Are prelit Christmas trees safe for outside (overall)?

[Drac]

Hello all,

 

Noticed that there are some good deals on prelit trees at Walmart.  The wiring pretty much looks like the same ones used in the indoor/outdoor strands.  Anyone ever use them?

 

Thanks,

Jim

[scubado]

Only as part of my static display.  Most are prelit with incads which I don't use.  I string them with a two color led strand.  The trees aren't sturdy enough for 4 color wrapping plus snow, ice, wind or whatever Mother Nature throws at me.

[Tim Fischer]

They're probably indoor rated, but I can't think of a good reason why not to use them outdoors if they're incandescent.  The LED ones might not hold up to weather if they're not outdoor rated.

[George Simmons]

I've been using artificial trees outdoors for 20+ years. The biggest issues I've had with them is that the color of the trees themselves fades after a few years. One year we had an ice storm and a few of them kind of bit it, but they've all held up well with snow. After a significant snowfall, I always go out and shake the snow off/through the branches.

Last year I bought a dozen 6.5' trees from Wally World. (Their "A" model.) I used them in front of the house.

I Cut the plug on the incans, but left the lights in place due to the PITA of removing them. I strung a set of red, green, and blue LEDs on each of them and then overlaid the lights with a 50-bulb set of CCBs. That particular model of tree holds all that very nicely. It's nice that the trees are a bit sparse-looking. Not something I'd want indoors, but in the yard they work great!

[Drac]

Thanks guys.

 

So From what I am seeing getting a unlit tree and wrapping it in the 75% off lights might be a way to go.  They are cheaper then pre-lit anyways

 

Snow isn't too big of an issue in the Dallas area but the ice, that we get every so often.  If that happens might be better to cover with plastic bags when a storm is headed in.

 

Jim

[Klayfish]

I use them in my display as well.  They work great, with no issues.  I do use the incan lights that they come with simply because it allows me to use my light strings somewhere else.  If a section of lights goes out, then I'll unplug it and wrap it with my own strings.  They hold up fine in the weather.  Only issue I had was that a significant ice storm brought down my 7' prelit.  The ice was heavy enough to literally snap the metal base pole of the tree.