Common wires for landscape lighting are 10- 12- 14- or 16-gauge wires.
Landscape lighting wire distance. Most of the LED flood lights are 20 watts 12V so Im doing my math based on that load. If you want the super duper shortcut to finding the minimum wire gauge or the minimum transformer you can get away with or the maximum load or the maximum distance of a run then grab your mobile device open the app store and download Landscape Lighting Calculator. This weekend I was attempting to run low voltage landscape lighting to a place a good distance from the transformer.
Kichler LED landscape lights come on at the same brightness between 9 volts and 15 volts. Lamp life is rated at 3000 hours - Voltage is at 1075 -. This is to prevent voltage drop.
Although the 8 and 10 gauge wires are rated at 360 and 480 you need to remember that the landscape lighting transformer allows only 300 watts per circuit. Two or more fixtures are then connected to this home run usually via 25-foot lead wires on the fixtures. The Voltage Drop Chart provides a means of calculating the appropriate combination of distance and cable gauge for an installation using standard single cable run wiring.
We recommend 12-gauge or 10-gauge wire for long distances. WATTS WIRE RUN LENGTH CONSTANT VOLTAGE DROP. This Wirefy cable has a premium grade insulation that enables it to be laid underground or on the surface.
At these specs the rated lamp life will drop to about 2250 hours but be 80 brighter than what the lamp is rated. Smaller wire sizes are usually more economical and larger wire sizes are stronger though the smaller ones will also reduce the distance of power being provided to your lights in the ground and may need a conduit to stay safe from dreaded landscaper cuts to your lighting connections. In comparison 12-gauge wiring which is thicker can reach 10688 feet for one fixture at 15V.
Low Voltage Installation Rules. Disconnecting the power stretches out the whole wire. These calculations are similar except amperage levels wire sizes and run distances are much lower.

