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Low voltage or mains garden lighting?
Most good garden schemes use both. Here is how they differ and where each one belongs.
← All garden and exterior lighting
Side by side
| Low voltage (12V or 24V) | Mains (230V) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | A transformer or driver steps the mains down | Fittings run straight from the circuit |
| Best for | Spike lights, uplighters in beds, deck and step lights | Wall lights, bollards, floodlights, long runs |
| Moving lights later | Easy: the cable is lighter and less hazardous if nicked | Harder: armoured cable or duct, fixed positions |
| Long distances | Voltage drop: lights at the end can be dimmer | No problem over normal garden distances |
| What you need | A driver somewhere dry and reachable | Armoured or ducted cable, RCD protection |
Why most gardens use both
A typical scheme runs a mains circuit out to a few points in the garden, then uses low voltage drivers at those points to feed spike lights and uplighters in the planting. Wall lights and bollards stay mains. That gives you movable lights where the garden changes and robust wiring where it does not.
What about solar?
Solar lights are fine for decoration, but in winter, when you most need garden lighting, they are dim and short-lived. Wired lighting works every night of the year.
Does it need certifying?
A new outdoor circuit is notifiable under Part P in England, whichever system it feeds. Plug-in low voltage kits on an existing outdoor socket are not, but the socket must be RCD protected.
Photographs: a private residence in Totteridge (a project led by our director Michael Simm and now maintained by SEGplc), our garden lighting repair in Radlett and new-build houses in Radlett.
Questions we’re asked
Is low voltage garden lighting safer?
It is lower risk if a cable is cut by a spade, which is why it suits borders. The mains side, the transformer and its circuit, still needs to be installed properly.
Why are the lights at the end of my run dimmer?
Voltage drop. Long low voltage runs need thicker cable or a driver nearer the lights. We size it at design stage.
Can I mix low voltage and mains?
Yes, and most good schemes do: mains to a few points, low voltage from there into the planting.
Written by SEGplc. Last updated 19 October 2026.
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