Wish I had seen this before I spent my kids inheritance on dozens of extension cords over the years! But I still have a few more years of lighting in me, and this will make setup so much easier - thanks!
Great video, thanks for posting! PSA - He talks about the "rigid" side several times but both sides are flexible. He is actually talking about one of the two wires being "ridged" or "ribbed" - i.e. has small lines that give it a distinct texture you can feel very easily. That wire with the texture is the one he is putting on the side with the wide prong/hole. Ultimately it does not matter if you put the smooth wire or the ridged wire on the wide prong side but it is very important that you are consistent - whichever wire you choose, do the same for every plug.
I’ve been running my lights using this method for years. I have a question though. Can you have an inline to extension to another inline rather than connecting to a male end?
Were can you get this wire and bulb sockets to make your own string of lights I need at least 3' between each socket up to 7 sockets for a Christmas manger set
Spt1 or spt2 wire works. The only difference is spt2 has a bit thicker insulation. Whichever you get, make sure you buy corresponding vampire plugs. If you're building a commercial grade system, be sure the wire matches the wire of your light strands so you can use your extra plugs to add on or cut where needed.
i have a community garden with 20 on ground lights (hedges, arbors and trees) and then 12 dangling from 16 foot trees. I have cords everywhere and always end up with 2 female ends which means I've placed a cord incorrectly. We are volunteers and no pros and all women, no funding. please show us a video of how to do multiple store brought lights and extension cords. Thanks
Super cool, but what does a person do when they are anal about electrical safety using these outdoors? Molded extension cords rated for outdoors with a ground is the only true safe way to do your lighting project outdoors. Especially here in the Midwest where feet of snow can end up laying all over your outdoor wiring. Do you use a fuse somewhere else in the circuit?
All the products used are rated for indoor/outdoor use. There is no fuse but all homes have gfci plugs which trip the breaker if the connection gets wet or damaged.
It’s just depends on the number of plus and power you are putting to the plugs. If you need to go long distances without inline plugs, I would recommend using a regular extension cord. I have done some over 100’ with inline plugs. You do lose amperage when you do go long distance. For any cord make sure you know what it is rated for.
To clarify-the tab pushes the wire down sufficiently firmly…. The teeth are on the opposite side from the tab so that the punctures are on the side where the female port is? I had noted (watching on the TV) that you can see through the female plugs. Is this all correct? And I could also use these to also make a simple quite short extension cord for a variety of purposes where I really wish I had a cord without a lot of excess, right?
Same for me - I just learned about this when I volunteered to help install lights at my church. Instead of daisy chaining dozens of 6 ft. and 15 ft cords to connect to a power strip to connect to a long, large orange cord, I could have been using this. That would have saved me a lot of money and time!
It all depends on what you are plugging in. You can as many plugs as you would like, but just make sure you do not exceed the maximum amperage allowed for the wire and plugs
Or if you had 6 sets of string lights that couldn't be connected together using the actual lights. What would he the most efficient way to connect them? I was trying to get away with not buying extension cords.
Good video. I've never used this type of wire or the plugs. Is it still possible to put them together with the polarity reversed if you're not paying close attention, or does that rigid side stop that from happening? Keep up the great work.
It is important that the plug is attached to wire the correct way. One side is neutral and the other side is hot. If the plugs are not attached correctly, it can cause them not to work or other issues. It might have worked if you did it incorrectly depending on what you plugged in. I recommend going back and fixing them.
@@holidaylightingcreations Yes, I understand that, but my question is can they be installed backwards if someone isn't paying attention? I haven't used these before, so I'm just wondering. By the way, how are those giant C9 fiberglass lights coming along, and are you going to have a video on them this year? Thanks, and keep up the great work.
Great video ! BTW, Canadians get robbed on Amazon.... your prices are really really good ! Seriously. 5 Vampire plugs for $4 are you kidding me ? yeah awesome. P.S. - What happens if you wanted to make a short wire with just one light socket on it..... I don't find a lot of info on this.... so instead of plugs, is it possible to install an actual C7 or C9 socket on a piece of that Zip wire ? Anyway, thanks for your time ! 🙂
Thanks for the comment! Yes, you can add c7/c9 socket on the line since socket wire is made from this wire. You can buy the sockets to attach on some supplier sites.
@@holidaylightingcreations Thanks for the reply ! If you ever get your hands on some of these C9 or C7 sockets, please do a little video on how to install. Yeah there are really no vendors selling these. I have checked Amazon Canada and they don't even exist up here. Oh and everything is 5x the price. So glad I found your channel ! Thanks for taking the time to reply !
If you had to explain knowing how to notax your amps out to a 5 yr old, what would you say? What is the simple math to know how much one outlet can carry?
Wish I had seen this before I spent my kids inheritance on dozens of extension cords over the years! But I still have a few more years of lighting in me, and this will make setup so much easier - thanks!
You said it, lol. Me too!!!
Trying to sell this trick to a few rich ppl see if I can put some of thy money back b4 I go lol 😂
There are so many how to vampire plug video tutorials - I have no idea how many I’ve watched- imo your 5min video is the best.
Thank you!
Great video, thanks for posting!
PSA - He talks about the "rigid" side several times but both sides are flexible. He is actually talking about one of the two wires being "ridged" or "ribbed" - i.e. has small lines that give it a distinct texture you can feel very easily. That wire with the texture is the one he is putting on the side with the wide prong/hole. Ultimately it does not matter if you put the smooth wire or the ridged wire on the wide prong side but it is very important that you are consistent - whichever wire you choose, do the same for every plug.
This worked perfectly. I certainly was doing this the hard way. Much easier and looks better
Im doing this this year and how I remember which way to put the line is, LARGE PRONG=LINES, SMALL PRONG=SMOOTH.
Great video, thanks! Also excellent job on the safety about amperage to not overload the wire and plugs👌
Excellent and useful video. Thank you for posting its content. ✅
Awesome, learned so much from you video. Thank you!
What is the supposed problem with putting the slide on plug on the wrong side of the spt wire I have done it both and it works just fine.
This worked like a charm. Thank you for this video!
I’ve been running my lights using this method for years. I have a question though. Can you have an inline to extension to another inline rather than connecting to a male end?
Love this!! Is there a way to make one with usb plugs? The ones I have seen are too expensive. Thanks
If you accidentally do it wrong, will it still light up?
This is awesome!
If I wanted to add some with a ground would it be as easy as this?
Extremely helpful thank you
Keep the tips coming! Great work! Thank you! 🎄🚦😎
Were can you get this wire and bulb sockets to make your own string of lights I need at least 3' between each socket up to 7 sockets for a Christmas manger set
Can I run this SPT1 wire over 350ft with 7 female inline connections to power Christmas LED lights or will there be significant voltage drop?
You keep saying left side. What do you mean? Trying to install inline female plugs on my spt 1
Are these rain-resistant?
Do you need a specific wire for outdoor use?
Spt1 or spt2 wire works. The only difference is spt2 has a bit thicker insulation. Whichever you get, make sure you buy corresponding vampire plugs. If you're building a commercial grade system, be sure the wire matches the wire of your light strands so you can use your extra plugs to add on or cut where needed.
i have a community garden with 20 on ground lights (hedges, arbors and trees) and then 12 dangling from 16 foot trees. I have cords everywhere and always end up with 2 female ends which means I've placed a cord incorrectly. We are volunteers and no pros and all women, no funding. please show us a video of how to do multiple store brought lights and extension cords. Thanks
Super cool, but what does a person do when they are anal about electrical safety using these outdoors? Molded extension cords rated for outdoors with a ground is the only true safe way to do your lighting project outdoors. Especially here in the Midwest where feet of snow can end up laying all over your outdoor wiring. Do you use a fuse somewhere else in the circuit?
All the products used are rated for indoor/outdoor use. There is no fuse but all homes have gfci plugs which trip the breaker if the connection gets wet or damaged.
Can’t wait to try this next year. What is the maximum length you would recommend for LED lights?
It’s just depends on the number of plus and power you are putting to the plugs.
If you need to go long distances without inline plugs, I would recommend using a regular extension cord. I have done some over 100’ with inline plugs. You do lose amperage when you do go long distance. For any cord make sure you know what it is rated for.
HOW does this actually work though,what is going on inside the plugs?
There are teeth in the plugs that pinch the wires when you slide the tab on
To clarify-the tab pushes the wire down sufficiently firmly….
The teeth are on the opposite side from the tab so that the punctures are on the side where the female port is? I had noted (watching on the TV) that you can see through the female plugs.
Is this all correct?
And I could also use these to also make a simple quite short extension cord for a variety of purposes where I really wish I had a cord without a lot of excess, right?
So he says don't plug it in before plugging in the other strings.
Then he plugs it in before he plugs in the other strings.
He said don’t plug it in before adding your main and in-line females. Not the strings
Im 40 to me this is new technology 😂😂 even if it is 10yrs old on market. Damn i been using the old way too long
Same for me - I just learned about this when I volunteered to help install lights at my church. Instead of daisy chaining dozens of 6 ft. and 15 ft cords to connect to a power strip to connect to a long, large orange cord, I could have been using this. That would have saved me a lot of money and time!
Can you use a line made with two male ends?
I have heard of people doing that but there is not a break off tab so I would not recommend.
How many inline female plugs can I put on a single line.
It all depends on what you are plugging in. You can as many plugs as you would like, but just make sure you do not exceed the maximum amperage allowed for the wire and plugs
How can I use these spt2 and vampire plugs to connect string lights together?
Or if you had 6 sets of string lights that couldn't be connected together using the actual lights. What would he the most efficient way to connect them? I was trying to get away with not buying extension cords.
But the big spade on the male plug on the vampire plug is preventing this from happening.
Good video. I've never used this type of wire or the plugs. Is it still possible to put them together with the polarity reversed if you're not paying close attention, or does that rigid side stop that from happening? Keep up the great work.
I am curious the answer as I didn't pay attention as was not aware and mine have worked. maybe got lucky
It is important that the plug is attached to wire the correct way. One side is neutral and the other side is hot. If the plugs are not attached correctly, it can cause them not to work or other issues. It might have worked if you did it incorrectly depending on what you plugged in. I recommend going back and fixing them.
@@holidaylightingcreations Yes, I understand that, but my question is can they be installed backwards if someone isn't paying attention? I haven't used these before, so I'm just wondering.
By the way, how are those giant C9 fiberglass lights coming along, and are you going to have a video on them this year? Thanks, and keep up the great work.
I don’t think it matters which way they go, at least the hundreds I have done never had a problem.
Yes they can be installed backwards without knowing. Sometimes it will work if it’s backwards but that could depend on what is being plugged in.
Great video ! BTW, Canadians get robbed on Amazon.... your prices are really really good ! Seriously. 5 Vampire plugs for $4 are you kidding me ? yeah awesome. P.S. - What happens if you wanted to make a short wire with just one light socket on it..... I don't find a lot of info on this.... so instead of plugs, is it possible to install an actual C7 or C9 socket on a piece of that Zip wire ? Anyway, thanks for your time ! 🙂
Thanks for the comment! Yes, you can add c7/c9 socket on the line since socket wire is made from this wire. You can buy the sockets to attach on some supplier sites.
@@holidaylightingcreations Thanks for the reply ! If you ever get your hands on some of these C9 or C7 sockets, please do a little video on how to install. Yeah there are really no vendors selling these. I have checked Amazon Canada and they don't even exist up here. Oh and everything is 5x the price. So glad I found your channel ! Thanks for taking the time to reply !
My last year of getting lights from Home Depot
Curtain
If you had to explain knowing how to notax your amps out to a 5 yr old, what would you say? What is the simple math to know how much one outlet can carry?
Promo-SM 💯
Fascinating.