fiberoptic

12-17 benedetti art
Burning Sensations
If you've been a contractor for any length of time, it's likely that you've installed more 500-watt incandescent lamps (and the niches, rings and glass lenses that enclose them) than you can easily count. These fixtures aren't installed as commonly as they once were, but there are
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The lighting of water in motion is equal parts engineering and art. To be successful at it, observes Paul L’Heureux of Crystal Fountains, you need to combine an understanding of the available technology with an eye for what’s involved in accenting movement with light. Here, in the second part of his discussion of fountain lighting, he gets specific about techniques that bring moving water to life when the sun goes down.
Light Sensations
Just as a painting comes alive with a tiny lamp perched over its frame or a simple landscape becomes a nighttime spectacle with strategically placed spot and flood lights, illuminated water creates an intense experience for the eyes. Lighting adds depth and dimension while revealing subtle details and producing emotional responses among those who view and enjoy these scenes. The simple truth is, if we didn't light water in fountains and other watershapes, much of its visual beauty would be lost.  As we discussed in "Guiding the Lights" (WaterShapes, March 2001, page 48), understanding and applying the various approaches and techniques of lighting water enables professional watershapers to operate on whole new levels. In the following pages, we'll continue that discussion with a look at what it takes to maximize the aesthetic effects of water in motion and discuss some practical issues having to do with lighting installation and safety. SOLUTIONS IN MOTION Last time, we identified the various categories of water effects, design considerations for each and the most effective of the available lighting solutions.  This time we'll
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Valued for their varying colors and ability to provide both point-source and band-lighting effects, fiberoptic lighting systems have been a popular choice in and around aquatic environments for many years. Their variety offers designers a most useful level of design flexibility, says watershaper Paolo Benedetti, who shows what he means as he walks us through the installation of four different fiberoptic lighting systems on a single recent project.
Strands of Light
I love the versatility of fiberoptic lighting:  The technology works equally well in conjunction with landscaping or architectural features, and because there's no electrical current to worry about at the light fixtures themselves, they're a natural around water.   Better yet, you can use fiberoptics to create traditional point-light sources, or you can set them up as mellow bands of light over long stretches.  I don't use fiberoptics on every job, but when the situation is right and the customer is willing, I'm eager to dig in and design a system that will wow them for years to come. As is true with any lighting system, the main reason to use fiberoptics is
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‘ASK THE MASTERS’ SHOWCASE