1. Why/What prompted you to create these products?
Landscape lighting systems are comprised of many individual pieces working together to create a transformative lighting effect. Through years of experience and research, the VOLT Lighting team has found that the majority of issues that may arise during a system’s installation can be traced back to how these individual pieces were connected to the rest of the system. The point where wires are connected to each other is more susceptible to failure than any other part of a landscape lighting system. Wire connections can be pulled apart, face increased exposure to the elements, and can be one of the most time-consuming aspects of an installation. So, we set out to fix that issue by launching VOLT’s Clamp-Connect Junctions and Pro Hub.
2. How do these products remedy connection issues in the landscape lighting industry?
VOLT’s Clamp-Connect products use patented technology to create a connection that is stronger, more weather resistant, and easier to use than previous generations of connectors. The Clamp-Connect products function using simple lever mechanisms to clamp down on the wire ends to create a secure, gas-tight connection. Connected wires require substantial force to remove once secured. Most other connector types rely on the twisting of stripped wire ends to hold the connection together. This allows the connection to be pulled apart with very little force and can result in an inconsistent flow of electricity if there is not enough direct contact between the wire ends. The Clamp-Connect system individually secures each wire end within a dedicated terminal. The connector then shares the electrical current between the terminals using internal components resulting in a stronger and more stable connection. In fact, we were able to suspend over 50 pounds of weight using only two clamp-connect terminals. Additionally, the Clamp-Connect Junctions include a silicone filled casing which surrounds the connection making it completely water resistant and capable of handling direct-ground burial.
3. What sets these products apart from other connectors?
VOLT has actually done direct comparison tests with some of the most popular connectors used in the landscape lighting industry to see how our Clamp-Connectors stack up. With “twist-on” connectors, installers are forced to disassemble and untangle the entire connection to access just one wire. With these connectors, installers can easily disconnect and reconnect wires to a system after the initial installation. Since each wire has its own connection terminal, a single fixture could be removed from a connection without affecting the other fixtures connected. This has shown to be extremely useful when troubleshooting or adding additional fixtures to a lighting system. Also, the time savings provided by Clamp-Connect style junctions should not be ignored. We had an installer connect 6 fixtures to a transformer using two Macro Junctions and then again with two traditional twist connectors. The Macro Junctions enabled the installer to complete the task twice as fast and resulted in a much stronger connection.