Came home to a tripped circuit breaker :-(

[need lights]

As an electrician and a LOR user, I would have them install two GFCi outlets on each individual circuit that you have installed, even if it is in the same box(quad receptacle outlet). Make sure they use 20 Amp GFCI receptacles, be specific because it is not uncommon or a code violation to use 15 amp rated receptacle outlets on a 20 Amp circuit (unless it is a single outlet where only one item can be plugged into it). This way, if you have any controllers that only require one 20 Amp circuit, you can still use an individual GFCI outlet for each side(8 channels)of the controller. This will help minimize the potential to trip a GFCI when it rains. I actually needed to do that this year as we had rain almoat everyday last week and I had tripping GFCI issues, so I added another GFCI onto the same circuit to separate the two sides of my controller and now it runs all night in the rain.

If you have outlets installed in the yard, I still recommend the two GFCI outlets per circuit. I also recommend either oversizing the underground raceway(pipe) so that when you add more you can just pull in additional wires or you could install a spare raceway for future. Remember to inquire about voltage drop and using larger wires for long runs. Here in MA our ground is frozen and this would not be the time of year to dig a trench. Best of luck.

[k6ccc]

For instance, it will likely be alot cheaper to keep the recepticle for the new line on the side of the house, and then just run extension cord to the front lawn locations.... however, I was thinking it would be pretty awesome to have a recepticle in the front yard- closer to "the action", I suspect this would add a lot to the cost though if they have to trench a line out into the yard.... I wont bother sharing how far over budget I already am this season (I blew past budget when I had to buy 2 extra controllers!) :-)

 

Do it 

 

Yes, it is very handy to have power outlets all over the place.  I have been in process of a major front yard landscaping project for 5 years.  As part of the project, a double outlet was installed at the end of the block wall between my neighbors driveway and mine.  Currently it is shared with the one 20A circuit for the garage, but when I redo the electrical in the garage (next project) it will have it's own 20A circuit.  Additionally I added a 20A circuit with one double outlet on the outside wall under my bedroom window and a second double outlet at the far end of the yard.  This was done before I got into LOR.  Since then, I have added a 20A circuit with a quad outlet in a corner of my attic where I have my two 16 channel AC controllers, and in one of the brick columns in the front yard there will shortly be two more dedicated 20A circuits.  All of this is in conduit.  Keep in mind that I use LOR for my year round landscape lighting and Christmas is almost an "Oh by the way".  And everything is LED except three 15W incans in the top of a bay window.

 

I did have the advantage that as part of the landscaping project, the entire yard was reduced to bare dirt, so digging it up to put in conduit was not a problem.  In fact, in a yard that is 85 feet long and between 20 and 40 feet wide there is almost a quarter mile of conduit.  I did the vast majority of the work myself (with some help from my late teenage boys).

 

So handy not to have to haul out my 100 foot extension cord every time I want to do some work in the front yard or edge the lawn!

 

BTW, remember that in most jurisdictions, any electrical work needs to be permitted.  Although that will add some to the expense, and depending on the building department it can be a royal pain, more than anything, the permit / inspection process is for your safety.

[lowepg]

As an electrician and a LOR user, I would have them install two GFCi outlets on each individual circuit that you have installed, even if it is in the same box(quad receptacle outlet). Make sure they use 20 Amp GFCI receptacles, be specific because it is not uncommon or a code violation to use 15 amp rated receptacle outlets on a 20 Amp circuit (unless it is a single outlet where only one item can be plugged into it). This way, if you have any controllers that only require one 20 Amp circuit, you can still use an individual GFCI outlet for each side(8 channels)of the controller. This will help minimize the potential to trip a GFCI when it rains. I actually needed to do that this year as we had rain almoat everyday last week and I had tripping GFCI issues, so I added another GFCI onto the same circuit to separate the two sides of my controller and now it runs all night in the rain.

If you have outlets installed in the yard, I still recommend the two GFCI outlets per circuit. I also recommend either oversizing the underground raceway(pipe) so that when you add more you can just pull in additional wires or you could install a spare raceway for future. Remember to inquire about voltage drop and using larger wires for long runs. Here in MA our ground is frozen and this would not be the time of year to dig a trench. Best of luck.

I'm having the electrician come out tomorrow....

So, it sounds like there's an advantage to plugging a controller into both sides of 2 gfci's - even if they're on the same breaker? Yes? I guess I wouldn't have assumed that would be helpful, but if they're coming out - I'd just assume get it right the first time (or in this case, the 2nd time) ;-)

[dgrant]

The GFCI isn't liking me right now. I know I can bypass the GFCI but I don't wish to risk it. Here's what I'm dealing with though. That's snow over a solid half inch of ice. The controllers are on stands but they are sealed shut via ice!

[Steven]

It's been a while since college EE principles, but if P=IV, than the lower Voltage I've been supplying the lights would require more Amps to meet the Power required? So, potentially I can drop the current draw by addressing the voltage drop?

That would be true for a device like a computer power supply, which automatically adjusts its current to meet the power requirements.

 

However, an incandescent bulb has an (approximately) constant resistance, so the equation to use is V=IR. Thus, if the voltage drops 20%, the current will also drop 20% and the power (and thus brightness) will drop by 36%.