Older 12v garden lighting starting to fail!

There seems to be a a growing number of cases where systems are starting to fail.  

Some instances the transformer's gone, others it's down to the cabling or the light fittings themselves.  In some, all elements have probably reached their useful 'end of life' as they were purchased relatively cheaply in the first instance and don't have the quality to last.

All the examples seem to have been fitted in the early days of outdoor and garden lighting and there is a manufacturer who's name has appeared more than once! Additionally, some people just want to replace aged, rusty and 'worn out' fittings with higher-quality and better designed units.  

On top of that, the use of low energy consuming LED bulbs is now starting to be recognised as the running costs are now nearly ten times cheaper than halogen bulbs (see our FAQ's Are 12v LED lights 'value for money'?).  So is upgrading an existing system a real option?

The answer is 'Yes'.  You can normally swap one element in the 12v system for another (old light fittings for new light fittings) even though they are from different manufacturers.  

We've been helping by giving advice and guidance on how to retrofit various components.  This is especially relevant where the existing 12v low voltage cabling (typically SPT-1 or SPT-3) is already buried in walls or under patios. Replacing cabling in such instances can be expensive if slabs etc have to be lifted and then replaced.  

What we try and do at 12vgardenlights.com is to help find a solution to the problems that are presented to us.  In some instances it can't be done but we have cracked most!

So, if you have a system that's in the ground but is looking 'tired' or worse 'tired and not working' then don't give up on it...drop us a note or give us a call and we'll see what we can do to help!