Plugs from Mini-Lights

[wglyons]

So, before I took a bunch (15 strands) of non working mini-lights to Home Depot for trade-in, I cut off the ends of the strings. I now have about 25 male and female plugs that I was thinking I could use for my SPT wire, and save the money on buying vampire plugs. While I am aware this process will be more tedious with wire stripping and crimping, does anyone see a problem with doing this? I can't imagine that this would not work, provided I make certain that I connect them properly...

Thanks,

Greg

[Guest guest]

Assuming the mini-light plugs have a small length of lighter gauge wire than the SPT, that would be my only concern..you have to account for that in any load planning.

Probably best to solder and heat shrink the connections, but that's just one person's opinion...that suggestion alone will start some good debate..

[gizmomkr]

Yeah, the smaller gugage wire would be my first worry - SPT-1 is usally 18, I tihnk mini wire is about 24 - maybe 26. Thats NOT safe for 10 AMPS.

But that wont really be a problem because I would think most of these plugs (at least the male end) have a small fuse inside. So - your SPT is going to handel way more amps than your fise is rated for. This really isnt dangerous at all. (it sounds funny) but a fuse on each output is actually safer. But, you cant load the SPT with anything more than the fuse rating.

In a perfect world, Id have a breaker or a fuse on EVERY output of the controller - If we all had fuses on EVERY line - we would blow the fuse (hopefully) before we blew the triac.

But sadly, thats added cost and size for the board

[JBullard]

I share Don's concern since many mini-lights only have 20 - 22 AWG wire. And the fuses in those plugs are usually only 3 amps.

Overloading and popping the fuses, could lead to real trouble shooting problems during the display, since the max safe current draw to use for that cord will be about 2.5 amps.

Seems like a whole lot of extra trouble, and a waste of the 7-10 amp capacity of the SPT wire.

After all, SPT plugs only cost 50 cents or so each.

[brownjm74]

I was making 100ct strands into 150ct strands for my mega tree and I kept the male & female ends. I have used these to make short (5' or less) cords that connect non-polarized mini strands together. Otherwise I would agree with everyone else, watch for the limited amp draw capacity.

Jeremy B