Low Voltage Recessed Lighting

There is much talk about low voltage recessed lighting and its benefits. Contrary to what Home Depot might have told you, low voltage lights are not always the best solution nor will they have the best energy performance when in comparison to several other light fixtures running at a higher voltage. This might sound a bit farfetched and confusing, but unfortunately it is the truth. Low voltage is not always the best option.

The Truth About Low Voltage Lighting

Low Voltage Track Lighting

There are indeed some advantages to low voltage lighting fixtures but energy efficiency - again, contrary to what home depot and any other person might have told you - is not its main benefit. What you need to understand is that low voltage recessed lighting may actually waste more heat than a regular high voltage lamp. This happens due to many reasons, but your main concern will be your transformer and installation. For a low voltage light fixture to work, a transformer must be used so it converts energy into the right voltage (say from 127v to 12v). So, in that process, there might be a heat loss due to a poor quality transformer.

img. source: factoidz.com

Low Voltage Light Fixtures: True Advantages

One real benefit that you may get from low voltage recessed lighting is that it may have a more focused beam and a more compact bulb. Of course you will have to balance the smaller bulb with the transformer that must be installed together, but if you can hide away the transformer, than low profile recessed lighting might be a great option to use along with low voltage lighting. They will be most suited for desks and places where you might not have enough space for a normal bulb.

Many people like to use low voltage lighting with recessed lighting cans. This way they are able to make their lighting design and solution as discrete as possible.

Low Voltage Lighting vs. Line Voltage Lighting

Another great benefit of low voltage recessed lighting is that you get an even wider array of beam spreads that you could potentially use to enhance your design. Take a look at the picture here for this low voltage light type: it's called and MR16 and with it, you may achieve great results when using it with recessed lighting cans. There are many examples over the web if you take a moment to look, or you can always ask for professional assistance on how to make the most of these low voltage lamps.

img source: bulbman.com

Again, be careful when buying cheap low voltage recessed lighting no matter what your clerk says. They will always say anything that crosses that mind to get you to buy something, so be aware. Energy efficiency should not be your main concern here, there are other light fixtures way better for that. Your main concern here should be your design and the amount of space that you have to fit your recessed lighting cans along with your low voltage lighting in your chosen room.