Christmas lighting

[Jeff Ivers]

In the past I have decorated with traditional C-9 Christmas lights, shortening the strings, as needed, to get a neater look by cutting the wires and crimping a cap connetor over each wire separately. This year I decided to switch to LED lights. These strings start out with 2 wires and then magically become a 3-wire run. I do not understand the wiring on these and do not see a way to safely shorten them (don't want to cause premature failure of the LEDs). Does anyone know a safe way to do this? Alternately, it might help if I could lengthen the run between two bulbs with plain wire. Does anyone know a source for matching wire?

 

[IDASHO]

If they are like all of the LED lighting we stock and sell at my work, you cannot shorten them.

LEDs are voltage sensitive, and the strands are wired in such a way that reducing the number of bulbs on a strand will result increasing the voltage to the remaining bulbs.

And it is NEVER good to over-drive an LED

 

[VHF]

I don’t see a problem splicing in some additional wire as long as you keep the 3 wires straight. Typical wattage is around 3.5W for a whole string of LEDs, so we’re not talking about very high current.

The 3 wires would be (a) the LED lamps in a series run (b) a neutral returning current back from the far end and (c) a hot wire feeding 120V to the receptacle on the far end.

A good source for matching wire be a bad set of Christmas lights that someone is throwing away--or just buy a new $2 set of incandescent mini lights and rob some wire!

 

[Falcon67]

I'm sticking with my C9s. I can't handle the LED look yet.

 

[Mattlt]

I've seen that 2 and 3 wire setup on some old incandescent strings too. I've never really looked into it, but I think it has something to do with being able to make them flash by using a special flashing bulb, placed at strategic points along the string.

I admire your workmanship if you actually cut strings of lights to make them fit. Usually when I'm hanging them I'm freezing my tail feathers off and I just want to get it done quickly!

 

[jhelrey]

It's 3 wire so if a bulb goes out, it does not kill the entire set.