Jump to content
Light-O-Rama Forums

Weatherproofing


pabryang

Recommended Posts

Had a big problem last year with rain and wet snow/ice.

Anyone have tips on what they do to combat this? I have never weatherproofed my connections etc... should I?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 95
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Greg Young

    7

  • Tim Herberger

    7

  • George Simmons

    7

  • rgardner518

    6

What I did was put electrical tape across each of the non-used female plug ends. Also made sure that the connections were off the ground. Just my $0.02

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Arnoldc wrote:

What I did was put electrical tape across each of the non-used female plug ends.


thats a bad idea. it will only trap water that does get in. I tried that my first year and it caused more problem. My dogs kept getting zapped when the walked to close to anything, and it kept tripping my gfci.
I use wire drier, its for electric system in cars. after i build my arch i just spray the whole thing. same with my mini's and mega tree. on my connections, i use dyelectric grease.

Arnoldc wrote:
Also made sure that the connections were off the ground. Just my $0.02


that does help.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the past, I have wrapped plastic sandwich bags and even used plastic wrap. Used zip ties or electrical tape to close the ends. Never had any problems with water getting in as long as it wasn't submerged.

The dyelectic grease is a good idea if you know it's gonna be soaked all the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I pound a small wooden stake in the ground wherever I have a connection on the ground and then zip tie the chord to the stake a few inches off the ground. That way they won't lay in puddles. I also close off any open female ends using those cheap plastic child proofing things you put in outlets. Seems to work well for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use those plastic caps like Jim does. I also try and tie the connections (zip tie) off the ground whenever possible.

Even had a couple of the connections "submerged" in a puddle last year and the GFCI NEVER tripped once, just had those little child proof caps plugged into the back of the male receptacle (female pass through) and also inserted snugly into the female end connectors. Never had a single issue.

I used to also use electricl tape, but after reading folks comments and after unwrapping one before I started using the plastic plug caps, and finding a very wet interior, no more electrical tape, just too high a risk of getting zapped (especially if you DO NOT have GFCI outlets!).

I also painted all those caps black so they'd disappear after dark. They were originally a white plastic and light hitting them made them sort of "glow" when the light hit them.

You can find them at Wal-Mart, if I recall a pack of 25 will run around $1.98 (or they did when I purchased mine). So that price may be higher now.

I used them very successfully during my 2010 show in very rainy and wet weather, even during the rainstorms we get here in Florida and they withstood the water test, show never went off, never tripped my GFCI the entire season!

I also try and point the female receptacle ends and male pass throughs downward to help prevent any GFCI trips or water getting into the female openings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last year I lost a string of lights due to getting zapped.

In Texas it typically isn't too wet over the Holidays. However; I plan to use those child safety caps as well to reduce the chance of my lights tripping. Of course this means the kids are on their own not to get shocked since I pulled them out of all the outlets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We live in Oregon, and it is REALLY wet here during the Winter. Everything is damp, and we even get moss in places. We may get one or two small snowfalls during the winter also.

I have not had a problem with my static displays over the years, and no problems last year with 10k lights for my first LOR year. It was not a super wet winter, but still 15 inches during December.

I have not covered any of the empty sockets, just keep them off the ground a bit. No shorts, lots of water, but no problems at all.

All of the LOR cases are off the lawn, most on the side of the house or fence when possible, but always off the ground.

I agree with those that say, the more you try to cover them, them more you introduce the water collecting, and it can become more of a problem than if they were not covered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

paulanator wrote:

I agree with those that say, the more you try to cover them, them more you introduce the water collecting, and it can become more of a problem than if they were not covered.


Well on this I do disagree. Without the plastic covers pushed into the female receptacles, and even off the ground and pointing downward, I had issues with the GFCI tripping constantly every time it rained, the sprinkler system came on, anytime it was wet, and the show would start, then ZAP, it stopped.

Using these child protective caps in every exposed female receptacle I had put an immediate stop to that. They fit extremely snug and basically make the receptacle extremely waterproof. Definitely worked 100% of the time and definitely work much better than trying to use tape of any kind on the female receptacles.

Once I used them, my show ran without any further problems and I never had a single GFCI trip after using them.

Personally, I didn't think they would work, but it was a "try and see" what happens with them. I was very impressed at how well and how efficiently they DID work! Much better than I really expected.

So you'll not find any exposed female receptacles in my display, they will all be closed and covered with these little child proof electrical outlet safety caps. Best (and probably cheapest) money and easiest method I found to prevent GFCI trips and keeping my show running no matter how hard it rains or how much water hits them.

The only time I spent on them was in painting them flat black so they wouldn't be seen, as stated in a previous post, they tend to "glow" when the light hits them due to the white plastic they are made from. Plus I think the paint also helps to make them fit a little tighter into the receptacle, giving an even better watertight fit into the receptacle.

And they are much easier to use than any tape! I highly recommend using these "plastic outlet safety caps" over tape, or any other sealing method to keep moisture/water out of the female receptacle ends of your exposed plugs.

Never lost a single string the entire Holiday season, and, never had a GFCI trip after using them the entire Holiday season!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Cliff notes version: Child saftey caps = good / tape = bad...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is similar to the caps I have. We bought them 10 years ago so I'm not sure where we got them.
170606430467_1.jpg

Has anyone tried using heat shrink tubing to make connections water proof?

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRDL72AbT1UL_riyiGs3gk1DHpnOe4mu8DJRyqKtDrakGDRU0A0Ag

Then there is this cover you can buy to make your extension cord connections waterproof.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

jstorms wrote:

This is similar to the caps I have. We bought them 10 years ago so I'm not sure where we got them.
170606430467_1.jpg

Has anyone tried using heat shrink tubing to make connections water proof?

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRDL72AbT1UL_riyiGs3gk1DHpnOe4mu8DJRyqKtDrakGDRU0A0Ag

Then there is this cover you can buy to make your extension cord connections waterproof.



Got the caps just like your first photo.

Yes, I have heat shrink over a lot of "connections" on home made extension cords I've done, after I test the connection to make sure it's good and works, I actually place a small dab of silicone inside each end of the heat shrink before I heat it up to shrink it down. The "hair dryer" both shrinks and helps cure the silicone at each end since it is such a small amount. This makes the connection very water tight and I've not had any fail yet and I've got some connections that spent 3+ years outdoors powering water features and they still work just fine.

Have not used the last item, have thought about them, but they are so bulky and large looking that I figured they could possibly detract from the display. Plus they co$t a lot more than the child safety caps and the heat shrink/silicone method.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

jstorms wrote:

Then there is this cover you can buy to make your extension cord connections waterproof.


I love my cord connects. Not only does it keep them water tight, It prevents them from pulling apart. See if the plug comes apart just enough, than water can connect between the two contacts. I have about 100 of these. I don't use them were the plugs connect into the controllers, because they are all off the ground, but of EVERY cord that lays on the ground.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

ny_yankee_25 wrote:

jstorms wrote:
Then there is this cover you can buy to make your extension cord connections waterproof.


I love my cord connects. Not only does it keep them water tight, It prevents them from pulling apart. See if the plug comes apart just enough, than water can connect between the two contacts. I have about 100 of these. I don't use them were the plugs connect into the controllers, because they are all off the ground, but of EVERY cord that lays on the ground.


I don't have that issue(cords coming apart). I use "zip ties" to keep my cords closed and connected. I make a loop in one cord and then zip tie using two zip ties,they are right behind the cord connections. The zip ties are directly behind and at each end of the cord connection. Never had a single cord pull apart and I couldn't even pull them apart when using this method.

I'll have to set one up and take a photo as this would probably be something that would be easier to understand seeing a photo as opposed to possibly trying to just explain it in a textual format.

Still a lot cheaper (and more hideen) than those cord covers! Also leaves more money for additional display items, lights or other goodies.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's a photo of how I zip tie my extension cords. Note: The larger white zip ties were used for clarity and easier viewing in the photo to denote their location and how they are used.

Usually the zip ties are black in color and are a lot smaller in size (both circumference when connected, length and thickness) that makes for a tighter and more secure fit. This keeps the connections both secure, and from being pulled apart or taken apart without first cutting the zip tie holding it.

I have used this method for years, long before I knew what a Light-O-Rama controller was. It also protects your extension cords or display items plugged into from being heisted from your yard by zip tying each cord end to each other in this respect. It won't prevent vandalism to an element, but it does help keep it from being "walked" off with. I use other methods for securing display items, but this is the main way I have secured my cords for well many years now. Haven't lost a single cord or display item to date.

NOTE2: I do try to elevate all connections when possible or feasible. Although most often they just lie on the ground.




Attached files 251067=13649-Cord-Photo.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeff Millard wrote:

Since when is this hobby about pinchin' pennies?!? Good Lord!

Jeff


Because for some of us those "pinched pennies" equates to a lot of $$$ in the end run.

So if I can save myself some $$$, as well as others, and it has proven itself to work and work safely, well I'm for saving as much as I can to get other things I want(as I am sure others are).

Pinched pennies do add up!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think those extension cords are rated for use outdoors...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest wbottomley

WOW. I never do any of the above and never have any problems. Too much of a time killer for me. I have bigger fish to fry.

But, good idea though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...