How to Hang Christmas Lights on your Roofline like a Pro
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2022
- Perimeter Lighting with C9 Bulbs and Light Line
Welcome to our installation guide for hanging C9 lights and empty socket light line along the perimeter of your home. With a few helpful tips and tricks, you can learn how to install lights on your roofline and entry way that look clean, professional and perfect for the holidays.
Have you ever wondered how to hang Christmas lights along your roof? What about the gutters, high pitch roofs and transitions between rooflines? And what materials work best to outline doorways? In this video, we’ll answer many of your common questions about perimeter lighting, including materials, safety and techniques. Check out some of the ways to tackle challenges that come with installing light line along a home or business.
Featured in this video:
C9 12” spacing, green wire
Shop: www.christmasdesigners.com/c9...
Pro Christmas C9 Retrofit Bulbs- Warm White
Shop: www.christmasdesigners.com/ch...
Flex Clips
Shop: www.christmasdesigners.com/c9...
Vampire plugs
Shop: www.christmasdesigners.com/in...
Zip cord
Shop: www.christmasdesigners.com/in...
Timer
Shop: www.christmasdesigners.com/tw... - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
![[MIRRORED] LISA - ROCKSTAR 🎸 MV version #LISA #BLACKPINK #ROCKSTAR](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-U58DuCCtZk/mqdefault.jpg)
You look like Thomas Haden Church. I thought I was looking at Sandman
He does.😳…….he thought he could start a new life after Peter forgave him and no one would notice.💀
And sounds like Alton Brown
Lol for real
Thats why i actually clicked on the video 😂
holy fuck i can't unsee it now.
I recently bought my first new built home, and my first christmas decorating. I got some string lights then saw the C9 bulbs at a store thinking wow. Got the 100ft C9 housings, bulb seperates in LED with plugs to cut the perfect size around my front of the roof of the house, plus my borders of the garage. Really clean cut which helped me alot. I skipped the timer part but overall still happy with my result
Great advice here. Also I'm sure people appreciate your responses in the comment section. Keep up the good work.
100% agree, I asked a question and within hours had a response to it! Gives me confidence I bought from the right place
These are super helpful and I'm hanging lights for myself and my neighbor this year!
Appreciate these vids I got my new house and really want my family seeing beautiful lights this year.
Congratulations on your new house!! We hope to see what you do this year! Feel free to tag us in your display pictures!
First time ordering. These lights were easy to put together, install, and make extension cords. For my mom's two story home with one peak, installation only on the first level, took us less than 2 hours. Installation on our single story home with two peaks took us 1 1/2 hrs. I loved the custom look for both houses and glad it was very simple.
@mariepeth we're so happy to hear about your success with the installation!
Very informative. Thank you. 🎄
These videos have been super helpful. I’m looking into getting into commercial lighting. There’s so much potential where I live.
One of your current customers actually pointed me in your direction and so I’ve been binge watching videos and scouring the website 😁
That is amazing!! Good luck!
If you have any questions about products, please feel free to reach out!
customer_success@christmasdesigners.com
800.391.5280
Great video!! Thank you for sharing all of these helpful tips!! You are awesome!!
You’re awesome! This is exactly what I need! I wished you had a close up view of how you added the female in-line in the arch line of lights. Can’t wait to order next years Christmas lights from Christmas Designers.
Thank you for that video suggestion. I will add that to our list!
Awwww looks so festive!
Beautiful job
Zip cord! That's what I've been looking for for so long now. I've been trying to connect a few different strands of mini lights in one line, but with a some unlit gaps in between. Using an extension cord makes it impossible though because of the one wider male blade doesn't fit into the female end of the string lights. Thanks for illustrating this.
looking awesome
Great video.
This guy knows his stuff
Great video
Great video! Just placed an order for your kit! 😁
That's great to hear! Please reach out to us if you have any installation questions.
Good video.
Great video and amazing company! Ordered a ton of warm white and red lights from you guys!
That is great to hear! Thank you so much for being a customer of ours and we hope to see some pictures ;)
Picked up some good tips ! Thanks . !!
My eavestrough has metal leaf guard on top . Any ideas .?
My tip is to bring the lights indoors the day before installing . If you waited too long- ❄️ lol The plastic is more flexible, and less brittle. 🇨🇦
Great tip on bringing the light line indoors to warm it up in cold climates. That does make it a lot easier to work with during the installation when temperatures are very cold.
Leaf guards can be tough. We currently don't have any leaf guard clips, but there are some available on Amazon. The biggest challenge with most leaf guard clips is that they only hold the wire and not the actual socket. Some leaf guards have enough space between the gutter and the guard that a clip can slip into that space.
Great video thank you! On question came up. How do you install lights with gutters having splash guard installed? Thank you
Gutters with splash guards can be challenging. In some cases there's a seam that you can slide the clip into between the top of the gutter and the splash guard. You may have to trim part of the clip off in order for it to fit. If that is not possible, a dab of hot glue on the socket can allow it to stick to the gutter splash guard.
What do you suggest for attaching to the gutters when you have gutter guards on?
Good question! With gutter guards, our recommendation is that you go to the shingle and skip the gutter. If possible, use a shingle clip on the shingles directly above the gutter.
Great Video! Question: How do we deicide bewtween 12 or 15 inch spacing for c9 lights on a 2nd story eve? Are there images available for examples? Can 12 inch appear too busy or 15 inch appear to widely spaced and sparse?
Thank you so much for your question. Our two most popular spacings are the 12" and 15" most people do not see a big difference between the two when it is lit. It all comes down to personal preference and budget.
If you would like to email us at customer_success@christmasdesigners.com ATTN: Product Support, I can send you a picture of both options.
What advice do you have around ladder safety and peaks? I’m very comfortable with 95% of the roofline but we have one peak that’s about 26 feet up and I’m wondering if the best way to get the lights up there is to just extend the ladder and go from the front like you did, instead of trying to get on top of the roof.
That's a great question. The best method is from a ladder, as long as you have a ladder that can go that high. Ladder safety is even more imperative at those heights, so make sure you are up to speed on good ladder safety.
There are tools that professional Christmas installers use to help them install lights safely from on top of the roof. These include:
Cougar Paw shoes/boots - www.cougarpaws.com
The GOAT Steep Assist tools - www.thegoatsteepassist.com
The RidgePro - www.theridgepro.com/
Unfortunately for an average homeowner, these tools can be expensive. But in some areas you may find them for rent at a local tool rental store.
Most importantly stay safe and have fun!
Hire someone
Get Cougar Paw Roof shoes and a couple Pitch Hopper steps and get on the roof, like standing on flat ground with using those two things, all roofers have them.
@@ChristmasDesigners Pitch Hopper Steps are amazing as well
Nice
Hi, First, this has been very helpful. Secondly, can you suggest what to use if I have aluminum siding and not a brick wall? Thank you
Unfortunately with siding light set attachment is a lot more challenging. In some cases you can slide a clip under the siding to hold the line in place, however, this doesn't allow for as clean of a look as it does when you are able to anchor every socket with a dab of hot glue.
Amazing Video and work!!!
How do set the bulbs on the floor/grass to be so straight?
These were installed using light stakes. Here's a video demonstrating this type of lighting: th-cam.com/video/rBc5f8u-zoQ/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for the video. It is very helpful! 😃. Would you recommend any electrical tape on the female ends and in line females in places with lots of rain?
Taping female ends is a contentious subject with pro Christmas installers. Some insist on it and others say that moisture can still get into the female though condensation, but because it eliminates airflow, the female is unable to dry out. This then leads to more GFCI tripping issues.
Having open female ends is typically not an issue. But when it rains, you may have issues with the GFCI circuit tripping and needing to be reset.
In wet areas, if you decide to tape the end, make sure it's tape up with good quality tape and completely sealed so that it won't allow any moisture in. You can also use plug covers and gaskets. Below are links to these products on our website.
www.christmasdesigners.com/a-plug-pro-plug-cover-bag-of-5.html
www.christmasdesigners.com/a-plug-pro-gasket-bag-of-5.html
In this specific application you showed in the video. What plug would you use at the very beginning of the run where you started. I initially would have said a male plug, but since you added power in line, would you put a female plug there? Thanks!
We recommend using a female on the end of the run. Even if you are not using the female end for anything, this gives the line a safer endpoint. Some people do loop the end of the wire by folding over the last 2 inches and wrap it in electrical tape. But over the course of several holiday seasons, that tape tends to unravel. So a female slide on plug is the best solution.
When you take the lights down, what is your method for storage for say this particular customer? Do you keep all the clips on the bulbs when you take them down? Been playing around adding this to my services I offer. Thank you for your time and this video.
Great question! Check out this video with our suggestions for removing or storing Christmas lights: th-cam.com/video/ljf9_cRCfds/w-d-xo.htmlsi=mV3YkkN7um8qrvll
Thanks for video! Question, why don't you use 1 long run for the whole house in this video? I noticed you adding vampire plugs in a few areas. Is this because it's easier to have say 3 sections of light cord and lights rather than 1 long section? Appreciate your helpful video.
On this project we were unable to do a single run because the roof has different, independent sections. Refer to the video at 3:50 and you can see how the roof perimeter design is not consistent. There’s lower sections and upper sections. As a result, several runs had to be done independently and then connected to the next section with a length of zip cord. If the roofline was a single, straight design, without any architectural breaks, then a single line of zip with no cuts would not be a problem.
Great video, thanks for the tips. I love doing a lot of decorating for the holidays but have always just bought strings from Home Depot. I'm frustrated every year when near new strands have multiple lights out. Definitely was thinking of trying to upgrade, but didn't know anything about these professional empty socket lines. Always wondered how they get them to jump from one spot to another. I stumbled onto your site looking for a set of Twinkly lights for my tree. Can't wait to get those hooked up. Do they make color changing C9 lights? There is a house in the neighborhood that had purple and orange bulbs for Halloween, then shortly after had white lights for Christmas. I suspect they had these empty socket strings and just swapped out the bulbs. But this year they are color changing. I can see them fade, chase, and change colors for Halloween. Haven't seen anything like that with C9 size bulbs.
At this time we do not have a C9 bulb that you can change to any color via an app. We do have slow change and quick change but they go through all the colors.
We do have some customers that use Twinkly to outline their houses. Then they change to any color they would like.
With the Empty socket, yes, you can change the bulbs to the Christmas colors after Halloween.
Thank you so much for your comment and we appreciate you taking the time to watch our video. If you need any other assistance, please feel free to speak with one of our specialists at 800.391.5280.
@@ChristmasDesigners Definitely frustrating having to but new lights every year! How many seasons are people getting out of these?
@@Yotataco04 We can definitely understand your frustration. LED lights are meant to last longer than the 1 season. Our lights are commercial grade and you’ll typically get 6 to 8 seasons for residential applications and 4 to 6 seasons in commercial applications. We do have some best practices and tips to help keep your lights in good condition. Please feel free to visit our blog to see if this will help in your situation: www.christmasdesigners.com/blog/christmas-light-storage-best-practices-and-tips/
@@ChristmasDesigners Can you explain the difference between residential and commercial, and why they last longer in one application than the other? I mean if the lights are on 6 hours a day for 6 weeks at a private home or the same amount of time at some commercial building...on is on, so what's the definition or how is figured out? Thanks and keep up the great work.
@@wjf213 Yes, commercial grade bulbs are designed with higher level performance and consistency in mind. Commercial bulbs are more weather durable at IP65 rating, created to withstand harsh winters over many seasons. For better protection throughout the years, the bulb materials are equipped with corrosion-preventive nickel bases and polycarbonate shatter-resistant shells. Professional appearance is also a major benefit. It doesn’t matter if you bought all your bulbs this season or if you bought them over the course of a few seasons… with commercial bulbs, you can expect better color matching and brighter lights. Retail bulbs, on the other hand, are typically made with a lighter weight material that will suffer more quickly from fading, dulling and inconsistency.
The LED diodes inside commercial bulbs can last up to 60,000 hours, so in terms of longevity, residential customers typically get 6-8 seasons and commercial applications typically get 4-6 seasons. Many residential customers use commercial bulbs and light line for their home applications. But compared to retail-grade bulbs, the higher quality construction and materials of commercial bulbs is what helps them last longer and look better. We do have some best practices and tips to help keep your lights in good condition. Please feel free to visit our blog to see if this will help in your situation: www.christmasdesigners.com/blog/christmas-light-storage-best-practices-and-tips/ We hope this information helps, and let us know if you have any other questions!
This video is so helpful! What do you do with the end of the starter socket cord? Did you just wrap it with electrical tape?
We're glad you found our video helpful! For the end of the starter socket cord, we recommend ending it with a female vampire plug to finish off the line with a clean look.
Vampire Plugs: www.christmasdesigners.com/in...
Are two different style female and male vampire clips needed. The website is tough to figure out? Great video. Slide on vs breakaway tab?
The breakaway tab is a slide-on as well, but it has a tab to breakaway, which is for use in the middle of a run.
🔥🔥🔥🔥
For C9 bulbs, are these brighter when installing them pointing straight up towards the sky or straight out from the house (perpendicular to the house) ?
As long as you are using truly professional grade C9 bulbs such as Pro Christmas or Minleon, the illumination intensity will look very similar regardless if it's pointed up or out. Many homes have both orientations since the bulbs on the shingles point up and then the bulbs on the gutters point out. At night, they look nearly identical. But again, be sure you are using the same bulbs that professional installers are using. www.christmasdesigners.com/christmas-lights/led-replacement-bulbs/c9-led-bulbs.html
It’s that time of year
Where have you been all my life ;)
Due to a spur of the moment change, my husband bought C9’s from Lowe’s this weekend. Are those light strands able to be cut also?
Most of the C9 lights at big box retail stores can not be cut like the C9 light line that professional installers use. But some hardware stores do have the type of line that can be cut and males and females added. If the cord has the threaded bulbs that screw in and out of the socket and the cord is a thicker, two wire cord, it can probably be cut. If you are unsure, you can send a picture of the light set to our Chief Operations Officer, who is in the video and he can confirm if it's okay to cut that light line. His email is jason@christmasdesigners.com.
Is it possible how you can tell me how this job/the runs all connected together? I am having a heck of a time figuring out how to tie all my lights together. It is probably easier than I am making it out to be though.
For the project shown in the video, we simply ran all the lines together to the outlet by the front door. The left side was all connected in a single line to the outlet and then the right side was connected to the first line with an inline female.
If you need specific help with your project, please email us at customer_success@christmasdesigners.com and we can help you with any questions you have.
Tips for making the 5mm conical look clean like this? Or not possible? How to make a jump from dormer to dormer without the line lit up between them?
Unfortunately with mini lights it's not possible to have the same clean look as what you can get with C7 and C9 socket light line. This is mainly due to the fact that the bulbs can not be precisely placed and you also don't have the ability to cut the cord to length.
For dormer to dormer lighting, it's best to use a section of 18/2 zip cord. Add a male to one end and the female to the other end and this acts as an extension cord to carry power from one dormer to another.
How do you get the lights off the brick once it’s glued? Do you need a heat gun or something?
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off and for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alcohol works well.
Is it ok to have clips sitting on the bulb itself? That’s what I’m worried about the most. Cause clipping them on edge of bulb secures it in more for a clean look
If your lights are LED, it’s okay to clip wherever it is most secure. If you’re using glass incandescent bulbs, it is not recommended.
I’m doing the same setup. I have one long stretch of lights in front and my arch is in the middle. How did you get power from the arch to the top row of lights since the end of run for too lights is at ends???
From the arch to connect to the upper perimeter, we used an inline female on the arch line and then plug the upper perimeter to that female. The arch was plugged directly into the outlet, so this powers both the entrance arch and the rest of the perimeter lighting.
Thanks for the video! I love TH-cam for this reason. I've been wanting to put Christmas lights on my house for years but I've never known how to and felt overwhelmed. Time to pull myself out of my comfort zone and become a more handy woman!
You've got this! We have faith in you!
what would you recommend for hanging lights on painted wood surface such as rooflines with no shingles or around windows damage-free?
That is a great question. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of good "damage-free" options for wood.
We would suggest utilizing Lite-Clip Strips with a permanent adhesive on the roofline or around the windows. You can find the strips and the clips that go with them here: www.christmasdesigners.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=lite%20clip
Other than that, stainless steal staples would be the best option however, you would have to make sure to pull these out of the wood frame each year, fill the holes in and touch up the paint.
Hope this helps.
is the hot glue easy to remove? also, does it leave any residue/marks on either the bricks or light bulb?
The glue will stick rather well to the bricks. But we typically use a chisel to peel it off. A slight residue sometimes may be left, but it generally dries and flakes off in the heat of the summer. Any residue that is left typically blends in with the brick. Isopropyl alcohol can also be helpful in removing the residue.
Will the flex clips fall off the roof fascia? My gutters have a leaf barrier and the shingles are too far back.
It would depend on the fascia design. Some have a lip that will allow the clip to snuggly slide under it, but some fascia designs don't allow for that. Feel free to email us a closeup picture of your roof line and we can see what options may be available. customer_success@christmasdesigners.com
How would you remove and store after the Christmas season to prevent damage?
Great question! We actually have a blog that will help out with some best practices and tips. You can find it here: www.christmasdesigners.com/blog/christmas-light-storage-best-practices-and-tips/
Hey what do you do if you have a house that requires more that 250 ft, can you use 1000ft line and cut it? what is the protocol for doing that if that is the solution thank you
Great question. The rule is for 250’ or 250 bulbs - whichever comes first - is what can go on a single line. Those lines can be on the same OUTLET, just not in a single light line run.
The best way to do this is to have each line plug into a 3-way plug adapter, then that plugs into the outlet. If you are running four 250’ lines, you would use two 3-way adapters. To keep things balanced, you would plug two lines into one 3-way and plug this into the top female of an outlet, and then plug two lines into the second 3-way and plug that into the bottom female of an outlet. This balances out the lines and keeps everything from being overloaded.
Below is a link to the 3-way that we sell. But these are available at any hardware supply store as well: www.christmasdesigners.com/3-way-plug-adapter.html
Can you expound more on the comment you made at 2:11, why are C9 outdoor stringer sets worse for perimeter lighting than empty socket light line? I bought the PRO Christmas 26L 8in spacing from you guys before watching this video, but seems to me they would be preferred since they are not exchangeable bulb and better sealed? Thanks!
The Pro Christmas stringer sets are great lights, but because you can not cut the cord to custom sizes it makes it difficult to match the look of professional perimeter lighting. Also the bulbs have a single diode inside, so they are not as bright and they are about 30% smaller than C9 replacement bulbs. They’re designed for foliage use, where these attributes are preferred. But many people do use them for perimeter home lighting and they work well in that application too. But they will not match the look of C9 bulbs and professional grade C9 empty socket light line.
@@ChristmasDesigners thanks that was a really helpful explanation!
Are you able to advise me on the proper cuts(male/female/inline) I’ll need on my home? I have already purchased the c9 string, bulbs, plugs, and extra cord.
Yes, we can help you, but we would need to see a picture of your home. You can email that to customer_success@christmasdesigners.com.
Overall laying out the lines and the male/female locations is not very difficult once you get into the project. Start by locating your power source and that will be where your lead male goes. From there just plan everything else out so that it is powered from this location.
@@ChristmasDesigners thank you. I found a new power source and it made it 100% easier. Before I was going to use the one in the front of the house.
@@arniehdz8389 great to hear. Have a great holiday season and let us know if you need anything else.
Thanks for the video but I thought you was the actor that played sandman for a minute lol
How would you recommend putting up Christmas lights on stucco without causing damage?
Thank you for reaching out to us! Are you able to send us a picture of the area you are looking at lighting up to see if we have some options for you?
You can email the picture to customer_success@christmasdesginers.com.
Are the bulbs on the top gables pointed up or straight out like the ones on the gutter?
The bulbs at each peak are pointed up like the rest of those on the shingles. You can see this a bit more easily if you pause the video around the 6:50 mark.
For gutters with gutter guards what is an idea to attach to those gutters?
Gutters with splash guards can be challenging. In some cases there's a seam that you can slide the clip into between the top of the gutter and the splash guard. You may have to trim part of the clip off in order for it to fit. If that is not possible, a dab of hot glue on the socket can allow it to stick to the gutter splash guard.
Thomas Haden Church got a side gig doing lighting?
Do you use "rubber O-rings" on each light/socket? Have you found water to be a problem and is this worth purchasing the o-rings? Thanks.
Throughout the years of installing and advising other pro installers, we have found that the o-rings are not necessary. Moisture will still get into the socket from the weep holes in the base. By using the o-rings, it eliminates airflow through the socket, so the wetness tends to linger significantly longer in the socket. This in turn can cause more issues with GFCI outlets tripping and not being able to be reset. While we do have some customers that insist on using o-rings, we do not recommend their use for most applications.
@@ChristmasDesigners Thank You! You guys are awesome. Just placed an order this morning to outfit our whole house after seeing all of the great on here! Thanks again!
@@MarkBlakley That is wonderful to hear! If you need anything from us, please let us know! Happy to help!
Great video. Thanks. 200 bulbs? Same rule applies for LED?
We recommend not going over 250 bulbs or 250 feet with LED. For incandescent, you typically need to stay under about 80 bulbs at 7 watts a bulb.
With C9 lighting, the longer the length of 18/2 C9 light line, the less amperage it can hold. At 250 feet, your maximum allowed amperage is only 2.5 amps. This is something that many pro Christmas suppliers state incorrectly on their websites.
@@ChristmasDesigners thank you!
So are all those strands all on one plug or are they on separate outlets?
Great question! Due to the size of this house we were able to put the entire front of the house on one outlet without going over the amperage maximums.
For more about Amperage, please visit our short 2 video series here: th-cam.com/video/B8aL2XcKGM4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=6YG9d8UhWHp5pGKf
And
Here: th-cam.com/video/u6Z3up8bHZ0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=AXPMfv1wfwxJKnT4
Hi what size little giant do you use to reach those high peaks
For this video, Jason was using a 22 ft adjustable Werner ladder. This is similar to the Little Giant Model 21. The house in this video had a relatively low peak, so in some cases you will need to use a taller ladder to reach the peaks and higher rooflines.
can clips scratch the finish on the gugtters
Great question! Plastic Clips should not damage the finish on gutters however, we would avoid any kind of metal or aluminum clip as this can cause damage.
Hope this helps.
What is your recommendation for setting up c9 string lighting on a standard black aluminum fence? The standard black aluminum 4 ft high by 6 ft wide sections. I've seen recommendations of a zip ties on each side of every bulb, but that seems like a ton of work. There must be an easier way to do it with a professional look.
Zip ties are honestly the best option on an aluminum fence. Due to aluminum being a non-ferrous metal, magnetic clips will not work and adhesives may leave a residue afterwards.
You do not have to do 2 zip ties per socket. We typically suggest 1 zip tie before each socket in the run. It should hold everything straight and look nice. Having one zip tie per socket will also help with the labor aspect.
Hope this helps.
@@ChristmasDesigners Thank you for your recommendation. I just couldn't find any videos out there or much info out there at all for us aluminum fence owners. I'll give the one zip tie per bulb a shot this year and see how things go. Now I just need to stop back by your website and buy the rest of the supplies I need. :)
Did you need an end of the run female vampire plug on the left side of the archway? How about the end of the wire at the very beginning of the video? Can those stay as exposed wired?
Great questions, we always suggest capping the wire whether it is with a female vampire plug or some other sort of wire cap. Exposed wires could potentially lead to a fire, power surges or other disasters. We ended all of our wires during this installation by utilizing a female vampire plug for safety.
If you are nervous about leaving a female plug exposed you can also utilize caps that will help keep moisture out. We suggest A Plug Pro gaskets and socket covers (for Christmas Lights and Extension cords). You can find both here: www.christmasdesigners.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=a%20plug%20pro
Thanks for the reply!! I just got all of my supplies from your website, excited to give this a shot tomorrow!
@@ChristmasDesigners How do you recommend putting up the c9s around painted wood garage and window trims?
If I have 250ft 12 inch spacing I’m using and need to run some zip cord 30 ft to an outlet does this count towards the allowed length which is 250 bulbs or 250 ft of cord?
You're good with a 30 foot zip to the outlet. The real limit is actually about 300 feet, but because a zip cord will often be used to power the line, we prefer to state the limit as 250 feet in order to allow for the cord from the outlet.
Awesome! Thank you so much for the quick response!
What size ladder and what brand do you recommend? I have a fairly high roof.
Little Giant, Gorilla, or Xtend Climb ladders are all great for these installs due to their flexibility to be multi-purpose. Those can be found in some local stores (depending on your area) as well as online.
If you use the store bought lights with only one diode, doesn't that mean you can have more lights without going over the limit?
So on the very end it looks like you just cut it and left that cut end exposed? Do you put on a female (unused) or wire nuts or electrical tape or anything? Having that exposed end makes me nervous...
We recommend putting a vampire, slide on female on the unused end. Some people will loop the last couple of inches of light line and wrap electrical tape around the loop to secure the exposed end. But having a female added is the preferred method .
Does the hot glue affect the brick any, like after tearing the lights off?
@Jonny-Cakes, as long as the brick is not painted, there should not be any issues using the hot glue on brick. The glue usually comes off easily, but you can use a scraper if needed. For stubborn spots, you can use rubbing alcohol to loosen the glue.
Do you have a tutorial/suggestion on how to remove a socket? Just beat it into submission, as @5:46? Seems like there could be a more delicate way.
Cracking the socket with a hammer or rubber mallet as seen in the video is the most popular method and how pro installers remove sockets without damaging the cord. But another method is to use a small flathead screwdriver to try and pry the base locking piece loose. That's typically a small plastic piece under the socket that locks the cord to the wire. However, this can cause damage to the cords insulation if you are not careful. With some types of cord this is an easy process, but other cord with a very tight locking piece, it can be more difficult.
thank you again!
What would you recommend for attaching to stucco?
Unfortunately stucco can be difficult. If there's a metal lip at the top, you may be able to slide a clip under it to hold the lights. If there's shingles, then you can attach the lights with regular shingle clips. If the shingles are clay tile or slate, you can use hot glue to attach the lights. But we do not recommend using hot glue on stucco. This can damage the surface, especially if it's the thin stucco backed with styrofoam.
Wow I like lights
What colored are they
Great Question! The lights we used were the Pro Christmas Warm White. You can find them here: www.christmasdesigners.com/c9-smd-led-retrofit-bulb-warm-white-pro-christmas-trade-bag-of-25.html
Do the lights that are stuck on to the wall come off easily so when Holidays are over we can remove them
Good question. To remove your light strand from brick, simply pop each light off. The glue usually comes off easily, but you can use a scraper if needed. For stubborn spots, you can use rubbing alcohol to loosen the glue.
What's the best commercial grade 5MM Conical Wide Angle Indoor/Outdoor lights??
We recommend using Pro Christmas brand 5 mm Wide Angle Conicals. These are the top selling light set used by professional Christmas installers.
What do you recommend for a home with no gutters ?
If you have shingles on your house, you can still use clips to hang lights. Do you have something other than gutters and shingles?
About what is the length of line and amount of bulbs used for this specific setup on this house?
For this installation we used about 150' of C9 lighting on the house and about 90' of stake lighting outlining the sidewalk and driveway. Not all of that is visible in the video.
What would you recommend for a steel roof?
For a steel roof you can use magnetic light line or magnetic clips.
You can find both product here:
Clips: www.christmasdesigners.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=magnetic
Light Line: www.christmasdesigners.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=lite-netics
Please let us know if you have any additional questions by emailing us at customer_success@christmasdesigners.com
how do you do the shingle section if you have tile roof?
It depends on the design of the tile roof. If there's room to slide a clip under the tile, then you can use the same clips as with asphalt shingles. If that is not possible, then attaching the lights to the top of the tile with hot glue may be your best option.
If you add an inline female to add another line of lights does the total of all lines have to be 250 lights or less.
That's a great question Eddie. Yes, you still generally need to be under the 250 rule on 18/2 wire, even if it's multiple runs going into a single 18/2 wire. Depending on the bulb spacing, you can sometimes go more than 250 bulbs/250 feet, but we use the 250 rule as an easy to remember guideline. The biggest concern with 18/2 wire is the maximum allowable amperage drops as the wire gets longer and you start to encounter voltage drop and line resistance due to the long runs. If you want help reviewing your current setup and seeing if it might be possible to push beyond the 250 bulb/ft rule, feel free to email us at customer_success@christmasdesigners.com and we can evaluate your project and see if your situation would allow for a longer run.
Can you use the hot glue on vinyl siding? Or wood?
We don't recommend hot glue for vinyl siding because the heat from the glue can cause damage to the siding. For wood surfaces, it typically won't damage the wood itself, but if it's painted, then the glue may peel off some of the paint.
How did you do the ground ones ?
For tips on the lights on the ground, check out our video “How to Install Christmas Lights with Yard Stakes Like a Pro” here: th-cam.com/video/rBc5f8u-zoQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=BSZLREQuWHpeCCOf
What is the best spacing distance between the bulbs
The most popular spacing is 12” or 15”. If the budget allows, 12” is always the best option. If additional budget is available, then going to 9” spacing is a great look.
Hi. Why after 5min pluged in all the light turn it off. And i replugin but the light not turning on anymore. Please help. I got 100feet C9 conect to 1 outlet
Hi! If you purchased the lights and empty socket from us, please email our support@christmasdesigners.com
so that we can assist you further and see what the issue is.
Do you only put lights on the front of the house? Not around the sides and back?
It depends on the homeowner's budget. The more perimeter of a home that can be lit, the better it will look. But due to budget constraints, many homeowners will decide to only light up the front of their home and then possibly add more footage each year as the budget allows.
Should I attempt to waterproof my plug connections or just leave them exposed to the elements?
It's okay to leave them exposed. But if you are encountering a lot of GFCI circuit tripping issues because of moisture getting into the connections. You can use special gaskets and plug ends to help seal up the connections. Some people do tape these connections, but in some cases condensation makes it way through the taped connections, but since the airflow is eliminated, the moisture can not dry out. This can cause more GFCI issues. So if you do tape the connections, make sure that you are using good quality tape and seal up the connection adequately. But this is typically not necessary in most applications.
If you are looking to use gaskets and plug covers, you can find them on our website here: www.christmasdesigners.com/installation-essentials/hardware.html
@@ChristmasDesigners Thanks for the reply and the great videos. I ordered lights from your store and am in the process of hanging them. So far they look great!
@@themikeybar great to hear! We love hearing the success stories of people we've helped.
How come on the roofline you don’t point all of them facing up? Why only on the raised parts, personally I think it looks better facing up
When lighting roofline with gutters and shingle combinations, the clips that are most frequently used orientate the bulbs on the shingles vertical and the bulbs on the gutters horizontally. Most professionally installed jobs are done in this manner. As long as good quality bulbs are used with even illumination at the tips and on the side, it's very difficult to see the difference in the dual orientation.
How many bulbs are needed for a 500’ roll at 12” and 15” spacing?
For 12" spacing, you would need 500 bulbs. For 15" spacing, you would need 400 bulbs.
Does breaking off the sockets to go from one level to another void the warranty?
As long as the cord you purchase came from Christmas Designers, we will still honor the warranty. We encourage our customers to install like a professional, which does mean some sockets may need to be removed. The full warranty will remain in effect.
@@ChristmasDesigners awesome! I bought all my lights and accessories through your site so im looking forward to putting them up this week
Sir u have resemblance of Terminator Hero.
Australian actor. I don’t know his name but he was govnor of California.
Good video! Electrical talk gave me a headache tho.
would these lights look good under gutters sadly squirles eat my bulbs if there on gutters
Yes, under the gutter is also an option and as you've discovered, in areas where squirrels like to cause problems, it will help eliminate that issue. We also recommend going with a medium to large round bulb to prevent squirrel issues. Using G40s or G50s is a good alternative. The rounded surface makes it difficult for squirrels to damage the bulb.
@@ChristmasDesigners thank you!
Can you do a jumper to two segments, in-line to inline?
If I understand your question correctly, you want to take power from one line via an inline to another line via the inline. This is not recommended because in order to accomplish that, you would have to have a jumper with a male on each end. Double male cords can be very dangerous since the open prongs on one end can still be powered up if it's unplugged while still plugged into power coming in from the other end.
@@ChristmasDesigners thanks so much for the prompt reply! And that answers my question perfectly. Merry Christmas!
@@corythomas909 you bet! Happy lighting and let us know if you have any other questions.
Is the In-line female and the same thing as 18/2 female vampire plug?
Yes, that is correct. We recommend the Vampire plug with a breakaway tab which converts it from an end of the run female to an inline female. Here's the product listing on our website: www.christmasdesigners.com/18-2-female-vampire-plug-spt1-green-breakaway-tab-available-in-bags-cases-of-5-50-and-1000.html
So for 500 ft of lights I would need two sockets and two timers?
The rule is for 250’ or 250 bulbs - whichever comes first - is what can go on a single line. You can put both lines into a two-outlet timer (such as the link below), and then plug the timer into one outlet.
www.christmasdesigners.com/two-outlet-mechanical-photocell-timer.html
So, where coule i buy female/male adapters ?
Thank you for your question. You can find our male and female plugs here: www.christmasdesigners.com/installation-essentials/electrical-supplies/plugs.html
will the hot glue stick thru the freezing temps?
Yes, hot glue will hold up in very cold temperatures for short term use on Christmas lights. Beyond about 60 days in extreme cold, the glue does get brittle and starts to lose holding power.
Hi how much it’s the cost for 250 and 500 ft on material including shipping
The cost can vary depending on the bulb type, cord spacing and type of clips selected. Typically you'll be looking at between $1.30 and $2.00 per foot for pro grade C9 roofline bulbs, cords and clips. We recommend visiting our website for more pricing information: ChristmasDesigners.com.
Hey Jason, feel free to bring your big ladder and hot glue to my place and help me out. 💜
Hi Lindsay, we too think Jason's the next best thing since sliced bread, but his wife does insist on keeping his ladder and hot glue home with her.
Moving into my very first house around the holidays this year and this shit got me stressing. I want my Christmas lights on point but this looks just overly complicated…