How to string together net lights?

[99monguse]

This is my very 1st post! Hello ALL! My wife is palnning on getting the net lights for our shrubs but I have a concern. The shrubs are about 1-2ft apart and being that I have never used net lighting, I am wondering how you apply the lights so that you're not illuminating in-between the shrubs! I want the perfect look of lighted shrub, dark, lighted shrub, dar, lighted shrub, dark....We used to use regular string lights and we were forced to use all seperate extension cords; which made for an interesting time, considering we only have a standard electrical outlet by the garage door.

[ornamentmaven]

How close together are the shrubs? Net lighting is tough because shrubs are different sizes. I think that you will need a separate net for each shrub - so hopefully they will be the mright size. I have run extension cords between light sets.

[ChantelleJoy]

first off --



and



We're happy to have you with us!!!

Secondly, I agree with ornamentmaven, you'll probably have to buy two sets and run an extention cord between them. Net lights usually arn't very large to begin with, and having one on each will look nicer since you could probably wrap them all of the way around.

[99monguse]

How close together are the shrubs? Net lighting is tough because shrubs are different sizes. I think that you will need a separate net for each shrub - so hopefully they will be the mright size. I have run extension cords between light sets.

My shrubs are 1-2ft apart. Like I said I have never used net lights before, or for that matter, seen them up-close either. So, you would run an extension cord to the 1st shrub and plug in the net light, run a small extension cord to the next shrub and plug that net light into the extension cord and so on...how many can I run together off of the intial extension cord? Does anyone know of the type of power cord that should be used to span to 1-2ft between shrubs? AND what type of cord should I use to do the intial run to the first shrub(suppling the power to all the shrubs)?

[ChantelleJoy]

You can get an outdoor Extention Chord for both of those tasks. When purchasing your chord there will be "indoor" and "outdoor" varieties at your hardware store. All you need do is buy the right lengths.

And yes, you can string net light, chord, net light, chord. I do not know how many you can plug together and still remain 'safe', ask someone in department of the hardware store you're buying the chords from.

[Glood looking ugly guy]

I just started my hedge and had to run power for the lioghting there is a 2 foot cord end on the lights

[Papa_Christmas]

I have a lot of experience with outdoor Christmas lighting. First I will say I did not care for the net lights at all. They don’t work badly on square shaped shrubs but still don’t have enough lights for my taste.



The biggest mistake people make is using the wrong type of extension cords. I recommend you use only heavy duty three pronged outdoor type cords. The next is that the farther the distance from the outlet you are traveling the heavier the cord should be. Travelling a long distance over light gauge wire causes voltage drop which causes amperage to increase which causes circuit breakers to trip.

Because of the amount of outdoor lights I use I installed two separate 2 outlet 20amp circuits just for my Christmas lights. The outlets are on the side of my house so I run a 25 foot 10/3 (10gauge 3 wire) extension cord from the outlet to the flowerbed. From that cord I run a 12 foot Westinghouse 3 outlet in-line heavy duty outdoor cord.



I install a Heavy Duty /Outdoor/3 outlet grounded (3 prong) adapter into each outlet on this cord.



Now I have 9 outlets spread over a distance of 12 feet. Into these outlets I directly plug light strings or a 3 Outlet Ground Stake w/Outlet Safety Covers & Lighted On/Off Switch with Circuit Breaker behind each shrub.



CAUTION I am not a professional lighting contractor nor am I a licensed electrician if you choose to use my methods you do so at your own risk.(I add this statement to keep my lawyer happy)

[Glood looking ugly guy]

lmao I am a licensed electrician and I am a professional lighting installer and I could care less what my lawyer has to say if you use any ideas that you have gotten from me you do at your own free will. same as that dumb woman who spilled hot coffee on her lap.


I myself make my own temporary lighting cords. I figure they are good for 3-5 years temp usage

what I use

12-2 nmb romex interior grade the actual conductor insulation is the same as the outdoor grade stuff. its the outer jacket that isn't rated for outdoor use. its temporary so who cares.

Rn-23 nail on boxes. I take the nails out

regular 15 amp recepticals

Covers lol yeah why bother like I'm going to stick my finger in there to get a buzz. hmmm wait a second that sounds like fun

cord caps the part you plug into the outdoor receptical. I just wire up my romex like an extension cord


Basically what I am doing is making the same cord as the post above but its to my custom length that I want for my props/lights.


oh yah gfi receps yah thats a pain in the caboose no gfi plugs whatsoever

[savor]

It sounds like the finesse of Christmas lighting is important to you. It is an exercise in design.
The net lights are usually about 4-6 feet wide x 3 ft tall unless one switches the direction. If the shrubs don't happen to fit, I would suggest skipping them and stringing them with single strands. It can be like pushing tooth paste back in the tube. The presentation will look uneven. The leader cord should bridge the gap between your shrubs without lights. However the maufacturers usually discourage connecting more than 4 nets together. So a long hedge may require running extension cords. I would not put any lights on my home sweet home without using a low amp circuit breaker/fuse and be careful the plug connections are dry and away from combustibles. Not to be a damper but better safe, fire is not the way to light up your house.