I have started looking at installing a low voltage outdoor lighting system and after doing a day or research, have the following question: 1. What would be a decent downlight spotlight around between $25-$40. I know that solid brass is best, but everything I've seen is over $50. The lights will be installed on the side of a raised deck to illuminate an area to play bags at night. 2. Is it possible to control lights on the same transformer individually? For example, turn the downlights I mentioned above on and off without affecting deck lights attached to the same transformer? 3. What is the difference between an electic transformer and a magnetic transformer? For example, I actually found some Volt downlights that looked good for $50 but they require a magnetic transformer which seems to be more expensive. Thanks in advance for the help!

Thanks, David. What's your thinking about installing in new construction--to buy bullet LEDs complete with the fixture? Or buy a traditional incandescent med base bullet fixture and screw in a medium-base PAR38 LED?

I’m grateful to all of y’all for making me understand I need to move to the next step. Ie quit playing around and start making some decisions. Patrica - I appreciate your curiosity. And you are right so about me. I have two basic visions: yellow/green house with bright color interiors or a neutral house with neutral interior. The lot is 25 acres with entrance facing west. There is a small old tear down house but we will use well, septic and power access. Building site using those items is on a narrow ridge that slopes pretty sharply on the north side. Some things I know I want: (1) a house that looks like it grew there with simple roof lines. (2) sufficiently deep porch across west facing front. (3) living room with picture windows to north (mountains) and west (sunsets) and ideally opening to a outdoor living room porch on the north side. (4) kitchen with an eating island with windows facing south and east and door to smaller porch on south east corner (5) casual seating area off of kitchen (6) nook area for a small dining table - we live books so maybe with bookshelves. (7) straight stair case to basement that’s 4 foot wide and 11 Inch wide steps about 7-71/2 high. We have that kind of staircase on our back porch now and it’s a dream. (8) master bedroom with windows north and east (9) second bedroom facing east or north or east. (10) at least 2 full bathrooms, maybe a powder room (11) All plumbing on one or two walls as close together and as close to well/septic as possible. (12) Garage. Maybe underneath or maybe in south west corner of building site. From front entrance, Garage would be a bit ahead of the house but off to the right side.

So your porch will be 10x17? Yes, that's big enough for quite a bit of outdoor living. I have a covered (not screened) porch that's 12x30, and I have a seating area on one end, a small table in the middle and an expansive grilling area on the other end. And steps at both ends. I'm not clear on what you mean by screening in the gable end. Other thoughts: - Mine is not screened, and I've never wished it were. Screens require cleaning and decrease your view out into the yard. We have two ceiling fans on the porch, and they keep bugs away. We sometimes light citronella candles. - A covered porch will cut down on the sunlight coming in through that 12' glass. It will make your house darker. - One thing I love about my covered porch is that it's "even with" the house; that is, we don't have to "step down" as we walk from the house to the porch. This really makes it feel like it's a part of the house. - Consider that if you're doing this with wood, you'll have to remove everything /paint it with protectant at least every other year. I genuinely despise doing that.