To some, Christmas lights are a fundamental aspect of the holiday season. For others, they're a passion and a lifestyle. Engage a veteran light installer in conversation, and you're bound to encounter a plethora of jargon, fervent viewpoints, and unrestrained enthusiasm for their beloved pastime.
Whether you're on a quest to make your home visible from miles away, a homeowners association eager to create a festive ambiance, or a business owner aiming to brighten up your storefront, it's crucial to understand the Christmas lights you are purchasing. If you're intent on mastering the art of Christmas light installation and elevating your displays, continue reading. We've consolidated all the information you need in one convenient location, complete with helpful links for further reading.
First things first: discard those old incandescent Christmas lights
Before delving into the specifics, we need to address those still holding onto their outdated, incandescent mini lights. Despite today's advanced LED technology, some still hold the belief that their vintage bulbs are superior.
Historically, this might have been the case. When LEDs first became available to consumers around 2006, many emitted an unattractive blue light. While they were more energy-efficient, they were also unreliable, cumbersome, costly, and often less vibrant than their incandescent counterparts. Consequently, many enthusiasts refrained from adopting the new technology, maintaining their resistance to LEDs for years.
However, LED technology has since significantly advanced. Even the most basic sets from major retailers now provide accurate colors with decent brightness. And with professional-grade LEDs, the quality is unmatched.
We've previously highlighted the advantages of LED Christmas lights, but here's a brief recap for the unconvinced:
- LEDs use significantly less energy, reducing your power bills by up to 90%.
- LEDs provide superior brightness and color accuracy, without dimming over time.
- LED bulbs are highly durable and outlast incandescent bulbs by a substantial margin.
- LEDs offer a broader variety of designs, enhancing your display options.
- LEDs enable the connection of more sets without needing extension cords or extra plugs.
These benefits, along with the ability to replicate the appearance of incandescent lights with LEDs, make the switch an obvious decision. The initial higher cost of LEDs might deter some, but the savings on energy, longevity, and enhanced brilliance of your displays will justify the investment after just a couple of seasons.
Do be mindful, however, of exaggerated claims about bulb longevity. Although an LED bulb might be rated to last 75,000 hours, this typically applies only to the diode. In most cases, the construction of the set fails before the diodes do. Therefore, it's essential to select light sets built with quality materials and solid solder connections. With proper seasonal use and storage, high-quality LED Christmas light sets should last about five to six years.
Avoid Inferior Retail LED Christmas Lights
Have you ever spent countless hours setting up your lights only to be outshone by a neighbor's more brilliant and vivid display? The blame likely lies with retail-grade lights.
Not all Christmas lights are equal. Industry experts and Christmas light aficionados categorize LED Christmas lights into two types: professional-grade and retail-grade. While some large retailers may try to sell you “commercial” grade lights, these are often just retail-grade with a higher price tag.
If you consider yourself a Christmas hobbyist, you might hesitate at the thought of using professional installers' lights. However, if you truly want an impressive display and save money over time, opting for professional-grade lights is the way to go. Here are four reasons why:
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Pro-grade LED Christmas lights incorporate a one-piece bulb and lens design.
By integrating the LED diode and lens into a single sealed unit, pro-grade lights have a longer lifespan. This design prevents debris from entering the set and causing malfunctions.
In contrast, retail-grade lights are made in two parts, with a removable bulb and lens. This may seem like a convenience, but the separate design allows dirt and moisture inside, meaning frequent replacements are inevitable. Consequently, professional-grade lights are more economically viable in the long term.
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Pro-grade lights feature superior electrical components.
Although it may not be apparent at first glance, genuine pro-grade LED lights contain far superior internal electrical components, including the LED diodes. These elements are crucial to performance quality.
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Pro-grade lights offer enhanced color consistency.
Maintaining uniform color across light sets has long been challenging, especially with warm white lights. However, with modern pro-grade LEDs, color inconsistency is barely noticeable to the naked eye.
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Pro-grade light strings are shorter, offering greater flexibility and ease of use.
In retail, you may find light sets longer than 50 feet, but these lengthy, cumbersome strings can become a hassle in no time. Professional installers prefer to keep lengths to around 25 feet, or 33 feet at most. Long strings are prone to tangling, are heavier, and overall more challenging to manage. For the sake of convenience, professional-grade lights maintain reasonable lengths. Now that you understand the benefits of professional-grade LED Christmas lights, let's explore the specific types of lights used by serious Christmas light experts: stringers and empty socket lines.
LED Stringer Light Sets: Easy and All-Inclusive
Most people envision stringer sets when they think of Christmas light strings. These come with a 3-wire setup, several bulbs directly connected, and both male and female plugs at each end. Generally, you'll use these sets to decorate greenery. Since these sets are pre-determined in length and come with bulbs, they offer the simplest and most convenient lighting option.
However, not all stringer sets are identical. When selecting the ideal stringer light set, consider four factors: bulb lens design, the number of bulbs per set, bulb spacing, color, and the type of connection. We'll delve into each aspect in the following sections.
Choose Your Lens Design
The lens design gives each type of LED stringer light its unique character. While the 5mm Conical is commonly used, it's beneficial to know all your options and their best applications. Here are the available stringer bulb lens designs, listed from smallest to largest.
- 5 mm Wide Angle Conical
At first glance, these “Conicals” appear small and stubby, but once plugged in, you'll see their true brilliance. They shine 25% brighter than typical incandescent mini lights, making them the top choice for professional installers worldwide, although still underrated among enthusiasts. If you haven't tried them, I highly recommend it. They're so bright that they might be too intense for indoor applications.
- M5 LED Mini Light
The elongated, faceted design of the M5 provides a classic look when illuminated. Though dimmer than the Conical, they're excellent for outdoor foliage or indoor greenery.
- T5 Mini Light
Use T5 lights for a traditional look similar to incandescent mini lights. Choosing between this and the M5 typically comes down to personal preference, but both are solid choices.
- C6 Light Set
Smaller than the ubiquitous C7 and C9, the C6 offers a large-bulb appearance. Despite being somewhat marginalized in the lighting world, they are perfect for indoor use on artificial wreaths, trees, and garlands, and they deliver a crisp, clean look when used outdoors around your home.
- C7 LED Stringer Set
Medium-sized and versatile, C7 LED stringer sets are slightly smaller than C9s. They are cheaper but less flexible compared to C7 replacement bulbs, making them an excellent budget option for large outdoor trees or similar uses.
- C9 LED Stringer Set
When people think of Christmas lights, they often think of the C9. With over 90 years of usage in perimeter lighting, these bright, bulbous lights are a seasonal staple. While C9 replacement bulbs offer more customization for line lengths, the C9 stringer set is an affordable choice for extensive foliage. Professionals use them for towering tree decorations.
Choose the number of bulbs per string
Beginners might think that more bulbs on a string are better, which is why you can find strings with over 300 LEDs at big-box stores. While long strings have been advised against for various reasons, cramming numerous bulbs onto a string is also problematic. Remember that each bulb is a potential failure point.
Professionals typically recommend purchasing strings with 70 to 100 lights. For smaller sections, fewer bulbs are better.
Determine bulb spacing
Bulb spacing ranges from 4” to 12”. For home use, follow these general guidelines: 4” to 6” spacing for tree trunks, 6” to 8” for scatter lighting, and 8” to 12” for C7 and C9 stringer sets.
The wider spacing can make strings significantly longer. Therefore, most 6” sets have 50 bulbs, and most 4” sets contain 70 to 100 bulbs. It's wise to keep your sets around 25 feet.
Select your colors (the enjoyable part)
Most professional installers prefer warm whites, but you're only limited by your imagination for personal displays. Today's options range from multicolor to pink, purple, and more. If you've never used modern, pro-grade LED lights, you'll be amazed at their vividness.
Retail-grade LED lights sometimes lack color consistency, especially white lights. Pro-grade lights, however, allow only about a 3% variation in color, which isn't noticeable in practice.
Now you're all set to buy your first sets of professional, all-in-one stringer lights! They are excellent, low-cost, hassle-free options for those new to Christmas lighting and essential for smaller lights.
However, for absolute precision and customization with C7s and C9s, you'll need more flexibility. This is where empty socket light lines come into play.
Empty Socket Light Line: The Pros' Go-To Tool
While stringer lights are great, achieving the perfect Christmas light length for your house isn't possible with pre-made strings. This will leave you with trailing ends and awkwardly shaped sections. For perfection, consider using an empty socket light line.
An empty socket light line is exactly as it sounds: a spool of line with empty sockets
for bulbs. Purchase it by the foot or in 500' to 1,000' packages. To use it, measure the exact length you need, attach a slide-on male and female plug, and screw in your chosen bulbs. It's simpler than it appears — check out this guide if you're skeptical.
Advantages of empty socket lines include:
- The ability to cut the line to the exact perfect length.
- The freedom to select any bulb colors in any sequence.
- Superior customization overall.
- Improved dependability. Since LED retrofit bulbs are standalone units, there are no electronics in the circuit that can malfunction.
bulb caliber, with enhanced luminance and hue.
Evaluate your alternatives
Like selecting stringer light sets, a few critical considerations come into play when choosing your socket line.
Firstly, consider the cord socket dimensions, which will let you choose between C7 or C9 bulbs. Typically, you'll opt for C9 for border lighting, while C7s are suitable for smaller installations.
Next, decide if you need SPT-1 or SPT-2, indicating the cord's thickness (0.3” insulation or .045” insulation, respectively). Unless you plan to keep the display up all year, SPT-1 is likely the simplest option.
You'll also need to choose a cord color. Stick with the classic green or venture with white if you're feeling bold.
Consider the maximum number of bulbs per line. The calculations can be intricate, but remembering the numbers 500-300 will suffice. For C7 or C9 bulbs, end your run at 500 bulbs or 300 feet, whichever comes first. Most likely, this won't be an issue.
Lastly, re-evaluate the socket spacing. For C9s, 12” spacing is ideal, but you can choose smaller intervals for intricate detail on structures.
Note: When buying an empty socket light line, opt for a bulk line, not one with pre-molded plugs. The latter is akin to stringer lights without bulbs — fixed length, no flexibility.
Select your bulbs
In light line setups, bulbs are crucial. While the cord conducts electricity, LED bulbs handle all significant electrical functions. Hence, bulb selection is vital when assembling your initial light set.
Primarily, you'll use C9s and occasionally C7s, but if you're adventurous, you can opt for round bulbs like G30s, G40s, or G50s, ideal for bistro-style lighting in your backyard.
Each bulb size offers various lens types. Faceted lenses diffuse light more effectively, illuminating the bulb fully. Smooth surface lenses are less common, with transparent smooth-surface bulbs generally inferior to their faceted counterparts. However, smooth, opaque bulbs can emit vibrant colors in a nostalgic design.
The most critical factor is the bulb's brand. Pro Christmas (a top LED bulb brand) and Minleon produce excellent bulbs. For brands outside these, thorough research is essential, as enthusiasts have often been disappointed when expensive bulbs fail prematurely.
Take the plunge but be cautious
If you've come this far, you're likely more invested in Christmas lights than most. So, take the plunge. Purchase a stringer set, and set up your initial socket line — but stay grounded. Once your display is complete and you revel in the glow of your professional-grade, LED Christmas lights, the profound satisfaction may lead to a compelling urge for more. This hobby is quite addictive, after all — there's a reason we do it.
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