When some of your landscape lights are out and the rest still work, power is usually reaching the transformer. The problem is most often in one part of the system: a fixture, a lamp, a splice, or a section of buried cable. Which lights are dark, and where they sit, is the best first clue to which one it is.
This guide explains how to read that pattern and what you can safely look at yourself. It also covers the causes that come up most in Central Florida yards and what a landscape lighting repair visit checks.
Why are only some of my landscape lights not working?
Partly working lights usually mean the system has power but one path inside it is broken. If the transformer had no power at all, every light on it would be dark. So when some lights still come on, the outlet and the transformer are often fine, and the fault sits somewhere between the transformer and the dark fixtures.
A low voltage system runs on 12 volts. The transformer lowers household power and sends it out through buried cable. Fixtures connect to that cable at splices along the way. A larger property may have several cable runs, often called zones, that each feed their own group of lights.
That layout is why the pattern matters. A problem at one fixture affects only that fixture. A problem in the cable can affect every fixture beyond the damaged spot. A problem with one zone can affect every light on that zone.
What does the pattern of dark lights tell you?
The pattern of dark lights often points to where the fault is. Walk the yard after the lights come on in the evening and note which fixtures are out. These patterns are common:
- One light is out and the lights around it work. The cause is often in that fixture: a failed lamp, a failed LED fixture, a loose connection at the fixture, or water inside it.
- Several lights in a row are out. Lights past a certain point are dark and the lights before it still work. This often points to a break or a failed splice in the cable between the last working light and the first dark one.
- A whole group of lights is out. When every light on one zone is dark, the cause may be that zone's connection at the transformer, a breaker on the transformer, or a break close to the start of the run.
- Some lights are on but dim. Lights that get dimmer toward the end of a run can be a sign of voltage drop along the cable. That is a different problem from a light that is fully out.
The pattern narrows the search. It does not confirm the cause. Two faults can also happen at once, so a clear pattern can still hide a second problem.
What can you check yourself before calling for repair?
Most of the useful checks are things you can look at without opening anything. They can save time, and they give the person doing the repair a head start.
- Look at the dark fixtures. Check whether one was knocked over, bent, or pulled loose by a mower or trimmer. Check whether mulch, soil, or plant growth now covers the lens.
- Look for recent digging. Think about any new plants, new beds, edging, fence posts, or irrigation work near the dark lights. Cable damage often lines up with where someone dug.
- Look at the ground along the run. Cable that has worked its way up to the surface can be cut or damaged more easily.
- Note the timing. Write down when the lights went out and anything that happened around that time, such as a storm, yard work, or a power outage.
If the whole system is out rather than only part of it, the causes are different. A tripped outlet, a failed transformer, or a timer that needs resetting are more likely. The guide to lights not turning on covers that case.
How does a cut or damaged wire knock out part of the system?
A single break in the cable can leave every fixture past the break without power. The lights before the break keep working because their path back to the transformer is still whole. That is why a cut cable often shows up as a row of dark lights rather than one.
A cable does not have to be cut all the way through. A nick in the outer jacket can let water in. Over time the copper inside can corrode, and the connection can fail. The lights may flicker for a while before they go out.
Finding the break usually starts with measuring voltage at points along the run. Jorge uses a voltage meter to find where the power stops, then digs only at that spot. A landscape lighting wire repair is then either a sealed splice or a new cable run. A new run is often the better choice when the cable has several breaks or the jacket is cracked along its length.
What causes wire damage in Central Florida yards?
In Central Florida, most wire damage comes from digging, roots, and animals. These causes come up often:
- Irrigation work. Trenches for new or repaired irrigation lines often cross lighting cable.
- Tree roots. Roots from large trees can press on cable and wear through the jacket over time.
- Yard work. Aeration, edging, new plantings, and fence posts can all cut a buried cable.
- Rodents. Rodents nesting in mulch beds sometimes chew through wire jackets, especially in the cooler months.
- Sun. Cable that sits shallow or above ground can have its jacket break down faster in the Florida sun.
If part of your lighting went dark soon after new beds, fresh mulch, or other yard work, the cable near the work area is a good place to start looking.
Can a bad splice or a wet fixture cause some lights to go out?
Yes. A splice that has corroded or come apart can stop power from reaching every light past it. A fixture with water inside can fail on its own, and in some cases it can cause a short that affects more of the system.
Heat, humidity, and the afternoon storms common in Central Florida summers are hard on outdoor connections. Moisture that gets into a splice can corrode it slowly, so the failure may show up months after the wet season. Bright Arbor Outdoor Lighting seals connections with gel filled waterproof splices made for direct burial.
A short can also trip a breaker. If your lights keep shutting off, or a breaker trips again soon after you reset it, read why landscape lighting trips a breaker. That post walks through the usual causes.
Is it the bulb, the fixture, or the transformer?
When only one light is out, the lamp or the fixture is the usual suspect. Older halogen systems go through lamps more often, so one dark light on a halogen system is often a burned out lamp. Many LED fixtures have the light source built in, so a failed LED may mean replacing the whole fixture.
A fixture that is cracked, corroded, or full of water usually needs landscape light fixture replacement rather than a new lamp. Replacing it also gives a chance to check the connection that feeds it.
The transformer is less likely when only some lights are out, but it is still possible. A transformer can have more than one output, and one of them can fail while the others keep working. Lighting transformer repair starts with testing the output on each terminal.
What does a landscape lighting diagnostic visit check?
A diagnostic visit tests the system piece by piece, from the transformer out to each fixture, so the repair targets the actual fault. Jorge tests and records what he finds before he changes anything.
A landscape lighting system diagnostic from Bright Arbor Outdoor Lighting covers these checks:
- Transformer output voltage and the load on it
- Voltage on each zone, measured at the fixture connectors
- A look at every fixture, lens, and mounting stake
- The timer and the photocell
- Splices and connectors, checked for corrosion
You then get a written report of every finding with a repair estimate in order of priority. You decide what to fix and when.
Jorge works on low voltage systems only. If a repair needs a new outdoor outlet or work at your electrical panel, that part is a job for a licensed electrician.
Getting part of your landscape lighting working again
Bright Arbor Outdoor Lighting repairs landscape lighting across six Central Florida counties. That includes landscape lighting in Casselberry and the towns around it. Jorge also repairs outdoor lighting in Winter Park and yard lighting in Oviedo. Jorge designs, installs, and repairs every system himself, so the same person who tests your system is the one who fixes it.
If some of your lights are dark and you would like them found and fixed, request a repair visit. Let Jorge know which lights are out and anything that changed in the yard around the time they stopped working.