Need Help Solder SPT wire to LED String of light

[dtp2435]

Hello Experts,

I have a LED String of light that I need to solder to a SPT 2 wire. The problem is that there are 3 wires on the LED string but there are only two wires on the SPT 2 wire. How do I connect them? Thanks for your help!!!

Danny

[Ponddude]

The lights are wired in parallel. That means two wires are the hot and one is the neutral. Two can be wired together and the other goes to the other wire.

Actually, coming out of the plug should just be two wires. If their isn't that means that the diode is right in the plug and you most like can't run the lights that way. Remember, LEDs do not run on AC power.

[dtp2435]

I got this light from Lowes

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=33194-25734-97416LO&lpage=none

there are a total of 3 wires on each end of the plugs. The SPT 2 wire only has 2 wires. Is it safe to connect them?

Thanks

[cmoore60]

I would say not it is not safe. The plugs have the electronics for your strings as Ponddude said.

Chuck

[dtp2435]

Thanks for the help!!! I guess I will return them and get a regular LED light.

[Ponddude]

Out of curiosity, why do you want to solder the wire directly to the strand? Can't you just plug the lights directly into a plug on the spt?

[Max-Paul]

There are two ways that I can think of that you can attach your wires directly to the plug, besides what Ponddude has suggested.

1. solder the wires on the prongs of the plugs and then using heat shrink tubing to inclose the bare wire/prong.

2. crimp on 1/4 female quick connects and slide the Q.C. over the prongs which I have done. I also put some heat shrink tubing over these due to the fact that the Q.C. connectors do not go all of the way up to the base of the plug.

[dtp2435]

Ponddude,

I am building an arch and need to run the wire down to the end. I need to cut off the male plug at the end of the channel and solder the string to the SPT and run it to the end of the PVC.

I went back to Home Depot and see they have other brand of LED lights which only have 2 wires at the plugs. The one I am having right now is GE brand which has 3 wires at the plugs.

Thank you,
Danny

[Steven]

The GE strings are pretty nice LED strings. I have several in my display.

They are full-wave strings, but the 4 diodes in the full-wave rectifier are split with 2 diodes in the plug, and 2 in the socket at the other end. This allows them to have a full-wave string that passes the AC all the way through while only needing 3 wires.

Other full-wave strings I use have the rectifier in a lump near the plug. The result of this is that the socket at the end of the string has 120 volts DC, which is kind of weird. It did have one advantage, however. When the rectifier on one of my strings failed, I simply cut it off and plugged it into the socket end of another string. Now both strings are full-wave using just one rectifier.

Danny, another option you have is to split a segment of SPT-2 to make a single wire. Then, tape it to a segment of SPT-2 so you'll have a 3-wires cable. Splice it to the front of your string, using the original plug and making sure you don't forget which wire is the "3rd" wire. (It's the one that connects to the first LED.)