Build-Your-Own C7 and C9 Light Lines: Not Just For Professionals

C9 LED Christmas LightsWhen you're looking to buy light lines for your Christmas lighting project, your choices really boil down to two options:

1. Buy ready-made stringer sets that are ready to use right out of the box
2. Buy empty socket light lines, bulbs, and fittings, and build your own custom-made light lines

With very rare exceptions, professional installers go with option #2 for all of their Christmas light installation projects.

But many Christmas enthusiasts choose option #1 for their home decorating projects. That's a shame because build-your-own light lines are really the best choice for just about any Christmas light installation project.

Build-Your-Own Light Lines Offer Many Advantages

Build-your-own light lines are the go-to option for professional installers because they're able to install cleaner, crisper, more visually compelling displays with them. And professionals find that they also save money over the long run by building their own lines, in spite of somewhat higher upfront costs.

Here are some of the advantages offered by using empty socket light lines:

  • Fully Customizable
    Ready-made stringer sets are manufactured as one piece: bulbs and line. So when you buy one of these sets, what you get is what you're stuck with - permanently. If you want to change out bulbs in the line - you can't. If you need to alter the length of the line - you can't. In some cases, stringer sets do allow you to replace the diode and lens cap with another color, but due to differences in the milliamp rating for certain colors, swapping out diodes between sets and interchanging colors can lead to the set failing within a short period of time. When you build your own set from empty socket light lines, you'll be able to customize lines to the exact length needed. You'll be able to choose the colors of the bulbs, customize and mix-and-match the colors, and change them at will.
  • Superior Quality
    The bulbs used in empty socket light lines - LED retrofit bulbs - are manufactured as self-contained units. That means that they're removable and interchangeable. They're also manufactured with more diodes per bulb than those used in ready-made stringer sets, which contain only one diode per bulb. That makes the retrofit bulbs brighter and more vibrant.
  • Length
    Empty socket light line cord comes in rolls of either 500' or 1000' feet. But if you don't need that much, you can order it by the foot in whatever length you need.
  • C7 or C9
    Empty socket light line cord is available in two bulb sizes: C7 and C9. And there's a wide array of colors and styles available in both C7 and C9 retrofit bulbs.
  • Bulb Spacing
    Empty socket light line cord is available with bulb spacing in 6", 9", 12", 15", 18", 24" and 36" increments.
  • Male and Female Plugs
    You'll need to determine how many individual lines you will be creating from your bulk length of the cord. And, of course, you'll need to order 2 plugs - a male and a female - for each light line you'll be creating. When you create a new line, you'll simply cut the desired length from your bulk cord, slide a male plug on one end of the piece, and a female plug on the other end - quick and simple.
  • Line Color
    Both C7 and C9 empty socket light line cord is available in either green or white.
  • Clips and Attachment Accessories
    A wide variety of clips and attachment accessories are available for attaching your lines to varied surfaces. These include clips for attaching lines to clay or shingle roofs, to ridge rows, to gutters, to trees and shrubs, and many others.

For Almost Everyone, Build-Your-Own Light Lines Are the Best Choice

Though professionals rely upon then, Christmas enthusiasts often shy away from using empty socket light lines for their home holiday lighting projects. That's unfortunate because the many advantages offered by custom-building your own light lines are applicable to projects both large and small.

Though building your own lines certainly requires a bit more upfront time and expense than using ready-made light lines, your lines will look better, last longer, and give you greater flexibility in designing your display. And that makes them the smartest choice for just about everyone.