FarrOut Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I found this site that sells SPT-1 wire for about 16 cents a foot for 1000 foot rolls delivered.Anyone got anything better? http://www.awcwire.com/Part.aspx?partname=SPT-1-18/2 ThanksDennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thevikester Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 christmaslightshow sells it for 13.3 cents a foot for 1000 feet, but they are currently out of stock http://www.christmaslightshow.com/Spt1-Wire-Plugs-and-Sockets-for-Christmas-outdoor-decorations.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCas4380 Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Well how is 13.6 cent a foot and no shipping?http://menards.com/main/electrical/electrical-cords/extension-cords/18-2-250-gold-lamp-cord/p-1462756-c-6410.htmI know Lowes and Home depot will Price match also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan24438 Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 http://wlcventures.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=69&zenid=eo29gau2i1pr7rdmdvkusu0r46 9.9 per foot plus shipping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thevikester Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Damn..I miss Menards, having moved from Minnesota to Florida, no Menards, and no price match from Louies or Homie Depot since they are not local. I always loved Menards Christmas section... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCas4380 Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Damn..I miss Menards, having moved from Minnesota to Florida, no Menards, and no price match from Louies or Homie Depot since they are not local. I always loved Menards Christmas section...Darn Now you have me thinking I want to move to FL if i can find the right job. But i would be giving up My stores! maybe you could try some other hardware stores and see if the will match online pricing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkDr Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I'm sure I'm going to regret mentioning this, but to my knowledge and experience most inexpensive SPT wire is not rated for outdoor use except where it has been specifically indicated by the manufacturer for such use (ie: low voltage underground landscape lighting wire usually in 10-14 gauge). While all SPT cable does have a water resistant rating, most do not carry a UV (sunlight) resistant designation and are therefore not rated for outdoor use. Some of the same folks who harp (and justifiably so) about the use of GFI's have no problem rolling out thousands of feet of SPT for their displays with "speedy" or "quickie" plugs on either end. To me, this just reinforces the need for GFI's even further. And yes, the light string manufacturers do use SPT in many of their strings. I don't have the full background of information behind it, but the answer lies in the fact that they submitted their finished product to Underwriters Laboratories for testing and were able to attain a UL listing for an outdoor rated product as a result. Therefore, the SPT wire they are using must have an outdoor rating. UL doesn't "certify" anything. They simply test products to perform as claimed by a manufacturer and then provide their labeling and published documentation as proof of validating those claims. Hence why everything says UL listed, rather than UL certified. By using a wire not rated for the application in which it is being used, a homeowner is, in essence, giving their insurance provider an "out" to deny a claim if something were to go wrong and everything were to go up in smoke. I'd like to think it would never play out that way, but it's not a chance I'm willing to take. FYI - my background is 20+ years in the residential & commercial electrical trade. This doesn't make me an expert...it just makes me a little more experienced than some others may be. Let the indignation & rebuttals flow freely! We'll all be smarter after some back and forth discussion on the topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasmadrive Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I'm sure I'm going to regret mentioning this, but to my knowledge and experience most inexpensive SPT wire is not rated for outdoor use except where it has been specifically indicated by the manufacturer for such use (ie: low voltage underground landscape lighting wire usually in 10-14 gauge). While all SPT cable does have a water resistant rating, most do not carry a UV (sunlight) resistant designation and are therefore not rated for outdoor use. Some of the same folks who harp (and justifiably so) about the use of GFI's have no problem rolling out thousands of feet of SPT for their displays with "speedy" or "quickie" plugs on either end. To me, this just reinforces the need for GFI's even further. And yes, the light string manufacturers do use SPT in many of their strings. I don't have the full background of information behind it, but the answer lies in the fact that they submitted their finished product to Underwriters Laboratories for testing and were able to attain a UL listing for an outdoor rated product as a result. Therefore, the SPT wire they are using must have an outdoor rating. UL doesn't "certify" anything. They simply test products to perform as claimed by a manufacturer and then provide their labeling and published documentation as proof of validating those claims. Hence why everything says UL listed, rather than UL certified. By using a wire not rated for the application in which it is being used, a homeowner is, in essence, giving their insurance provider an "out" to deny a claim if something were to go wrong and everything were to go up in smoke. I'd like to think it would never play out that way, but it's not a chance I'm willing to take. FYI - my background is 20+ years in the residential & commercial electrical trade. This doesn't make me an expert...it just makes me a little more experienced than some others may be. Let the indignation & rebuttals flow freely! We'll all be smarter after some back and forth discussion on the topic. SparkDr... First off.. love the handle! The reason they get the UL listing is partly due to the fact that all of the holiday lights are rated for no more then 90 day temporary usage. All of the product labels and the NEC tell us that. The NEC also says GFCI for everything outdoors! As for those of us using the SPT wire, we don't really worry about the UV rating because it is being used not only for a very short time, but during the time of year that the UV is pretty much a none issue.. at least here in the states. Not so much for the Ausies.. Not sure anyone really thinks about it that much.. but I have.. (I have had to get lighting product thru UL before... what a nightmare). One thing that would greatly help the GFI tripping issue is when we start using the low voltage lights and common power supplies. I added some of those this last season and using outdoor rated supplies that are completely potted made it easy.. No tripping, no water worries, no power issues what so ever.. I think it will work its way to that end eventually for us in the blinky flashy hobby arena... But in the mean time.. the GFCIs are necessary.. and I think we all know that.. now sure we all adhere to that.. but we all know it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 This doesn't make me an expert...it just makes me a little more experienced than some others may be. And those hundreds of us around here who are even more experienced than you fully recognize and accept the limitations of SPT1, for we've found it works well for our needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shfr26 Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 (edited) Skycraftsales in ORlando Fl usually has SPT for about 10 cents a foot. Edited January 30, 2013 by shfr26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Considering that we use our Xmas display cords for about 2 months, the amount of UV exposure is short. Plus UV exposure during Xmas season is nearly zilch compared to summer (see below). So UV damage isn't going to be the thing that will damage the cord first (for Christmas season displays--year round use may be a different story). Difference in UV from December to June. Note, UV index has nothing to do with temp. In the winter, the sun is hitting the northern hemisphere at a much greater angle so therefore the UV rays are blocked a lot more by the atmosphere, which is why the UV index is much lower that time of year (whereas in the summer the rays hit more directly on). See maps above for summer/winter comparison of the UV index for your area. UV index in Florida duringthe winter is still extremely low. That is why Floridians may have noticed that you are much more likely to get sunburn on a 80 degree day in the summer compared to a 80 degree day in the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts