Roof Outline Lights

[brownjm74]

I was wondering if any of you have used Light Clip Strip from Colonnade Lights.

Here's their link: http://www.colonnade.com/Colonnade%20new%20site_files/Page696.htm

I want to outline the roof with R,G,W mini's and just debating on how to do it. From what I see I will use Stainless Steel Staples to permanently install the clip strip. Just thought I would pick your brains.

[chipwdw]

sorry just saw this....YES for couple of years! i use clip strip and it works great for me. cut my set up and tear down time down by 80%. only problem i am having is attaching to roof singles, dont want to screw into shingles, so i used a polyurethane glue from lowes. it worked great but over the summer the strips tend to 'move' from getting hot in the FL sun and have pulled up in some spots... and in a few it ripped the shingle! guess the glue held too good. no problems on the metal & wood areas or on the stucco sides of the house. really made the clean look that i wanted. took some time to put the strips up, gluing and cutting to fit, and took a bit to put the clips on the lights. but well worth it once i put up the first string, it used to take 2 hr or more using under shingle clips, with the clip strip took all of 10min including getting on and off the roof. i just need to find a good way to put down on the shingles.

chip

[blainedead]

Looks like a great idea to me. The only problem I see is that they don't have clips for C6 LEDs (which I just bought a boatload of)...and that the initial investment is fairly large.

[PaulXmas]

I put in an order (I have C9s) and Fred has paid for the shipping!
I think it saves me about $80.
I have somewhere around 1500 lights that outline my house and windows.
And this year they should be straight and all pointing the same direction!

[PaulXmas]

chipwdw wrote:

sorry just saw this....YES for couple of years! i use clip strip and it works great for me. cut my set up and tear down time down by 80%. only problem i am having is attaching to roof singles, dont want to screw into shingles, so i used a polyurethane glue from lowes. it worked great but over the summer the strips tend to 'move' from getting hot in the FL sun and have pulled up in some spots... and in a few it ripped the shingle! guess the glue held too good. no problems on the metal & wood areas or on the stucco sides of the house. really made the clean look that i wanted. took some time to put the strips up, gluing and cutting to fit, and took a bit to put the clips on the lights. but well worth it once i put up the first string, it used to take 2 hr or more using under shingle clips, with the clip strip took all of 10min including getting on and off the roof. i just need to find a good way to put down on the shingles.

chip

Chip, did you get the wire clips?
I got a box but they are too small for the wire.

[chipwdw]

no on the wire clips, just clips on the lights and it works fine. had a few bad t-storms but held up fine. only time they came loose was when the squirrels got up there or human error...bumped into, having wires really twisted around or using broken clips. sorry been out for few days just read this. also looking at having roof redone this year (before christmas lights go up) and hope to have the roofers install some kind of metal roffing type strip to attach the clipstrips to so i dont tear up the shingles. i am going to work with the roofers on this one.

[PaulXmas]

chipwdw wrote:

no on the wire clips, just clips on the lights and it works fine. had a few bad t-storms but held up fine. only time they came loose was when the squirrels got up there or human error...bumped into, having wires really twisted around or using broken clips. sorry been out for few days just read this. also looking at having roof redone this year (before christmas lights go up) and hope to have the roofers install some kind of metal roffing type strip to attach the clipstrips to so i dont tear up the shingles. i am going to work with the roofers on this one.

I ordered the wire clips but they are too small for the 2 wire on my C9 lights. Fred did send me another box at no charge but those were even worse in my opinion.
I do like the light clips and think that is all I needed.
I think I can use some of the wire clips to hold my minis at Halloween.

So heads up, if you do order these forget the wire clips!

[TJ Hvasta]

here's a video on YT that a guy ziptied his lights to 1/2" pvc, then mounted broom holders on his eaves.. he just clips the pvc pipe into the holders, for instant outline lights.. and zip-tieing, you can make certain the bulb bases are flat against the pipe.

only problem I can see is storing the pvc if he leaves the lights zipped to the pipe.. oops looking like he's using 5-6' lengths... should store easier... I like it..

[PaulXmas]

TJ Hvasta wrote:

here's a video on YT that a guy ziptied his lights to 1/2" pvc, then mounted broom holders on his eaves.. he just clips the pvc pipe into the holders, for instant outline lights.. and zip-tieing, you can make certain the bulb bases are flat against the pipe.

only problem I can see is storing the pvc if he leaves the lights zipped to the pipe.. oops looking like he's using 5-6' lengths... should store easier... I like it..

I saw that (after I ordered the light clips/tracks).
Sure makes putting up the lights quick!
Wonder if he uses them around his windows?

These light clips are going to take longer than the Crevier system but I will be doing around all the windows and door in 3 Christmas and 2 Halloween colours.

[TJ Hvasta]

I have four color 100ct strings (RGBW) wrapped together I want to ziptie to pvc pipe for the house outline.. that will give me color-changing abilitiy.. cheaper than CCRs..

[Santas Helper]

TJ Hvasta wrote:

here's a video on YT that a guy ziptied his lights to 1/2" pvc, then mounted broom holders on his eaves.. he just clips the pvc pipe into the holders, for instant outline lights.. and zip-tieing, you can make certain the bulb bases are flat against the pipe.

only problem I can see is storing the pvc if he leaves the lights zipped to the pipe.. oops looking like he's using 5-6' lengths... should store easier... I like it..

Oops, he should have checked the bulbs before putting them up LOL.

And a one foot spacing versus 4" or 2" for CDI C6 lights. That's a big difference in time of prep and such. Then mounting the brakets/clips on the roof all year. Will they hold up? Will they leak? I don't know.

[TJ Hvasta]

The clips prob get drilled in with drywall screws, so they go up quickly, just like the pipe. I saw only one bulb out. Spacing shouldnt make that much difference, besides, you ziptie it once, it stays for years.

[Santas Helper]

True on spacing.

But if mounted on the "roof" (which is the topic of this thread), will the clips go brittle and break or are they metal? Will there be leaks in the roof around the clips? That's my concern.

The "bulb out" thing was just a joke.

[LENNY RUEL]

HAh!! As soon as I saw this I thought this guy looks familiar to me. Plus he had on a Wisconsin hat and a Packer jacket so I figured he was from my area. He is, actually from Depere (by Green Bay) Name is Scott Crevier. I used to camp with a bunch of the Creviers when I was married to my first wife. But shows how small the world is again. Good idea, I use the pvc method for my rope lights but use conduit clamps to fasten them to the eaves and fascia. They are just a metal fastener kind of shaped like ? and have a hole to run a screw through. I just hang the 7-1/2' strips then from hooks on my garage ceiling off season and the lights stay hanging nice and straight. If he didn't have his daughter there to help he could have also worked with shorter pieces and put vampire plugs on them. Then just put them up 1 at a time by himself. I'm pretty much by myself in putting my stuff up so have to always come up with ways of doing this since I can't always count on Karen's help.

Lenny

[PaulXmas]

TJ Hvasta wrote:

I have four color 100ct strings (RGBW) wrapped together I want to ziptie to pvc pipe for the house outline.. that will give me color-changing abilitiy.. cheaper than CCRs..

I had RGW mini LED lights zipped together last year. This year it is WRB (couldn't find any green) C9s plus orange and purple mini incans for Halloween. Wish I knew about the PVC pipe idea because trying to get them go in the same direction was impossible. I used a wire around the windows that kept most of them straight.

[TJ Hvasta]

I've got rgbw minis as first things to get on my wishlist to do the outlining.. just hope I can find them cheap enough. I had thot of going with rope light instead and can probable do the outline under 150', but have to check the cost difference of $55/$60 roll + shipping x 4(rgbw) vs mutiple boxes of rgbw minis... size/weight difference too.. 4 rope lights banded together are lots bigger and heavier than 4 sets of minis.

Outlining the house over or under the roofline is the decision but I'd say lots easier if you're in a snowy climate..

[edge]

I went to home depot, purchased 16 foot by 3 inch wooden casing strips, drilled holes every 4 inches, wired them with separte red C9's every 12 inches, green every 12 inches and white every 12 inches. Staple the Stp wire with a insulated staples. I have over 60 of these strips. Covers lots of area quickly.

Edge

[Santas Helper]

TJ Hvasta wrote:

I've got rgbw minis as first things to get on my wishlist to do the outlining.. just hope I can find them cheap enough. I had thot of going with rope light instead and can probable do the outline under 150', but have to check the cost difference of $55/$60 roll + shipping x 4(rgbw) vs mutiple boxes of rgbw minis... size/weight difference too.. 4 rope lights banded together are lots bigger and heavier than 4 sets of minis.

Outlining the house over or under the roofline is the decision but I'd say lots easier if you're in a snowy climate..

And rope lights eat up a lot of power if using controllers. Keep that in mind.