Mega tree light string upside down

[Gr8wthntr]

My son noticed today that the female end of our light string on a 20' tall spiral mega tree was at the bottom of the tree. Normally this would not be a problem except, I have single strings on the tree and the male end is not accessible.

 

Can I cut of the female end, splice on a male end and just plug them in? I was able make sure the male end at the top is safe and not shorted to the tree. The light string is 50 Led and full rectified.

 

Thanks

[Orville]

My son noticed today that the female end of our light string on a 20' tall spiral mega tree was at the bottom of the tree. Normally this would not be a problem except, I have single strings on the tree and the male end is not accessible.

 

Can I cut of the female end, splice on a male end and just plug them in? I was able make sure the male end at the top is safe and not shorted to the tree. The light string is 50 Led and full rectified.

 

Thanks

 

I definitely would not recommend that!

 

One issue you're going to possibly and probably will encounter is when it rains {or snows if you're in an area that has it} and the male prongs are exposed to the elements, such as rain or snow, having them unprotected can, and possibly will cause a dead short.  As now you have 120VAC metal prongs exposed and water/snow are great conductors of electricity.   So, again, I definitely would not recommend just cutting the female end and replacing with a male end, and this from a safety standpoint. 

 

If you're using a GFCI, you "might" be okay, otherwie this is going to be a potential fire hazard waiting to happen.  

 

You'd actually, I hate to say it, be better off to go ahead and remove that strand and put it back on the correct way so your male plug is now the correct way.

 

Believe me, I've had to make changes to light strands I strung the wrong direction like that, but I just take the time to go ahead and take the strand out and reverse it so that the plug is where it needs to be.

[Dave H1]

_{From a safety point of view, I would have to concur with Orville.} 

 

_{You never stated whether the lights were incand or LED.  Regardless, instead of changing a set of lights why just create a "cheater cord" from some old strings, two male ends connected together}

[Ron Boyd]

_{From a safety point of view, I would have to concur with Orville.} 

 

_{You never stated whether the lights were incand or LED.  Regardless, instead of changing a set of lights why just create a "cheater cord" from some old strings, two male ends connected together}

Or, Just make a jumper/extension out of SPT. I had 1 out of 64 on a 20' tree and made the jumper from SPT, hooked it up and it works fine

[Santas Helper]

If it's too much of a pain to flip the strand the right way, why not just connect an extension cord at the male plug up top and run it down the pole to the controller? If it's a dark cord color, it probably wont be seen at night.

[Gr8wthntr]

Thanks everybody, we are going to brave the extension ladder, and run a cord to the top and plug in the string.

 

Thank you for the responses.

[Max-Paul]

Not sure how this might effect a spiral tree. But This is a prime example why if you built a tree taller than 10'. You are going  to want to have one of those hook heads that is on a pulley and cables that allow you to crank it up and down.