Best Connectors for Landscape Lighting

[Ralf11]

Connectors for a wet climate with lots of rain

Thx

 

[theoldwizard1]

The best way to prevent corrosion is to use "tinned" wire (copper with a coating similar to solder, a.k.a "marine" wire). Then the connector does not matter much.

Second best, uninsulated crimp connectors and dual wall ("marine") heat shrink.

 

[allinon72]

Water resistant wire nuts or direct burial connectors.

 

[Git]

I like to use these grease tubes. Wire nut the wires together than you jam the wire nut into the grease and snap the lid shut

 

[Ralf11]

I should mention that I need to make inline connections to a 50 ft. run of landscape lighting cable...

 

[cybrdyke]

Pros are divided between grease tubes, crimps, and silicone filled wire nuts. It seems like the high end project guys use crimps. The mid-grade and landscape installers use the other two.
CD

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Buy a tube of DIELECTRIC GREASE and fill the crimp connector with grease before crimping..... Cover the splice with silicone for a water tight seal.
DO NOT USE TAPE because tape is not water tight and it will hold in moisture.

 

[ccrrar]

These look pretty slick....a bit expensive but easy to reconfigure.
https://www.voltlighting.com/pro-micro-junction-direct-burial-connector-5-way

 

[jdm5]

These look pretty slick....a bit expensive but easy to reconfigure.
https://www.voltlighting.com/pro-micro-junction-direct-burial-connector-5-way

That’s pretty neat - pretty sure it’s the old style Wago lever connector in a weatherproof case they came up with. Note I always found those very difficult to open/close compared with their new style.

 

[Ralf11]

How about the best T-Connectors to T off the main wire run for lights?

 

[TriumphFan]

Do you mean the wires from the lights themselves that go to the heavy cable (I use 12GA) or the smaller wires that connect the lights to the connectors?
I use the ones sold by HD for the cable which are cheap and work well and for the smaller wires to the light I use adhesive lined shrink tubing.

 

[Ralf11]

the wires from the lights themselves that go to the heavy cable - most lights I buy already have these thin wires on them.

 

[MeentSS02]

I redid all of my landscape lighting many years ago...ran all new wires, and did all the connections myself. I used direct burial landscape lighting cable (12 gauge for most of it) along with the grease filled wire nuts. I have had 0 problems with it since, although we only get what I'd consider a lot of rain in the spring. Since all the bulbs are LEDs, I've only had to mess with the system once over the past 7 years - some of the floods started crapping out after about 5 years or so, so I just replaced them all and haven't messed with them since.

 

[mrVanagon]

My father in law has been running a landscape lighting company for decades. He told me he currently uses these:
https://www.voltlighting.com/pro-mi...buQImjUlJ1C_V3_fTgqb8g0grbLZnv3xoCpScQAvD_BwE

 

[Meursault74]

I like to use these grease tubes. Wire nut the wires together than you jam the wire nut into the grease and snap the lid shut

is it just me, or do those grease tubes for electrical connections remind you of a suppository package?

 

[Denwood]

I did mine about 5 years back with solder and heat shrink tube. No issues.

 

[jkeyser14]

I used the clamp on piercing connectors that the lights came with and then coated them generously with liquid electrical tape until they were a solid mass.

 

[MeentSS02]

I used the clamp on piercing connectors that the lights came with and then coated them generously with liquid electrical tape until they were a solid mass.

Those connectors were what caused me to redo my entire system. Hopefully the liquid electrical tape helps...those connections are just not very good.

 

[yeldogt]

My father in law has been running a landscape lighting company for decades. He told me he currently uses these:
https://www.voltlighting.com/pro-mi...buQImjUlJ1C_V3_fTgqb8g0grbLZnv3xoCpScQAvD_BwE

I'm sure they eliminate the call backs ... one trip looking for a problem pays for a lot of parts.

When I "DIY" I buy the best stuff. I'm not trying to save the most money ...

One still comes out way ahead .. and my experience says the better stuff is not only longer lasting .... it's easier as well

 

[mrVanagon]

I'm sure they eliminate the call backs ... one trip looking for a problem pays for a lot of parts.

That's pretty close to what he told me. He also told me to use the best fixtures I can stand to buy and buy the wire in a legit trench rather than just tossing mulch over it. I've got some lighting planned but the budget won't let me do anything better than solar and solar lights are not allowed in my home

 

[machsnell]

I use large wire nuts and squirt some silicone inside. You can get the cheese-wizz style silicone dispenser. The premade silicone filled wire nuts get pricey.

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