Lighting Electrical

Nothing makes an otherwise beautiful Christmas light display look sloppy like stray cords. You’ve seen them before: the extension cord hanging down in an ugly loop from the edge of the roofline, the gnarled cable poking out from beyond the bushes, or the thick line of lights snaking across the lawn. In fact, one of the biggest differences between a...[...]

Some mistakes are costly—others are dangerous. They make reaching success with your Christmas lighting install a challenge. So rather than deal with mistakes as they happen, why not avoid them altogether? Whether it’s off-season decorating, or you’re putting together a holly jolly holiday masterpiece, you’ll be well on your way to creating your next sparkling spectacle when you take heed...[...]

When the weather gets warmer, the outdoors become inviting. And the most inviting area on a warm evening? The pool! But don’t let the sunset keep you from enjoying your pool. With some Christmas lighting magic upon your outdoor foliage nearby, your pool area will become a shining summer oasis that’s just as appealing in the dark as it is...[...]

12 Must-Have Tools for any Christmas Lighting Project The time between the upcoming holiday season and the last is a time to prepare. And preparation is a time to gather the tools you need. Your project might seem daunting, but having the right tools makes all the difference. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, whether your next project is...[...]

As we wind down the second half of the year, we eagerly anticipate the moment we can enjoy the crisp, cool outdoor weather. Nothing goes with a fall breeze better than a cup of spiced cider and some inviting patio string lights. Like a teaser before the Christmas season, LED string lights create a warm, cheery ambiance for your porch...[...]

GFCIs and Christmas Lights - A Survival Guide When it comes to Christmas lighting and decorating, nothing kills a Christmas masterpiece faster than a GFCI tripping. All it takes is a little moisture sneaking into the Christmas lighting or electrical system and then BAM, in a millisecond, everything goes dark. The GFCI has decided that the mixture of electricity and...[...]

If you’re a Christmas enthusiast looking to up the ante on your annual light display, it can be difficult to know where to start. Maybe you’ve done a little digging, and have discovered the open industry secret that is empty socket light line. You know that the key to clean a display with no trailing lines is measuring out the...[...]

What is the difference between SPT-1 and SPT-2 wire? This is a question we get asked on a daily basis and anytime we write an article or put together a video about this topic, it always gets a lot of views. And the popularity of this information isn’t limited to only pro-Christmas installers and Christmas enthusiasts but is also sought...[...]

  It’s no secret that LED Christmas lights can save lots of energy. In fact, depending on the type of light set, the energy savings can be anywhere from 80% to 95%. But if you're like a lot of people these days, when you hear numbers like this you probably just assume that it’s marketing hype, with very little basis...[...]

Making sure you have the adequate electrical infrastructure in place is critical in order to safely light up your home or business. In the third part of this multi-part how-to Christmas electrical series, we're going to be taking a look at how to know if you have enough electrical infrastructure for your Christmas lights and decorations. In the previous two...[...]

In part 1 of our Christmas Electric 101 series, we reviewed how to calculate how many watts and amps your Christmas lights and decorations are using. Knowing this helps you keep your lighting and decor safely lit without overloading any circuits or cords. If you've spent much time installing Christmas lights, then you've probably experienced the frustration of tripped breakers...[...]

When the holiday season rolls around, most homeowners see an inevitable bump in their electric bill. After all, powering all those LED Christmas lights, net lights, C7 and C9 bulbs, and mini lights throughout your home and yard requires significant electricity. Christmas is already expensive, which is why it’s smart to use a line splitter for Christmas lights this year...[...]

How do I calculate how much electricity my Christmas lights and decorations use? This is a question we are frequently asked. To help you understand not only how to calculate your electrical needs, but also how to use this information to make sure you are not overloading your electrical cords and circuits, we're putting together a multi-part blog series that...[...]

Nothing makes an otherwise beautiful Christmas light display look sloppy like stray cords. You’ve seen them before: the extension cord hanging down in an ugly loop from the edge of the roofline, the gnarled cable poking out from beyond the bushes, or the thick line of lights snaking across the lawn. In fact, one of the biggest differences between a...[...]

Some mistakes are costly—others are dangerous. They make reaching success with your Christmas lighting install a challenge. So rather than deal with mistakes as they happen, why not avoid them altogether? Whether it’s off-season decorating, or you’re putting together a holly jolly holiday masterpiece, you’ll be well on your way to creating your next sparkling spectacle when you take heed...[...]

When the weather gets warmer, the outdoors become inviting. And the most inviting area on a warm evening? The pool! But don’t let the sunset keep you from enjoying your pool. With some Christmas lighting magic upon your outdoor foliage nearby, your pool area will become a shining summer oasis that’s just as appealing in the dark as it is...[...]

12 Must-Have Tools for any Christmas Lighting Project The time between the upcoming holiday season and the last is a time to prepare. And preparation is a time to gather the tools you need. Your project might seem daunting, but having the right tools makes all the difference. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, whether your next project is...[...]

As we wind down the second half of the year, we eagerly anticipate the moment we can enjoy the crisp, cool outdoor weather. Nothing goes with a fall breeze better than a cup of spiced cider and some inviting patio string lights. Like a teaser before the Christmas season, LED string lights create a warm, cheery ambiance for your porch...[...]

GFCIs and Christmas Lights - A Survival Guide When it comes to Christmas lighting and decorating, nothing kills a Christmas masterpiece faster than a GFCI tripping. All it takes is a little moisture sneaking into the Christmas lighting or electrical system and then BAM, in a millisecond, everything goes dark. The GFCI has decided that the mixture of electricity and...[...]

If you’re a Christmas enthusiast looking to up the ante on your annual light display, it can be difficult to know where to start. Maybe you’ve done a little digging, and have discovered the open industry secret that is empty socket light line. You know that the key to clean a display with no trailing lines is measuring out the...[...]

What is the difference between SPT-1 and SPT-2 wire? This is a question we get asked on a daily basis and anytime we write an article or put together a video about this topic, it always gets a lot of views. And the popularity of this information isn’t limited to only pro-Christmas installers and Christmas enthusiasts but is also sought...[...]

  It’s no secret that LED Christmas lights can save lots of energy. In fact, depending on the type of light set, the energy savings can be anywhere from 80% to 95%. But if you're like a lot of people these days, when you hear numbers like this you probably just assume that it’s marketing hype, with very little basis...[...]

Making sure you have the adequate electrical infrastructure in place is critical in order to safely light up your home or business. In the third part of this multi-part how-to Christmas electrical series, we're going to be taking a look at how to know if you have enough electrical infrastructure for your Christmas lights and decorations. In the previous two...[...]

In part 1 of our Christmas Electric 101 series, we reviewed how to calculate how many watts and amps your Christmas lights and decorations are using. Knowing this helps you keep your lighting and decor safely lit without overloading any circuits or cords. If you've spent much time installing Christmas lights, then you've probably experienced the frustration of tripped breakers...[...]

When the holiday season rolls around, most homeowners see an inevitable bump in their electric bill. After all, powering all those LED Christmas lights, net lights, C7 and C9 bulbs, and mini lights throughout your home and yard requires significant electricity. Christmas is already expensive, which is why it’s smart to use a line splitter for Christmas lights this year...[...]

How do I calculate how much electricity my Christmas lights and decorations use? This is a question we are frequently asked. To help you understand not only how to calculate your electrical needs, but also how to use this information to make sure you are not overloading your electrical cords and circuits, we're putting together a multi-part blog series that...[...]