Spring in San Diego is when homeowners finally walk their yards at dusk and realize the landscaping looks great — and completely invisible after 7 p.m. If you’re weighing a lighting project this season, the decisions stack up fast: low-voltage or line-voltage, which fixtures survive the salt air, and what’s a fair price to pay.
Low-voltage vs. line-voltage: which fits your yard
Most residential landscape lighting runs on one of two systems. Low-voltage (12V DC) is the default for path lights, uplights, and accent fixtures. Line-voltage (120V AC) is what you’d use for post lights, high-output floodlights, and any fixture that needs to throw serious light across a large driveway or backyard.
Low-voltage is the right call for the majority of San Diego yards. Here’s why:
- Cable runs shallow — typically 6 inches deep, though local inspectors sometimes want more in high-traffic zones
- DIY-friendly wiring up to the transformer, but the transformer itself needs a proper outdoor outlet
- LED fixtures draw so little power that a single 150-watt transformer can handle 20-plus lights
- Safer to work around after installation
Line-voltage earns its place when you need brightness that 12V can’t deliver — think a large parking pad in Rancho Santa Fe, or a pool deck where you want true security lighting. Any 120V outdoor circuit needs GFCI protection and, in San Diego County, a permit if you’re adding a new circuit.
The honest answer for most homeowners: go low-voltage for the decorative work, add a line-voltage circuit if you need one or two high-output fixtures. A licensed electrician can install the outdoor outlet your transformer plugs into as part of our outdoor & landscape lighting service, so the whole system starts on solid footing.
Path, uplight, downlight, and wash: a quick design primer
Good landscape lighting does three things: it guides people safely, it creates depth in the landscape, and it makes your house look intentional from the street. Four fixture types cover almost every residential application.
Path lights
Stake-mounted, typically 18–24 inches tall. Space them 8–10 feet apart — closer than that and you get a runway effect. Aim for a warm white (2700K–3000K). San Diego’s drought-tolerant landscaping looks better with warmer tones than the cool whites that wash out native plants.
Uplights
Buried or surface-mounted at the base of a tree, wall, or architectural feature. They punch light upward to create drama. A 35-degree beam angle works for most palm trees; go narrower (15–20 degrees) for a tight column or sculpture. Keep the fixture itself hidden — the light should be visible, not the source.
Downlights
Mounted in trees or on eaves, pointing down. Moonlighting — placing a cool-white fixture high in a mature oak or jacaranda — mimics natural light and is one of the most striking effects you can achieve. Requires running wire up the tree or to the eave, which adds labor.
Wash lights
Low-angle fixtures that graze a wall or fence to reveal texture. Especially effective on stucco, which is everywhere in San Diego. Keep the fixture 12–18 inches from the wall for the best texture shadow.
You don’t need all four types in every yard. A simple front yard can look polished with just path lights and two uplights on the anchor tree or front facade.
Transformers, timers, and smart controls
Every low-voltage system starts at the transformer. It’s a box — usually mounted near your outdoor outlet — that steps 120V down to 12V and controls when the lights run.
A basic transformer with a mechanical timer costs $50–$120. It works fine. But San Diego’s sunrise and sunset shift by nearly two hours between December and June, so a mechanical timer needs seasonal adjustments or your lights run through the afternoon in summer.
Astronomical timers solve this automatically. They calculate local sunrise and sunset based on your zip code and adjust every day. Most quality transformers in the $150–$300 range include this feature.
Smart transformers go further. Brands like Kichler and FX Luminaire make Wi-Fi-enabled transformers you can control from a phone, set zones, dim individual circuits, and integrate with platforms like smart home wiring systems. If you’re already running a home automation setup, it’s worth specifying a smart transformer from the start — retrofitting later means replacing the whole unit.
One practical note: size your transformer at 50% of its rated capacity maximum. If you’re installing 100 watts of fixtures, use a 200-watt transformer. Sustained loads at or near the transformer’s ceiling shorten its life significantly. It’s a cheap mistake to avoid upfront.
What it costs in San Diego and where homeowners overspend
Landscape lighting projects in San Diego County typically fall into three tiers:
Starter system (6–10 path/accent lights, one transformer): $800–$1,500 installed. This covers a modest front yard or single garden bed, with a professional-grade transformer, proper wire gauge, and waterproof connectors.
Mid-range system (12–20 fixtures, multiple zones): $2,000–$4,500 installed. Includes uplighting on trees, path lighting front and back, a smart or astronomical transformer, and potentially one new outdoor GFCI outlet if one isn’t already in the right location.
Full property system (20+ fixtures, line-voltage integration): $5,000–$12,000+. Common in Del Mar, La Jolla, and Rancho Santa Fe, where properties are larger and clients want consistent coverage across multiple zones, including pool, driveway, and garden areas.
Where homeowners overspend: The most common waste is buying cheap fixtures and replacing them in two years. Box-store plastic path lights degrade fast in UV exposure and salt air. You’ll spend more replacing them than you would have buying commercial-grade fixtures initially. The second common mistake is undersizing wire. Using 18-gauge wire on a long run causes voltage drop, and your fixtures at the far end look dimmer. Proper runs need 12- or 14-gauge wire — not the 18-gauge included in most DIY kits.
For a broader look at how electrician pricing works in the county, our electrician cost guide for San Diego breaks down labor rates by project type.
Coastal corrosion: why fixtures fail in Coronado and Encinitas
If you live within a mile of the ocean — Coronado, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad — fixture selection matters more than anywhere else in the county. Salt-laden marine air attacks zinc, aluminum, and steel. A fixture that lasts eight years in Escondido might fail in eighteen months in Coronado.
The right materials for coastal installs:
Brass and solid copper are the gold standard. They develop a natural patina rather than corroding through. A brass path light costs $60–$120 per fixture versus $15–$30 for aluminum, but it’ll outlast two or three generations of cheaper alternatives. Brands like Unique Lighting, FX Luminaire, and Kichler’s Landscape Pro line offer solid brass options.
Marine-grade stainless steel (316 grade) is the right choice for fasteners, junction box hardware, and mounting brackets. Standard 304 stainless will rust near the coast.
Avoid: Die-cast zinc alloy (common in mid-price fixtures), painted aluminum without a marine coating, and any fixture with exposed steel hardware.
Seal all wire connections with waterproof wire nuts or direct-burial silicone connectors rated for wet locations. A loose connection that’s fine in Santee becomes a failure point within a season in Oceanside. This is one area where skipping professional lighting installation costs more in the long run — a proper install includes connection sealing and correct conduit entry points on the transformer.
Permits, GFCI, and safe burial depths
Landscape lighting lives in a gray zone for permits in San Diego County. Here’s the practical breakdown:
Low-voltage systems (12V) plugging into an existing outlet: Generally no permit required for the low-voltage wiring itself. You’re not modifying the electrical system — you’re using it.
Adding a new outdoor outlet: Requires a permit. Any new circuit or outlet addition falls under the California Electrical Code (which adopts NEC/NFPA 70 with California amendments). A licensed electrician pulls this permit as a matter of course.
Line-voltage outdoor lighting circuits: Always permitted. A new 120V circuit to a post light or flood fixture requires a permit, inspection, and GFCI protection at the outlet or breaker. For context on GFCI requirements specifically, our GFCI outlet installation guide covers where they’re required and what they cost.
Burial depths under California code:
- Low-voltage (under 30V): 6 inches minimum
- Line-voltage in conduit: 6 inches minimum
- Line-voltage direct burial cable (UF-B): 12 inches minimum
- Line-voltage under a concrete slab: 4 inches in conduit
Shallow burial is one of the most common DIY mistakes. A cable at 2 inches gets nicked by a trowel during routine gardening and creates a shock or fire hazard. Depth is cheap protection.
Before any digging, call 811 (Dig Safe) to locate utilities. In San Diego, response time is typically 2–3 business days.
When to call us
If your project involves adding any new outdoor outlet, running a line-voltage circuit, or working within a few feet of a pool or water feature, you need a licensed electrician — not because the work is necessarily complex, but because the permits and code compliance protect your home and your insurance coverage. Coastal installs also benefit from a professional eye on fixture selection and connection sealing before salt air gets a chance to work.
Our team handles outdoor & landscape lighting projects across San Diego County, from a simple transformer outlet in Pacific Beach to full multi-zone systems in Rancho Santa Fe. Call us at (858) 925-5546 for a same-day estimate.