Can you cut incan icicle lights?

[rainyoregonchristmas]

I'm trying to make a lot of snowflakes and have old strings of incan icicles, but each string is about twice as large as I need it to be. Has anyone tried cutting icicles? Any success?

[Aaron Maue]

Probably depends on the strand, but I was able to cut mine in half last year. Right in the middle of the strand, where it goes from 3 wires down to 2, and before it goes back up to 3 again.

[Wayne K]

Yes I have cut mine. But only cut them in half. On my strings half way thru it goes to 2 wire and that is where I have cut them down. I don't remeber for sure but I think my icicles where 200 count so they were basically 2 sets of 100. What I used then was the first half and heat shrinked the cut wires on the end and used the second half for spare bulbs

[George Simmons]

I do not remember if when you cut you have to reattach the female pug or not.

The only scenario where you need to re-attach the female plug at the end of the string is if you want to connect another set of lights in series to the one you've just shortened.

[Orville]

I will cut strands in half to make two strands from one set. Done that quite a few times. Just add a new male plug to the two wires on the second half you just cut. Have also added female plugs to the end of the strand I just cut so I could add another strand to it if needed in the future, but most often I just add a drop of super glue over the cut end on the wire inside the insulation, let dry for a moment, then put heat shrink over each wire with a little extra over the ends for folding back, shrink, then fold those back, put another larger piece of heat shrink over that and shrink down. I will then add another dab of super glue on the end and makes a nice water tight seal.

[LOR Staff]

The only scenario where you need to re-attach the female plug at the end of the string is if you want to connect another set of lights in series to the one you've just shortened.

One would hope you do something with those bare ends -- liquid electrical tape, heat shrink, something

FYI.... The easy way to determine where to cut is to pull a bulb from a section. At the spot that the lights go from OUT to ON is the cut point. As someone else said, you'll see there are only 2 wires between those 2 bulbs.

[rainyoregonchristmas]

I checked my strings, it does that twice... looks like I will have plenty for my snowflakes. Thanks for all the input.