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Cutting traditional lights smaller


~DOC~

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Ok I know we can cut wire on a light string that is series at the two wire portion of a light string. But what plug do I need to make the other half usable. Working with Walmart holiday time lights.

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44 minutes ago, ~DOC~ said:

Ok I know we can cut wire on a light string that is series at the two wire portion of a light string. But what plug do I need to make the other half usable. Working with Walmart holiday time lights.

Are you talking incans or LEDS?

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I guess I should ask do I use regular SP1 or SP2 plugs? I am making sort of a not so mega mega tree. I have high winds in winter time. So I only want my tree the length of a 50 led light string. Maybe 13ft. I have a lot of lights 100 and 150 lights per string. I want to cut them down. Hence the question for the plug. 

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I use the plugs that are on the incan light strings. I cut them off of old strings and then splice them onto the ends of the led strings. SP1 & SP2 plugs are too big.

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If you go with (fused) Vampire plugs,  put a short piece of the SPT the plug was designed for, then splice for the reason DougP said. Avoid the hair pulling caused by flaky connections.

IMHO fused is only needed if you daisy chain strings (protects from overloaded wire)

But why not just 'Up and Over" (50 up, 50 down on the other side somewhere)?

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50 minutes ago, ~DOC~ said:

I guess I should ask do I use regular SP1 or SP2 plugs? I am making sort of a not so mega mega tree. I have high winds in winter time. So I only want my tree the length of a 50 led light string. Maybe 13ft. I have a lot of lights 100 and 150 lights per string. I want to cut them down. Hence the question for the plug. 

Instead of cutting you could always fold in half and twist together. This would double the amount of lights per string and you won't have to worry about cutting as that is an involved process.

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50 minutes ago, Mr. P said:

Instead of cutting you could always fold in half and twist together. This would double the amount of lights per string and you won't have to worry about cutting as that is an involved process.

 

1 hour ago, TheDucks said:

If you go with (fused) Vampire plugs,  put a short piece of the SPT the plug was designed for, then splice for the reason DougP said. Avoid the hair pulling caused by flaky connections.

IMHO fused is only needed if you daisy chain strings (protects from overloaded wire)

But why not just 'Up and Over" (50 up, 50 down on the other side somewhere)?

Both options are drastically better than cutting LED strands. Cutting LEDs are tricky and usually not worth the time. Either buy new lights or do as suggested. I really like Mr. P's suggestion the best. With LEDs typically amp load concerns go out the window. So doubling up the lights will help the tree look fuller.

Instead of going not so mega, build a better tree. Here in OK, we too have mega winds - and most years ice storms to boot. The use of guy wires and the such make it possible for whatever size tree you desire. 

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I am going to just take them from one side of the tree to the other this year. That will give the appearance of 16 channels to anyone looking but only 8 channels looking at it. Better than cutting😎

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