Landscape Lighting Not Working - Please Help!


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Old 10-27-08, 05:38 AM
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Landscape Lighting Not Working - Please Help!

We are trying to troubleshoot our landscape lighting problem and would really appreciate any input...just recently our landscape lighting hasn't been working properly. Some lights flicker for a split second when the switch is turned on (they're all on the same switch), and others don't even flicker at all. We've replaced light bulbs, and then went to look at the GFI outlet. The test/reset button was "locked" and can't be tested or reset so we tried replacing the entire outlet with an identical one, but following the directions and going over it several times, we weren't even able to get power to a radio from the newly installed GFI OR get the lights to flicker again (whereas the old GFI outlet makes the radio "flicker" for a second just like it does some of the landscape lights.

We're assuming at this point that the digging we've been doing in the yard recently must have contributed to the GFI getting tripped and leaving the lights in nothing more than a flickering status. Does this sound right? If so, would it be logical to assume that lights would flicker UP TO where the electrical line was cut, but then lights beyond the cut wouldn't flicker at all? We're trying to figure out where in the world to begin looking for the cut line if that's even the problem!

Thanks in advance for any and all input!
 

Last edited by david jonson; 10-27-08 at 06:21 AM.
  #2  
Old 10-27-08, 06:17 AM
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It is possible that the GFI is mis-wired. Did you connect the wiring to the LINE or LOAD terminals?

This would not effect the flicker but would effect your ability to reset the GFI.
 
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Old 10-27-08, 09:50 AM
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I take it that these are 120-V lights. If so, they should be served by a Type UF cable, buried at least 24" deep. If not, I'd replace the whole shebang.

Or possibly replace with low-voltage lighting.
Doug
 
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Old 10-27-08, 01:33 PM
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Disconnect the load side of the GFCI and see if the radio works at the GFCI receptacle. If it does, your problem is definitely in the load wiring. If the GFCI still trips and you know it's wired correctly on the Line side, check for loose or damaged wiring from the house to the GFCI.
 
 

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