Benefits of Using Coaxial Connect Christmas Lights

When it comes to professional-quality Christmas lights, there are many different products out there that people are not aware of. Unfortunately, sometimes these lesser-known products are actually the best ones on the market.

One of the best products that a lot of people haven’t heard of is coaxial connect Christmas lights, also known as RY connect light sets. While they have been available for nearly two decades, many people don’t know about this option. They've been a closely kept secret of the professional Christmas installation industry.

However, overlooking coaxial light sets is a big mistake, as there are a plethora of benefits to this kind of light set. From superior weather-proofing to improved connectivity, there are many reasons to make the switch to coaxial connect lights.

All of us at Christmas Designers are dedicated to making the holidays the most memorable time of the year for you and your loved ones. That’s why we dedicate time to understanding all the complexities of the products we offer. We conduct research and experimentation for you so that you can make an informed decision when it comes to your holiday lighting choices.

In this blog, we will discuss the various benefits of coaxial connect Christmas lights. Continue reading to see how these sets can elevate your Christmas display this year and make your decorating experience easier and more secure.

What is a Coaxial Connect Light Set?

Before moving into the benefits of coaxial light sets, it’s first important to take the time to understand what exactly they are.

Most LED light sets are connected to one another and to the power supply using standard Edison plugs. These are traditional plugs that you see all the time on nearly every electrical product. However, coaxial light sets have coaxial connections, which are made up of threaded male and female ends that are securely sealed by a coupling, with a watertight rubber washer.

To plug your coaxial connect lights sets into your wall, you will need to use an RY power cord. This will screw directly into the light set on one end and then have a standard Edison plug on the other end so that you can use it in a standard outlet.

While traditional plug Christmas lights make up the bulk of our light set sales, however anyone with a true passion for holiday decorations will recommend using coaxial light sets, as there are a number of benefits over traditional plug Christmas lights. At Christmas Designers, this is our preferred style of light set, which is why it's the standard set we use on all of the lighting programs we personally install.

What are the Benefits of Coaxial Connect Christmas Lights?

There are a number of benefits to using coaxial connect light sets over ones that use standard Edison plugs. Here are the top 5 benefits we've observed after years of using this type of Christmas light:

• Thicker Wire: The first benefit is that the light set wire is thicker than what is used in a traditional Edison plug light set. It is 20 gauge as opposed to 22 gauge. This is important because of the increased thickness of the wire equates to strength and durability. With the thicker wire on the coaxial lights sets, these are truly made to last.
• Prevents Water from Entering: Another benefit of coaxial connect light sets is the fact that the threaded connection ensures that water cannot enter the plugs and the connections between sets. This is important because water entering the plugs can cause an immediate outage, which is the last thing you need when trying to put on a spectacular Christmas program. With coaxial connections, the male prongs enter the female end and are sealed with a rubber washer. This creates a complete, watertight seal that simply cannot be achieved with standard Edison plugs. When it comes to your Christmas light display, avoiding an outage is likely your primary concern. Thus, the fact that water cannot enter these types of light sets makes for a significant benefit.

• Prevents Unplugging: Another way that coaxial connect light sets help to avoid outages is that your various stringer sets will stay together without coming unplugged. The coaxial connection is much more secure than a traditional plug connection. This means that, even if you are creating a complex outdoor display that covers a large area, you don’t need to worry about certain stringer sets coming unplugged spontaneously from harsh weather or pesky animals.In fact, even in the harshest weather conditions, the coaxial connect lights sets will remain joined together and attached to the power source. Again, experiencing an outage is the most frustrating thing that can happen when it comes to your Christmas lights display.

• Reduced GFCI Nuisance Tripping: Another way that coaxial lights help to keep your Christmas program functioning properly is by reducing the occurrence of GFCI tripping. A GFCI is a ground-fault circuit interrupter. Its function is to prevent people from getting electrocuted. GFCIs can be built directly into outlets or into breakers. GFCIs are extremely important for preventing people from dangerous electrical shocks. They are required based on the standards established by the National Electric Code (NEC).
  • While GFCIs are extremely important to everyone’s safety, they can be a bit of a hassle when it comes to your Christmas lights. Even the slightest amount of water seeping into your connection points can cause the GFCI to trip and shut down your whole display. However, because coaxial connect lights sets feature such a secure connection with a rubber washer seal, there is virtually no way that water can enter. Therefore, you are less likely to encounter GFCI tripping. If you are putting your heart into your Christmas display, this is absolutely essential.

• Can Be Split Into Multiple Runs: Finally, coaxial connect light sets can easily be split into multiple runs while still maintaining a water-tight connection using a simple and inexpensive adaptor. This means that you can use just one power cord to supply power to even more light sets. This makes it extremely easy to create a complex holiday display with fewer power leads.

A Closer Look

There are clearly many benefits to using coaxial lights. However, some people avoid them because they tend to have a slightly higher price point than traditional light sets with Edison plugs.

While it’s true that coaxial lights do tend to cost a little more than traditional Christmas lights, the price increase is not that steep--only about 15%. Additionally, the multitude of benefits that come along with coaxial lights far outweigh the slight price increase. When you pay a little more for coaxial Christmas lights, you pay for a sense of confidence and security.

When it comes to a professional-looking Christmas light display, there is truly no question that you should utilize coaxial connect. In fact, this is all we use in our own professionally installed programs at Christmas Designers.

The Bottom Line - Coaxial Christmas Lights

Coaxial Christmas lights are a wonderful way to reduce the stress that comes along with putting on a high-quality Christmas lights display. One of the most significant concerns that people have when it comes to their project is the fact that they might go out for some reason. This is a true way to kill the holiday spirit, so it should be avoided as best as possible.

If you truly want to elevate your holiday decorations this year, consider using coaxial connect light sets. They are the light sets of choice for all professionals and Christmas enthusiasts. For more information or to submit questions to us, please visit our website or reach out to us at sales@christmasdesigners.com.