Integral fixtures

[cgland]

Does anyone have any experience with the new 18" fixtures? Same light output? I'm installing them on a pillar and am curious as to the intensity of an 18" fixture with only 2 bulbs.

[WoodwardsChris]

Chris:

I do have one set up in the store if you are in the Phoenixville area.

[JZap]

Chris, I saw the 18" in person and I think it would work great on a pillar or steps. It has hot spots, but so does the smaller version. It's basically just a longer cover with two of the same sized lights.

[mpickel]

I wish someone around here stocked them. I like the design and can't find anything similar around here.

[Dreams To Designs]

Try the Vista version, they use a lens, Evening Star also makes a nice sealed version, and Unique, Focus and even Nightscaping have come out with their own version, albeit, they are all single lamp styles. I have found the Integral to provide a very harsh bright spot where some of the others with lens offer a more diffused, pleasing light.

Kirk

[cgland]

this fixture definitely has two very noticeable hot spots. It casts a nice light, but it is certainly more noticeable than the single bulb fixture

[Evening Star Lighting]

We've got a few new designs coming out this spring. We've also updated our website too.

Happy Holidays everyone.

[JZap]

Interesting, are the bulbs as easy to change as well? Does the enclosed fixture have a face plate? I'm not a fan of the hot spots obviuosly. I'll have to do some research here.

[mpickel]

I couldn't find too much literature on these lights from the website besides the recommended 3' - 6' spacing. How do these do on steps? How many would you recommend on steps (say 6 steps 15' wide)?

I found a supplier that would ship them to me for about $65 per unit. I don't have anyting else local that would compare.

[cgland]

I would probably go 3-4 per step. Personal preference will tell you to either stagger them or run them in a linear fashion

[mpickel]

It wouldn't be too much on every step. I would stagger them to avoid the runway look.

[cgland]

Every step would be fine...preferred in fact. Maybe do 3 on every other step and 4 every other

[MuirView Design]

Chris,

I used 3 of those 18" integrals on the travertine patio I did. One on each of the pillars and one on the side of the grill. In hindsight, I should've just done the regular sized ones as the hot spots they create was pretty bad. I checked out the Vista lights with the diffuser cover, and they definitely had a nice soft look to them. I don't think they have an 18" though.

[cgland]

Yeah, the hot spots really deter from the nice light they give. I probably won't use them again, but the 6"ers really do a nice job

[CaptainsLS]

I have never used low voltage lighting before. We are building a grill/kitchen display at a garden center once spring hits. I want to use a few of the EveningStar wall lights under the cap for the backsplash of the kitchen. Can you just mortar right over the fixtures once they are in place? All my material will be natural stone & CMU.

[cgland]

Absolutely Captn. Mortar or glue right over top. The faceplate screws off when you need to replace the bulb

[Dreams To Designs]

Vista does not do an 18" as of yet, but by far they have the best unit of it's kind to date. The Evening Star rates up there as well, with it's sealed lamp and larger, rounded front fascia.

Cast has begun development of their own version of a step/cap fixture made from solid bronze or zinc. The fixture has a nice radius front, removable, shapeable bracket and a lens to help diffuse the light and eliminate the hot spot. Cast will be doing all their deck fixtures in the bronze or zinc materials to give us the option of a silver type finish to match gray stone or block. I have only seen a prototype so far, but it appears to be made with the same Cast quality as the rest of their line. They are making a large effort to have the step fixture produced right here in NJ.

Kirk

[cgland]

Great info Kirk. Do you know if the Cast fixture will come with a 25' lead? I seem to recall a problem with 25' leads and being UL listed.

[Dreams To Designs]

Chris, that I do not know, but I will ask. There is so much new and innovative products being developed with landscape lighting right now, it's tough to keep up. The LED revolution is upon us, but I am taking a cautious approach to this new technology for landscape lighting.

Kirk

[cgland]

Older LED tech is poor, but the newer stuff really does have a similar look to conventional bulbs. I too am interested to see where the market will be in 6 months to a year

[Dreams To Designs]

Yes on the 25' lead and the zinc finish will be late in 2009. Here is a link to the new fixture.
http://www.cast-lighting.com/products/fixtures/specialty-lights/175/

LED has come quite far, but I think still has a way to go. Some of the Kichler LED units are ok, but I'd like to get my hands on some of the retrofit LEDs for existing fixtures, like Vista is promoting. With the current LED fixtures you are limited to beam intensity and spread and that can only be changed by changing the fixture with Kichler. I like having the option to replace an MR16 lamp for a completely different effect.

Kirk

[Neil T.]

These lights are the best I will never use any other low voltage light again they are fast and look great and they have six new colors for 2009