Frequently Asked Questions

It is important to use cable that is manufactured for outdoor use. Speaker cable and indoor house wiring cable are generally not produced to withstand the fertilizers and pesticides. Many will also become brittle in sunlight due to the UV. This can cause serious risk of fire if the cable sheathing perishes. 

Our Fixtures are available in a range of voltage and current input to best suit the needs of your installation.

These days we predominantly supply PureLED Constant Current (1050mA/700mA/350mA) solutions as this is the native power format LED’s are produced in.  This format is the most efficient, runs at the lowest temperature and has no short life electrical components. The Mains/line to constant current driver is generally housed in an accessible location for easy servicing and replacement when this part comes due for remedial works. The LED will last 4-5x longer than the primary driver. Constant Current circuits are amazing for long run cables due to the very low current and resistance in the cables. This means you can often run very long distances of much smaller conductors than was previously possible with 12VAC or 24V DC solutions.

Hunza also supply PureLED 12V AC and 24V DC LED solutions for most of the range. In this format there is a small constant Voltage to constant Current device inside the LED Fixture. 12VAC and 24V DC  formats follow more conventional wiring – They are wired in Parallel, so perfect for retrofit installations where previous MR16 12V fixtures have been.

Historically the Hunza fixtures have been available with MR16 12VAC lamps and a range of Transformers to operate the 12V AC lamps from either a 110V or 240V mains power/line voltage source. Hunza supplies retrofit 12V AC lamps and transformers to support fixtures built with MR16 halogen style lamp holders.

Hunza also offered GU10 versions which are Mains/Line Voltage direct into the fixture without the need for modifying control gear. These are still supported today with Retrofit LED GU10 lamps.

Pure LED constant current fixtures are dimmable pending the selection and pairing of a dimmable Driver. Many of our PureLED Retro fixtures have either 0-10V or Triac dimming on board.

Pure LED 12V AC solutions need to be paired with a wire wound transformer and it is recommended a test is performed with your dimmer options prior to purchase so you get the most broad and seamless dimming range.

PureLED 24VDC solutions are only dimmable on prior arrangement and will generally be Dali Dimming.

MR16 and GU10 retro fit lamps are available in dimming formats. Hunza Stocks Soraa MR16 and GU10 retrofit lamps that are conventionally dimmable.

Promus MR16 and GU10 are not dimmable.

For 12VAC  systems, Obtain from your local Hunza stockist a free Hunza cable calculator which will calculate volt drop, cable size and cable distance. You can also download a simple 12V AC volt drop chart from our website. For constant Current systems Please contact your local distributor for professional advice. They will help you to select an appropriate driver for the electrical load. There will often be enough spare voltage on a constant current output that you can run hundreds of meter circuits on very small conductors.

It is a simple calculation - if you have a 100 12v AC watt transformer then you can operate up to 16 x 6 watt 12V AC lamps (100W / 6W = 16 lights) or 33 x 3 watt 12V AC  lamps (100 / 3 = 33.33). Any decimals will need to be rounded down to a whole number.

Constant Current drivers will always have a maximum and minimum voltage load range. It can look something like A) 2-58V, B) 35-48V, C)9-28V for example. First check the maximum current specified for the fixture you are wanting to operate, then look at driver options for that constant current region. These are typically 350mA, 700mA, 1050mA and 1400mA but other constant current drivers do exist. Then refer to the specification sheet for the forward voltage of the LED. 

It will be written XvF for example a Hunza 6W 1050mA module is a 6vF LED. It is important when selecting a driver that you check the minimum voltage and maximum voltage. For driver A) you can operate 1-9 6vF LED fixtures, driver B) 6-7 6vF LED and C) 2-4 6vF LED fixtures. For the minimum number always round up to the nearest whole number, and the maximum always round down to the nearest whole number. 

Make sure you do not use 100% of the available voltage to operate your LED’s because a small allowance needs to be made for losses in the cable runs. The larger amount of spare voltage you have on a constant current driver, the smaller your conductors need to be.

Hunza strongly recommends specifying our electro-polished finished 316 Stainless Steel for longevity and style. Electro-polishing will increase the surface protection by up to 33% and reduce the maintenance requirements, especially in high-risk environments such as those subject to salt-laden air with limited fresh rainwater.

Copper is an extremely hardy fixture from a corrosion resistance perspective. The natural material will patina causing a self healing protective surface to protect the copper for years of graceful aging to come. 

Are Fixtures Hot When Running? Sometimes – LED does generate heat but it is significantly more efficient at converting electricity to light than traditional filament light sources. LED’s prefer to remain cool and do not perform well in longevity and efficiency if the junction temperature at the back of the LED is over 80 degrees. Hunza products are designed to use the metal housings draw maximum heat away from the LED which means you will feel warmth in the housings to touch. This means the LED is successfully thermally managed. High wattage 

Sometimes – LED does generate heat but it is significantly more efficient at converting electricity to light than traditional filament light sources. LED’s prefer to remain cool and do not perform well in longevity and efficiency if the junction temperature at the back of the LED is over 80 degrees.

Hunza products are designed to use the metal housings draw maximum heat away from the LED which means you will feel warmth in the housings to touch. This means the LED is successfully thermally managed. High wattage  LEDs fixture housings will still be quite warm but will not exceed 60degrees and in most cases will feel lightly warm to touch.

Yes - Halogen fixtures can become quite hot. Always place fixtures in a safe position that will minimize the chance of contact with bare skin. Hunza also offers LED, low heat lamps.

Yes all of our fixtures are waterproof but this varies between models. The minimum Ingress Protection rating of a Hunza fixture is IP 56 . 

Our Pool and Pond Lites are the most waterproof – IP 68 for submerged locations. All Hunza Luminaires are designed for use outdoors. It is important the installer also uses appropriate waterproofing techniques when installing, and ensures all layers of insulation are properly sealed.

Yes, our low voltage lighting is very safe - the 12 volt system is used in cars for this very reason and in garden situations 12 volt fixtures are ideal where cabling could be compromised by garden maintenance.

Constant Current systems require careful consideration to pair the driver’s maximum output voltage with the installation regulation in your local area. If you select a high voltage output driver to utilize more fixtures on  a circuit you may also be required to protect the cabling. Please contact your local distributor for professional advice for your local area.

110V to 240V AC fixture installations require professional installation and are not suitable for installation without appropriate local accreditation.

In addition to this, Hunza fixtures are approved to comply with safety and electrical standards around the world.

Yes, in most cases our light fittings can be easily upgraded to LED. Please contact your local distributor for professional advice.

All fixtures heat up while they are running. When the fixture cools down, the air inside cools and creates a vacuum inside the fixture. The vacuum applies pressure to the cable and tries to draw in moisture laden air. Many Hunza fixtures are supplied with an Anti-Syphon, a moisture barrier system which stops water being drawn up the cable if a poor quality (non water tight) cable joint is made by the installer. Please contact your local distributor for further advice on fixture selection and optional accessories.

This will depend on the level of light that you require, and the ambient lighting in the environment. Like sound in that you can hear a pin drop in a quiet room but have no chance in a bustling city, lighting is also accumulative and the individual luminaire impact will be dependant on the full lighting enviroment . To gain a better perspective, please refer to the individual product page and download the specification sheet. On the second page of the specification sheet is a light pattern diagram, which shows the light output of the fixture. The diagram will help you decide how many lights you need. Alternatively contact your local your local distributor for professional advice.

Compared to a normal house lamp, yes, but there are higher efficiency lamps called IRC (Infared Coated) which have a layer on the glass envelope that reflects heat back onto the filament to make it produce more light. Hunza also offers a range of low energy lamp options such as Plug-in LED.

We recommend that a qualified electrician installs the transformers and fixtures. Check that they have experience installing low voltage outdoor fixtures.

It is the spread of light that reflector lamps project. Hunza 6W fixtures are available with a choice of 10º, 36º or 60º lamps. The 60º lamp gives you the widest beam and the 10º lamp gives you the narrowest beam. Click here for more information.

Primarily Aluminium, Copper or 316 Stainless Steel. These options are not available for all fixtures. Please refer to the individual product pages for details.

For 12VAC  systems, Obtain from your local Hunza stockist a free Hunza cable calculator which will calculate volt drop, cable size and cable distance. You can also download a simple 12V AC volt drop chart from our website. For constant Current systems Please contact your local distributor for professional advice. They will help you to select an appropriate driver and cable for the electrical load. There will often be enough spare voltage on a constant current output that you can run hundreds of meter circuits on very small conductors.

Hunza PureLED Modules and replacement LED PCB are available from your local distributor.

MR16 and GU10 lamps are readily available from supermarkets, shopping mall lighting stores, electrical wholesalers and building supply warehouses. Be sure to purchase a quality brand to ensure long lamp life,  good colour rendition and suitable for use in enclosed fixtures. Most Retrofit MR16 and GU10 on the market is not suitable for enclosed waterproof fixtures.

Both Copper, Bronze and stainless steel are very durable however Solid copper and Bronze are ideal for most landscape work as it requires no maintenance and weathers to a patina that blends beautifully into the garden.  316 Marine Grade Stainless steel works well on contemporary buildings and pathways however it may require regular cleaning to avoid surface staining when installed near the sea. Visit our Lighting Clinic for more information. These options are not available for all fixtures. Please refer to the individual product pages for details.