Step lights and lawn lights are the lowest-cost components in the complete lighting solution and the most likely ones to fail first. They are in the wettest and most easily trampled position on the site-the ground layer, where water collects and feet fall.

Water ingress is almost never a problem with the lamp itself, but comes from three sources: the embedded lamp housing has no drainage channels, water around the sealed joints, and the use of tape instead of IP68 poured glue or heat shrink joints to make cable connections. Buried lights should be required to have a drainage structure and installed on gravel or drainage base. They should never be directly embedded in concrete pits where water can be stored.

The level of protection is determined accordingly. Embedded step lights and buried lights are usually IP67, and cable connectors must be both IP68. IP65 can be used for exposed ground-mounted lawn lights if the connector is higher than the possible water level. Collision avoidance is equally important-IK08 or higher, because the failure of such lights is usually a lawnmower or delivery cart, rather than deliberate human impact.

In terms of illumination, resist the urge to make the trail too bright. The pedestrian route is a visual guidance task, not a visual work task; maintaining a low and uniform level of 10 - 20 lux along the road is usually enough, while keeping the eyes of people walking towards you without glare.