TonyD Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I'm worried only because i've only done this for the past 2 years during drought conditions. So i hardly had to worry about rain when setting up or during the show. I'm expecting i'll have to factor in much more time unless i want to be out in the rain setting up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sax Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I set up the lights and fixtures in the rain. I run the show while raining. I take down the show in the rain. It is called life in Oregon..Do not put tape on your plugs. This only causes issues. Face the female plug down towards the ground. I use vampire plugs. Never had an issue in 3 years. As far as what to do for your strings etc....use only outdoor rated strings. CCRs are outdoor rated as long as you make the proper connections and if you cut them use the included silicone to waterproof the cut end. For made rgb, get ip 68 lights and waterproof with glue or silicone at the connection points.I did have a pixel string go out last year. Found one of my orings had failed on my connector. Corrected it in the rain...had to dry the plug and install new oring but I was able to do this in the rain. But for all rgb connections...make sure the oring is installed and not nicked or cut. And make sure to tighten the connections so the oring is compressed.Don't fear the rain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hans Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Seriously... don't over-think it. If everything runs through GFCI plugs safety isn't an issue. Be careful doing your set up so that electrical connections are off the ground, plug ends point down to drain and you've done all you can to insulate metal props from ground. I turn my show on Friday after thanksgiving and don't give it a thought until I turn it off new year's eve.... rain, snow, ice, wind. If a GFCI pops during rain, reset it. If it keeps popping disconnect everything from that plug and add them in again one at a time until you see what is causing it to pop... fix that and move on. My only real worry is those D**N rabbits that like to eat my cords!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomsusie Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 " My only real worry is those D**N rabbits that like to eat my cords!!!!!!!" In my case it is squirrels that eat my cords! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 " My only real worry is those D**N rabbits that like to eat my cords!!!!!!!" In my case it is squirrels that eat my cords! I feed my squirrels...well...they eat what the birds drop on the ground...so they have never chewed on my cords... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I feed both squirrels and rabbits things that encourage them to go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomsusie Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 We live in the woods so squirrels are everywhere. Impossible to keep them away. It is usually the wires that are in the trees or off the ground that they munch on. Occasionally they'll get one on the ground but not that often. The good news is that if I have a section that goes off I usually know why -- just trace the wire until the break is found. But I'll put up with them to be able to live here surrounded by nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arteom Posted August 31, 2015 Author Share Posted August 31, 2015 (edited) Thanks everyone for your help, I feel a little more confident about leaving the lights on in the rain. Perhaps the Oregon folks can help me on this: do you notice any sort of life decrease with lights that are in the rain? Most lights that I have will rust on the inside socket if too much water gets in, at times this causes half or the whole string to go out. We live in the woods so squirrels are everywhere. Impossible to keep them away. It is usually the wires that are in the trees or off the ground that they munch on. [...] We don't live in the woods, nonetheless our squirrels love to chew up the thin green wires of standard mini Christmas lights. Edited August 31, 2015 by Arteom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl Lambert Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Most lights that I have will rust on the inside socket if too much water gets in.For my unsealed lights I put a little dielectric grease in the socket. Keeps the water out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arteom Posted September 8, 2015 Author Share Posted September 8, 2015 I had a strange slap in the face today. It's closer than I realized... The insanity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmilkie Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 What happens if y'all have the "Big One" and a whole chunk slides off into the ocean during an El Nino? Would that help the drought any? We'll go down lights a blinkin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Sarge Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 What company already has their Christmas Lights out in Sac. I am down in Palmdale and Halloween stuff just came out starting last week here... No Christmas 100 count minis yet that I can find.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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