What is the difference between high-voltage and low-voltage lighting and why does it matter?
Quick Answer
High-voltage (120-volt) lighting ties straight into your main service panel, whereas low-voltage (12-volt) lighting is fed through a transformer. Low-voltage matters because it is safer around people and pets, costs less to run, offers more flexible fixture placement, and helps you meet electrical codes on your Atlanta property.
Detailed Answer
Lights Over Atlanta designs most residential landscape systems in energy-saving low voltage as part of our LED outdoor lighting conversion Atlanta service.
High-voltage (also called line voltage) sends 120 volts directly from the breaker panel to each fixture. That provides brighter raw output, but it requires rigid conduit, deeper burial, licensed electricians, GFCI protection, and bulkier weather-rated fixtures—plus any damaged cable can deliver a serious shock.
Low-voltage lighting steps power down to 12 volts through a small outdoor transformer. Because the current is minimal, wires can be shallow-buried or tucked under mulch, making installation faster and gentler on your landscaping. You gain freedom to highlight architecture, trees, and pathways with slim LED uplights, bollards, and specialty accents the moment inspiration strikes. Operating costs drop, too.
Today’s LED low-voltage fixtures use up to 80 % less electricity than comparable 120-volt lamps and last tens of thousands of hours, meaning fewer bulb changes and lower utility bills. Voltage drop is easy to correct by sizing cable or adding secondary taps—something our certified designers calculate during your free consultation.
Bottom line: low-voltage delivers the beautiful, flexible, and safe landscape lighting Atlanta GA homeowners want while still meeting electrical code.