Tivah Solid Brass TRI Colour Single

Tivah in solid brass is the one that changes. Unlike a coated or plated finish, solid brass has no surface layer to fail — it oxidises slowly to a deep, warm brown, and a scratch weathers back in rather than exposing something underneath. If you want lighting that looks like it has always been in the garden rather than like it was installed last month, this is the material that does it. The trade-off is that you cannot keep it bright without polishing it, and in a garden nobody does.

The decision that matters: this is a 12 V fitting

Tivah runs on 12 V DC and requires a suitable 12 V DC LED driver. Its installation sheet does not hedge: "Use an appropriate 12v DC LED Driver — DO NOT CONNECT LIGHT FITTING DIRECT TO 240V". It also states the two conditions that void the warranty, and both are decided by where the driver sits rather than by the fitting: "Voltage to fitting must be within + or - 5% of voltage required and cannot be installed more than 25m from LED Driver". On a long bed that usually means a driver in a garden enclosure partway down the run, not one at the house.

Where it works

• Soft, irrigated and recently turned beds — the 405 mm spike is the longest in the Tivah family and holds a heavy brass head upright where a short spike leans.
• Established, formal gardens where a fitting that ages into the planting is wanted.
• Uplighting trunks and hedging, with 90° of tilt and 270° of swivel to correct the aim as growth fills in.
• Coastal and near-coastal sites — solid brass handles salt air well, though it will darken faster there.

Specifying it

The globe is a 5 W MR16, supplied, and it is the replaceable part — the fitting outlives it. Tri-colour selectable, and the product's own table pairs each setting with its output: 270 lm at 3000K, 285 lm at 4000K and 300 lm at 5500K. On brass, 3000K is usually the right choice; cooler settings fight the warmth of the metal. The datasheet sets a 20 W ceiling for the socket, which matters only if someone fits a halogen — with LED there is no reason to approach it. Beam angle comes from the globe rather than the body, so check the beam figure on any replacement MR16, because that choice changes the result more than wattage does. Sealing is IP65, good for driven rain, sprinklers and hose-down. It is not dimmable. Cable is 2 m. Low-voltage work still belongs to a licensed electrician.

Backed by a 3-year replacement warranty.

Lights For You stocks the brass, copper and aluminium Tivah side by side — ask us for a photo of the brass after a year outdoors if you want to see where the finish actually lands.