low votage lighting

HI,

I just got some low votage (24v dc) lighting for my pond. The instructions
say that the connections for the lights to the 24v supply cable must be made
out of the water. This makes it virtually impossible for me to set them up
as I want to.

Does anyone knbow if this is essential? Will the fish be subjected to a low
votage leak if I do make the connections underwater? Will the lights just
fuse?

Any help appreciated!

Thanks,

Sky

"SkyCatcher" wrote in message
...

I just got some low votage (24v dc) lighting for my pond. The instructions
say that the connections for the lights to the 24v supply cable must be
made out of the water. This makes it virtually impossible for me to set
them up as I want to.

Does anyone knbow if this is essential? Will the fish be subjected to a
low votage leak if I do make the connections underwater? Will the lights
just fuse?


24v dc? The ones sold in America, in particular Intermatic/Malibu low
voltage lights I believe are 12 v ac. The connections have to be made above
the water line because the connectors are just vampire taps. You place the
wire between the two halves of the connector, and squeeze the connector
shut. Two blades inside the connector cut through the insulation and make
contact with the wire..

If it was below water, the connection would quickly corrode and the water
would cause a short circuit.

Look for something like this:
http://www.intermatic.com/?action=prod&pid=72

I made my pond light out of a sealed beam car headlamp, car headlamps are
much brighter, bulb lasts longer, and cheaper. Just solder the wires to the
terminals on the headlamp, and cover the connection and terminals with a
good thick coating of aquarium caulking.

Sealed beam headlamps come as low beam, or high beam, or low/high beam
combined. I recommend the low/high beam combined version if your
transformer has the capacity, you get a brighter and wider beam pattern.

The high or low only bulbs have two terminals the high/low bulbs have 3
terminals. One terminal is low beam +, one is high beam + and the other is
the common/ground. If memory serves me correctly the terminals look like
this
(Low) (High)
(Gnd)


-S

There are some inexpensive 20 w lights at chigago tools online for $10 each.
we got some last year *finally* and they are decent for the price.

They also have a 4000 gal waterfalll pump for $100 I'm considering...


--
Gareee's Homepage:
http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine.../mainframe.htm

Remove Delicious spam to reply

The connections on most any low voltage light is always going to be
damp and conduct a certain amaount of current, be it above or below
water level. My ponds low voltage lights around the shoreline have
routinely been totally submerged in water well over their tops and
burn just fine udner water until the pond water level drops to
normal...There is not enough resistence to make em
short........However excessive current flow can do some strange things
to fish, be it low or high voltage.......

Are you sure they are 24VDC, and not 12 Volt AC. I have never seen any
residential 24VDC lighting, I have seen it in commercial stuff though.
I would stick with the norm and go 24 volts.

If you hneed to spice your wires to your lights and have it water
proof there is a kit made by 3M (Scotch) that you can buy........not
really cheap, about 20 bucks for one 2 conductor lead.........do not
use silicone to "waterproof" your connections as its bound to
fail.....

On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 13:14:33 GMT, "Snooze" wrote:

==="SkyCatcher" wrote in message
...
===
=== I just got some low votage (24v dc) lighting for my pond. The instructions
=== say that the connections for the lights to the 24v supply cable must be
=== made out of the water. This makes it virtually impossible for me to set
=== them up as I want to.
===
=== Does anyone knbow if this is essential? Will the fish be subjected to a
=== low votage leak if I do make the connections underwater? Will the lights
=== just fuse?
===
===
===24v dc? The ones sold in America, in particular Intermatic/Malibu low
===voltage lights I believe are 12 v ac. The connections have to be made above
===the water line because the connectors are just vampire taps. You place the
===wire between the two halves of the connector, and squeeze the connector
===shut. Two blades inside the connector cut through the insulation and make
===contact with the wire..
===
===If it was below water, the connection would quickly corrode and the water
===would cause a short circuit.
===
===Look for something like this:
===http://www.intermatic.com/?action=prod&pid=72
===
===I made my pond light out of a sealed beam car headlamp, car headlamps are
===much brighter, bulb lasts longer, and cheaper. Just solder the wires to the
===terminals on the headlamp, and cover the connection and terminals with a
===good thick coating of aquarium caulking.
===
===Sealed beam headlamps come as low beam, or high beam, or low/high beam
===combined. I recommend the low/high beam combined version if your
===transformer has the capacity, you get a brighter and wider beam pattern.
===
===The high or low only bulbs have two terminals the high/low bulbs have 3
===terminals. One terminal is low beam +, one is high beam + and the other is
===the common/ground. If memory serves me correctly the terminals look like
===this
===(Low) (High)
=== (Gnd)
===
===
===-S
===


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

thanks for the detailed reply....food for thought\\\\!

"~Roy~" wrote in message
...
The connections on most any low voltage light is always going to be
damp and conduct a certain amaount of current, be it above or below
water level. My ponds low voltage lights around the shoreline have
routinely been totally submerged in water well over their tops and
burn just fine udner water until the pond water level drops to
normal...There is not enough resistence to make em
short........However excessive current flow can do some strange things
to fish, be it low or high voltage.......

Are you sure they are 24VDC, and not 12 Volt AC. I have never seen any
residential 24VDC lighting, I have seen it in commercial stuff though.
I would stick with the norm and go 24 volts.

If you hneed to spice your wires to your lights and have it water
proof there is a kit made by 3M (Scotch) that you can buy........not
really cheap, about 20 bucks for one 2 conductor lead.........do not
use silicone to "waterproof" your connections as its bound to
fail.....

On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 13:14:33 GMT, "Snooze" wrote:

==="SkyCatcher" wrote in message
...
===
=== I just got some low votage (24v dc) lighting for my pond. The
instructions
=== say that the connections for the lights to the 24v supply cable
must be
=== made out of the water. This makes it virtually impossible for me to
set
=== them up as I want to.
===
=== Does anyone knbow if this is essential? Will the fish be subjected
to a
=== low votage leak if I do make the connections underwater? Will the
lights
=== just fuse?
===
===
===24v dc? The ones sold in America, in particular Intermatic/Malibu low
===voltage lights I believe are 12 v ac. The connections have to be made
above
===the water line because the connectors are just vampire taps. You
place the
===wire between the two halves of the connector, and squeeze the
connector
===shut. Two blades inside the connector cut through the insulation and
make
===contact with the wire..
===
===If it was below water, the connection would quickly corrode and the
water
===would cause a short circuit.
===
===Look for something like this:
===http://www.intermatic.com/?action=prod&pid=72
===
===I made my pond light out of a sealed beam car headlamp, car headlamps
are
===much brighter, bulb lasts longer, and cheaper. Just solder the wires
to the
===terminals on the headlamp, and cover the connection and terminals
with a
===good thick coating of aquarium caulking.
===
===Sealed beam headlamps come as low beam, or high beam, or low/high
beam
===combined. I recommend the low/high beam combined version if your
===transformer has the capacity, you get a brighter and wider beam
pattern.
===
===The high or low only bulbs have two terminals the high/low bulbs have
3
===terminals. One terminal is low beam +, one is high beam + and the
other is
===the common/ground. If memory serves me correctly the terminals look
like
===this
===(Low) (High)
=== (Gnd)
===
===
===-S
===


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

"~Roy~" wrote in message
...
If you hneed to spice your wires to your lights and have it water
proof there is a kit made by 3M (Scotch) that you can buy........not
really cheap, about 20 bucks for one 2 conductor lead.........do not
use silicone to "waterproof" your connections as its bound to
fail.....


I used aquarium silicone to waterproof the connections on the headlamp turn
pond light I made, it's been almost 2 years now. So far so good. Obviously
YMMV. (Your mileage may vary)

-S

One thing about RTV's is that they use acetic acid in their makeup.
Acetic acid in a damp of humid or wet environment will make any metals
in the proximity start to corrode. While you may get a water proof
seal the vapors / fumes can start to corrosion especially if any water
or moisture ever gets into it.RTV use in aircraft for a sealant
anywhere is a no no for this reason. I would use a good polyurethane
sealant, and in a lot of cases you will find it sticks better, and
lasts longer and is cheaper to buy, and if the need ever arises is
paintable as well.

I used RTV's for years for making all kinds of seals and water
proof/resistent connections etc., but the best way is with
polyurethane sealants.

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 16:00:11 GMT, "Snooze" wrote:

===
==="~Roy~" wrote in message
et...
=== If you hneed to spice your wires to your lights and have it water
=== proof there is a kit made by 3M (Scotch) that you can buy........not
=== really cheap, about 20 bucks for one 2 conductor lead.........do not
=== use silicone to "waterproof" your connections as its bound to
=== fail.....
===
===
===I used aquarium silicone to waterproof the connections on the headlamp turn
===pond light I made, it's been almost 2 years now. So far so good. Obviously
===YMMV. (Your mileage may vary)
===
===-S
===


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

On or about Sun, 17 Apr 2005 16:00:11 GMT, "Snooze"
wrote something like:


"~Roy~" wrote in message
. ..

do not use silicone to "waterproof" your connections
as its bound to fail.....


I used aquarium silicone to waterproof the connections on the headlamp turn
pond light I made, it's been almost 2 years now. So far so good. Obviously
YMMV. (Your mileage may vary)

Ordinary silicone (RTV) is not suitable for electrical connections due
to the acetic acid that is part of the cure cycle. While aquarium RTV
is better, the best would be any of the GOO or GOOP adhesives,
especially those designated for underwater use - Plumbers or
Electricians.
"Everyone needs a tube of Shoe Goo!"
--
Crashj