Composite lighting systems and methods of making same

A method for retrofitting a lighting system, the method comprising:

• providing a lighting assembly, the lighting assembly comprising a 120v to 12v transformer disposed at least partially in a transformer housing, a lamp housing coupled to the transformer housing, the lamp housing configured and arranged to receive a lamp with a diameter that is no greater than six inches, at least one screw-terminal-base connector disposed in the lamp housing, the at least one screw-terminal-base connector configured and arranged to receive a 12v lamp, and at least one power-supply conductive wire, each of the at least one power-supply conductive wires comprising a first length and a second length, wherein each of the at least one first lengths is coupled at one end to the transformer while an opposing end of each of the at least one first lengths is coupleable to a power supply, and wherein each of the at least one second lengths is coupled at one end to the transformer while an opposing end of each of the at least one second lengths is coupled to the at least one screw-terminal-base connector;
• severing each of the at least one first lengths of the at least one power-supply conductive wire to electrically isolate the power supply from the transformer;
• severing each of the at least one second lengths of the at least one power-supply conductive wire to electrically isolate the transformer from the at least one screw-terminal-base connector;
• removing the electrically-isolated transformer from the transformer housing;
• electrically coupling each of the at least one severed first lengths of the at least one power-supply conductive wire to a different one of the at least one severed second lengths of the at least one power-supply conductive wire;
• mounting an Edison-base receptacle to the lamp housing, the Edison-base receptacle configured and arranged to receive a 120v lamp;
• and
• electrically coupling each of the at least one second lengths of the power-supply conductive wire to the Edison-base receptacle.