order for the lighting to be effective we had to make sure that the fixtures and lamps were placed in such a way that they would not be able to be detected or glaring through the beautiful stained glass therefore ruining the effect.

Since a patio cover was located directly over the exterior space from where the glass was installed. This gave us a perfect opportunity to accomplish this by affixing 2 halogen accent lights to the underside of it although it took 2 site visits to get the placement just right. These same lamps are used in museums and art galleries for their ability to bring out the true color of the subject with excellent color rendering qualities.

In order for the fixtures not be conspicuous from the patio we had them powder coat spray painted white so they would blend in with the cover itself.

My client was totally satisfied with the results and I received a giant hug and kiss on the cheek upon completion.

Blog articles may be published with permission on other websites without editing or removing links.

The 4 habits of highly successful landscape lighting designer/installers

Mike Gambino — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:05:12 +0000

By Mike Gambino

In addition to having great design and installation skills, people skills are also of paramount importance for landscape lighting designers/installers to posses. This is by no means a comprehensive list.

Good listening skills- Every designer has their own signature style, some tangible or intangible item that they are known for. Like Spinach is to Popeye the sailor man whatever that signature is it’s often associated with that particular designer. That’s all well and good but sometimes designers can tend to lose track of the fact that the client is paying good money to be satisfied with the end result.

What was successful for fifty other past projects for those particular clients may not be guaranteed successful on today’s current project. Failure to ask and listen to clients wants needs and requirements often leads to problems during the construction process and unhappy clients..

Reliability- I think it was Woody Allen who stated that just showing up is winning 80% of the battle or something to that effect. That may be a bit of an exaggeration and stretch but unreliability like not showing up when you are scheduled to show up can quickly put a designer in the doghouse with the client. It seems such a simple thing to be on time but there are some people who are habitually late.

Reliability usually goes hand in hand with being organized which leads us to our next value.

Organizational skills- Not only will a designer need to get him or herself to the project site on-time but the work crew, tools and materials. Coordination of sub contractors should the need arise as well as management of the project so it stays on schedule and on budget.

Honesty- This is a big one. Without honesty there cannot be trust. Without trust there cannot be a win-win end result for all parties involved. Simply put Design/installers must be as concerned for their clients best interests as they are for their own. That means balancing the best project outcome with profit derived from the job.

These 4 habits seem like they should be a given for any professional service provider. Unfortunately they are not as I have on more than one occasion found out when hiring work at my own home.

Blog articles may be published with permission on other websites without editing or removing links.

6 common landscape lighting mistakes

Mike Gambino — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:54:01 +0000

By Mike Gambino

For all the information available on creating, nurturing and maintaining architectural, garden and landscape lighting, some myths continue to lead to common landscape lighting mistakes. The difficulty in sticking to good lighting methods and maintenance is one of the most underestimated aspects of home ownership. Yet, there is also no easier way to take pride in the appearance of your home at night and increase your property value. You may have heard some of the following statements, but don’t let them fester into dangerous decision making.

“I don’t need a professional landscape lighting designer”

Planning out your design is an essential component to creating attractive landscape lighting without spending more than necessary. You will be better prepared to calculate the amount of money you will need to complete the job, and see the flow of your plan. This will also avoid placing fixtures in poor locations, you need to consider how power will reach that area, how much light that area receives, if the light levels are right. Failure to plan, can lead to improper placement of fixtures, insufficient illumination and or purchasing or wasting unwanted materials.

“By using less fixtures, I’m saving money.”

This is a big one that can lead to costly mistakes. Sure using less materials and labor will initially cost less but will this accomplish the goal of the project? It is a common mistake for the property owner to desire to cut materials to reach a desired budget. However when fixtures are spread thin a desirable result is rarely achieved. Adding the appropriate fixtures back in later to achieve the better result often requires the previously installed fixtures to be relocated. In short it is usually more costly to add more fixtures later than doing the project right from the start.

“If I use less fixture, my energy bills will be lower.”

Not necessarily. Homeowners often equate fixture qty to energy costs. 150 LED low voltage lighting system fixtures will consume less electricity than 30 halogen Low voltage lighting system fixtures which will consume less electricity than 10 standard voltage fixtures.

“I don’t need a professional landscape lighting service.”

Some homeowners may think that landscaping lighting service providers lack the technical skill requirements of electrical or plumbing contractors and landscape lighting is inherently a DIY project. However this is not the case, landscape lighting maintenance and construction are very technical and can lead to problems if not done correctly. It’s true that most people can mow their own lawns or plant a few shrubs, but the opportunity provided by professional landscape lighting specialists shouldn’t be prematurely dismissed. In fact, contrary to many homeowners’ perceptions, professional landscape lighting is one of the most important, moderately-sized home improvements out there. When considering landscape lighting construction you should think of it as extending the living space of your home and creating more usability at night.

“If I use less fixtures I will get less brightness.”

Yes and No. Light quantity pr brilliance is measured in lumens. The higher the number of lumens the greater the light output. It is possible to use less fixtures that create brighter light but this is often not the best practice. For instance motion detector or sport court lights produce a lot of illumination but tend to be glare producing, not aesthetically pleasing or an effective way to light a landscape. Multiple low wattage fixtures placed closer to the subject provide better light spread and coverage, more even illumination without unattractive and distracting dark holes and glare.

“All landscape lighting is good landscape lighting.”

This last myth is loaded with potential mistakes. Although an unadorned property at night is a missed opportunity to create or enhance your homes curb appeal, ill-advised landscape lighting can cause more damage than it’s worth. One of the most common mistakes is voltage drop where lighting fixtures are out of balance electrically. System performance, color, light output and light bulb longevity are affected by a poorly engineered system. It is also important to consider the proper system that will thrive in your landscape as well as the evolution and placement of fixtures and how the design will look in years to come.

Blog articles may be published with permission on other websites without editing or removing links.

The cheap landscape lighting bid-Are you really saving money?

Mike Gambino — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 04:32:19 +0000

By Mike Gambino

I design high-end custom luxury landscape lighting systems, we are a design-build firm. And Subscribe to the absolute highest imaginable standards. While I can only build a certain number of creations each year, when a design client says, “We just want your plans, because we’re going to put this out to bid. We know that we can get it built for a lot less.” I know that this is not the client for me. The lowest cost and receiving a quality built project are on complete different ends of the spectrum.

They are telling me that they are merely focused on the price… not the quality. I have had some of my designs eventually built by the “low bidder.” The clients are so proud of themselves because they were able to obtain the project for 1/2 the price of what I would have charged. I often hear (initially), “we just cannot justify spending twice the money for the same thing.”

The “same thing” assumption is where they go wrong. First the low bidder decides that the system is “over engineered.” They proceed to purchase some generic materials over the internet. Mistake #1!

Next, they decide that the system is “too big!
This same hack, deleted some unique design details (to reduce material costs) as “unneeded” (read that as: too complicated, time consuming, and beyond my capabilities). But remember, all of the competitors bids were based upon these details being included. He is remarkable at degrading a project to fit his low-ball bids & construction methods.

Deviations from the plans in the lighting systems fixture types and quantities, downsizing cable and using less of it to save money or installing the transformers in the incorrect locations, results in a system that does not perform to it’s designed potential. This same builder, decided that he could put the conduits where he pleased, installing them at the wrong depth, incorrect angles, and even omitting conduit all together because no one will know until someone slices through them with a shovel. This system, when properly installed is supposed to effectively and efficiently illuminate the property. Yet, the builder chose to totally disregard the specifications and the design clients thought they received a comparable bid… but, it’s not quite the same thing so far, is it?

Special stainless steel, brass and copper components were specified and of course this was not followed, and in a short period of time, the fixtures will begin to corrode making it impossible to even replace light bulbs. But it “looks like the same thing…” - not quite!

How does someone get away with this you ask? Well oftentimes these very same system installers are landscapers or electricians that often work for general contractors (GC) & developers who build “spec homes” or custom homes but do production work. Since the GC is always about staying within budget & saving a buck (thus making more for themselves), these low-ball installers “have a home.” The quality of the landscape lighting system rarely matches that of the home. The installer justifies their practices with comments like, “I do this all the time,” this is standard in our industry,” “you didn’t pay for that,” “it’s okay, I’ve done this before.”

People actually buy into this line, and the myth is perpetuated. These general trades also do landscaping or electrical work for commercial properties and industrial complexes!!! Have you EVER seen a beautiful industrial complex landscape lighting system?? Do it fast & do it cheap!
Over the life of the property, the client will end up paying for a lot of unwarranted repairs to correct rusting fixtures and transformers, failing light bulbs, dim lights due to faulty system engineering. They’ll never be able to correct structural deficiencies without having to replace the whole system.
If only it had been done correctly in the beginning! That few thousand dollars that they saved by down grading the originally designed specifications during construction, seems like it might have been worth it now, doesn’t it?!
You wouldn’t let an electrician put undersized wiring in your home, lest you have a fire. You wouldn’t let the plumber install undersized sewer lines, so that you can experience sewage back-ups. But property owners allow the low bidder landscape lighter to “justify their own modifications to the defined plans.” It’s like placing the fox in charge of the hen house!

But, like the design clients said when they insisted on putting the project out to bid…

All landscape lighting systems are the same, and mine looks just like your plans – WRONG AGAIN!

This landscape lighting blog is published by Mike Gambino of Gambino landscape lighting inc. all rights reserved. Mike is a professional landscape lighting system designer/ builder and has been designing, installing and maintaining landscape lighting systems for more than 20 years. Mike resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife and 2 sons. To visit his website go to www.Gambinolighting.com . To inquire about hiring Mike please click here .

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The world’s oldest lightbulbs

Mike Gambino — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:08:29 +0000

By Mike Gambino

We talk about the estimated longevity of the new Led light bulb technology and how long they are projected to last outdoors when installed in landscape lighting fixtures. This is yet to be determined and only time will tell as the technology is brand new and constantly improving. Here are some interesting facts regarding some incredibly long lived conventional Incandescent light bulbs taken from the website www.centennialbulb.org .

Age: 110 years and counting (as of June 2011)
Installed: First installed at the fire department hose cart house on L Street in 1901. Shortly after it moved to the main firehouse on Second. In 1903 it was moved to the new Station 1 on First and McLeod, and survived the renovation of the Firehouse in 1937, when it was off for about a week. During it’s first 75 years it was connected directly to the 110 Volt city power, (subject to the power outages) , and not to the back-up generator for fear of a power surge. In 1976 it was moved with a full police and fire truck escort, under the watch of Captain Kirby Slate, to its present site in 1976 at Fire Station 6, 4550 East Ave., Livermore, California. It was then hooked to a seperate power source at 120V according to Frank Maul, Retired City Electrician, with no interuptions since.
Proof of Longevity: From local newspaper records; also GE engineers researched it. Was donated to the Fire Department in 1901 by Dennis Bernal who owned the Livermore Power and Light Co.
Vital Statistics: The improved incandescent lamp, invented by Adolphe A. Chaillet, was made by the Shelby Electric Company. It is a handblown bulb with carbon filament. Wattage- Began at 60 watts, currently shines at 4 watts. Left burning continuously in firehouse as a nightlight over the fire trucks. For some research test results on another Shelby bulb at Annapolis follow this link.
Recognition: Declared the oldest known working lightbulb by Guinness Book of World Records. Ripley’s Believe-It-or-Not in 1972 researched it and declared it the oldest. Charles Kurault of the TV program “On the Road with Charles Kurault” visited the bulb in the 1970s and included it in his book as well. Declarations from the President of the U.S., Congress, Senate, State Senate and Assembly, and Shelby Ohio.In 2007 it was again recognized in Guiness, and Ripleys books.
Closest Competitors: The Second longest bulb was listed in the 1970 Guinness Book under the heading Most Durable says that “on 21 Sept 1908 a stagehand named Barry Burke at the Byers Opera House, Fort Worth, Texas screwed in a new light bulb and that it was still burning”. The building was renamed the Palace Theatre, and the light was known as the Palace Bulb ever since. It now resides in the Stockyards Museum, and will have been burning for 100 years Sept of 2008. A website is in the works.
The Third, a bulb in a New York City hardware store, Gasnick Supplies, had been working since 1912, but it is unknown if it still works today.
The Fourth is known as “the bulb” which like ours, burns in a firehouse in the town of Mangum, Oklahoma. It has been in operation since around 1926, has no special power conversions, and is turned on and off with normal use.
The Fifth was a bulb in a washroom at the Martin & Newby Electrical Shop in Ipswich, England was dated from 1930 and burned out in January 2001.
For more info on these follow this link to Roadside America, or Wikipedia.
Future Plans: The City of Livermore and the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department intend to keep the bulb burning as long as it will. They have no plans at present what to do with the bulb if or when it does burn out. Ripley’s has requested it for their museum.
Visiting: You can visit the bulb depending on the availability of the Firemen on hand. Go to the rear of the station and ring the bell. If they are in someone will answer the door. Otherwise you can see the bulb if you look through the window up on the top of the wall to your left. To contact them directly you may call the LPFD at (925) 454-2361.
Celebration: We commemorated its centennial on Friday, June 8, 2001 at the fire station. Please see the celebration gallery for all the pictures.
Plans are now in the works for the 110th birthday party on June 18, 2011.

Contact Info: For more information about the bulb,contact the Webmaster Steve Bunn at (510) 538-8207, or email CentennialBulb@hotmail.com To contact the LPFD directly you may call them at (925) 454-2361.

(Information provided by Livermore Lightbulb Centennial Committee 1/2011)

Blog articles may be published with permission on other websites without editing or removing links.