The Urban Farmer Store


In This Issue
EQUINOX New Dawn-Don't be left behind
LED Retrofits: 80% Power Savings
Wiring techniques you need to know
FREE Marin Water Efficiency "Garden Walks"
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Greetings!

Are you ready for the lighting season?

As the fog of August burns off our Indian summer evenings get warmer and darker-it's the best time of year to enjoy evenings outdoors in the bay area!

Professionals will enjoy and learn a lot at our Equinox Lighting event in Golden Gate Park this Thursday 5-10 pm. FX Luminaire co-sponsors this event and will be sending product managers from headquarters to introduce some stunning new technology. If you can't make it right at 5pm for food and beverage, the keynote session starts at 6:30 and the spectacular outdoor demonstrations will be after that.  Call the store or register now while seats are still available.

The phone will start ringing for service calls to change lamps in existing lighting systems. Do your customers and the planet a favor by replacing the lamps with LED retrofits. Compare their output to halogen at the Equinox Event.


 Thank you for being our customer! 

 
EQUINOX New Dawn Lighting Event for Professionals this Thursday 5-10 PM-$20
EQUNIOX New Dawn 
 Register Now! Seats still available!  

JUST ADDED-Thanks to FX Luminaire, all attendees will receive a 2 gig USB flash drive with a technical reference library.

 

This is a new dawn for efficiency in landscape lighting. Professional landscapers and designers will gain an understanding of efficient 21st century outdoor lighting technology at this seminar, workshop, and see the light at the after-dark demonstration. LED's change everything you need to know about lighting! 

  

Internationally known author and lighting designer Randall Whitehead delivers the seminar's keynote presentation on Landscape Lighting Design.     

 

Workshop highlights new LED fixtures, a revolutionary new transformer, and wireless control and switching technology that can significantly reduce energy consumption while enabling beautiful, dramatic results.  See and compare the lights at the after dark demo in Golden Gate Park! 

 

It's the perfect time for you and staff to improve skills and knowledge to prepare for the most practical season to design and install lighting -because it gets dark early. 

   

Learn how to:
· Use FX's newest fixtures and LX Transformers
· Design new systems using LEDs and retrofit LED lamps into existing systems
· Save energy with zone controls and innovative switching


Seminar includes:
· Food & drinks 5-6:30  pm
· Informational materials & exclusive special offers
· Keynote presentation by internationally known lighting designer Randall Whitehead
· Outdoor lighting demonstrations
            See how all the LED options compare with high-efficiency halogen
· Hands-on breakout technical workshop sessions
            Transfomers-New LX
            Wiring Methods
            Fixture Selection
            LED Retrofit Lamps
            Zone Control


Come in your work clothes  & come hungry! Enjoy the nacho bar and hot buffets with beverages 5-6:30 pm before the evening programs begin. Register online and pay by check at the door. 


 

LED Retrofits: 80% Power Savings & 10x Longer Life! See and compare outputs in the dark at the Equinox Lighting Event!

We now stock retrofits for nearly every landscape lighting fixture socket type! When it time to replace the lamp use a LED retrofit.

Warm white! 2700-3500 degrees kelvin

Long lasting! 30-50,000 hours.  Guaranteed 3 years!

Use existing fixtures and wiring!

Add more fixtures without up-sizing transformer!  Improve performance on overloaded systems.

Save labor changing bulbs.  Prolong socket life

Lower power cost while cooling the planet!

  










Wiring methods for LED Landscape Lighting Systems-Important changes you need to know!

Outdoor lighting like everything else is transitioning to digital. LED's (light emitting diodes) are semi-conductors, new transformers are digital, and digital and wireless controls enable new magnitudes of efficiency for landscape lighting. Here's what you need to know about installing new systems and upgrading old systems, and you can learn more at the Equinox Event on Thursday.

 

Upgrading existing systems to LED fixtures

 

Low voltage copper lighting cable infrastructure within existing systems can support new LED fixtures-lots of them. With the cost of copper on the rise reusing cable is an easy way to save money and labor when replacing old fixtures with new LEDs.  Test old cable by cutting into it; if the copper is bright and shiny and the casing is supple use it.  If the copper strands appear corroded and dull and the jacket brittle buy new cable. We carry the most reliable lighting cable from Regency Wire-made in the USA.

 

Installing new systems-What's new?

 

Zones. Plan ahead for independently controlled lighting zones. It is now possible to split one transformer to power up to 3 zones. Install cable home runs (zones) back to the transformer for path lights, spot lights, and task lights, and only turn on the zones you need with a wireless remote control.   Expect technology advances in this area so build-in more home runs for more zone flexibility in the future.

Smaller Wire.  More home runs for more zones can mean using more wire but it can be smaller wire. Instead of using 8 or 10 gauge wire, 12, 16, or 18 gauge works. Use whatever you have on the truck. When using smaller cable we recommend consulting the voltage drop calculator in our online library for runs with loads over 60 watts.

Wider voltage operating range. LEDs are happy with voltages ranging from 7 to 15 volts without noticeable variations in brightness. With halogen lamps we must worry about the dreaded VD (voltage drop) because of their unforgivingly narrow operating voltage between 10.8 and 12 volts.  It's still advisable to use a volt-meter at test points on cable runs but the sweet spot for LEDs is much easier to hit because it's huge.

Daisy Chain! You're no longer limited to hub, and tee wiring methods. The load is so low on LED systems go ahead and daisy chain up to 10 fixtures in a row!
Wiring Methods

What hasn't changed?

· Robust, long lasting waterproof connections with strain relief are critical
· Save on labor by installing cable when the site is dug up for landscaping and irrigation  
· Pull loops up wherever fixtures may be needed in the future
· Leave extra lead length on fixtures so they can be moved slightly as plants and trees grow

FREE Marin Water Efficiency "Garden Walks"

MMWD CUSTOMERS ONLY AND ONLY UNTIL OCTOBER 15


MMG LOGO

Marin Master Gardener, partnering with MMWD, will visit your garden, and provide an hour long detailed analysis of your irrigations system including suggestions for improving your irrigation efficiency.  Master Gardeners will also discuss water wise plant selection and other soil and water conserving garden techniques. This FREE service is available through October 15th, 2011 to anyone in the MMWD service area.

 

WHO: Marin Master Gardeners

WHAT: A Garden Walk - Health Consultation

WHERE: Your garden within the MMWD district

WHEN: At your convenience prior to October 15th

FEE: Free

Contact: Peggy Mathers to schedule your free appointment 415-499-4204
Our Store Locations:

San Francisco:
  2833 Vicente Street
   San Francisco, CA 94116
   Phone: (415) 661-2204
   Fax: (415) 661-7826

Marin:
   653 East Blithedale
   Mill Valley, CA 94941
   Phone: (415) 380-3840
   Fax: (415) 380-3848

Richmond:
   2121 San Joaquin Street
   Richmond, CA 94804
   Phone: (510) 524-1604
   Fax: (510) 524-9797