Cutting Incan rope light

[Maine Lights]

Does anyone know if you can cut incan rope light that you buy from the box store to custom lengths?  Making a singing face tree and am wondering how to take care of the excess.

[indi]

Does anyone know if you can cut incan rope light that you buy from the box store to custom lengths?  Making a singing face tree and am wondering how to take care of the excess.

I tried to find the cut length on the big box store rope lights but was unable too. I ended up getting a 150' roll and only using about 50' of it. But, when I bought it, it said cut was 18", but when I got it, it was 36". Seems like anything less than 150' I can't find the cut length.

Good luck. Hope you can find out at the big box store.

[LORisAwesome]

I belive that LED rope light has a longer cut length than Incandescent rope light.

 

Jerry

[griswald]

I ended up buying 150' rolls as well that were cuttable every 3'. My faces worked out so most of the face parts were various increments of 3' (6', 12', etc), but I did have some excess on a few. I just covered the extra with black tape.

[Bob VandenBoom]

Most incan rope light can be cut at 18" to 24" lengths.  The big box store rope light probably doesn't have these intervals marked.  Look at the wires inside the rope light.  There should be two wires connecting each bulb.  If you look closely, you will find a place where it looks like there is a jumper between the wires - usually, but not always, every 18".  You can cut the rope between the lights that the jumper is between.  Anywhere else you will ruin that section of lights.  It might help to hold a flashlight against the rope light to see the wires better.

[Wayne K]

A couple of years ago I bought an 18 footer at menards and could not see any cut marks on it. So I proceeded to cut off the last 3-4" to see what lights went out and I was able to measure from that and made a cut at where I thought that length was and it worked for what I was doing. This was a couple of years ago.  

Wayne

[Maine Lights]

Thanks for the replies.  I guess I will cut and see.  I have a few extras so worse case if I ruin a few its not a big deal.  Where is the best place to buy rolls of it?

[caniac]

Thanks for the replies.  I guess I will cut and see.  I have a few extras so worse case if I ruin a few its not a big deal.  Where is the best place to buy rolls of it?

only place I have been able to find it is 1000bulbs.com

[CLD Kevin]

Word of caution from personal experience...as well what I read other say. If you purchase 150ft rolls...or whatever length, plug it in a run it for a couple of days. Maybe connect to a controller and blinky. Last thing you want is to install and have sections burn out...and can almost guarantee sections will go out.

BUT and say this in caps, don't run on the spool. I recently had a client run over a weekend and left it on at his job. Came back on Monday and the spool was melted. Lucky didn't catch fire. It was incan rope and runs hotter than LEDs, but I would unroll...or at least be there to monitor.

[CLD Kevin]

I get mine from actionlighting.com

[DSE]

Christmas-leds.com has rolls and custom cut lengths down to 20 inches

if this helps