Rope Light FAQs
Visit our new website at
www.christmaslightsandmore.com

This section contains rope light information and answers to frequently asked questions about rope lighting. Click on the links below if you wish to go directly to information about cutting rope light, attaching a connector kit or splicing rope light together.

What is rope light?

Rope light consists of very small light bulbs in a long plastic tube, making a rope. A typical rope light contains numerous ½ watt micro-bulbs, spaced about one inch apart inside a clear or colored flexible PVC resin tube. The tiny bulbs are maintenance free, and are not intended for replacement. At ½ watt each and spaced 1 inch apart, a typical rope light will generate approximately 6 watts per foot (it would take about 10 feet of rope light to equal the energy usage of one 60-watt light bulb). Rope lights gets only slightly warm to the touch.

Rope Lighting is very versatile can be installed just about anywhere. Indoors, you can use it along mantles and shelves, around bookcases, around or inside cabinets, inside dark closets, around doors and windows, along the edge of a ceiling or a chair rail molding, or to light up staircases or individual steps. Outdoors, rope lights are beautiful around decks and deck railings, along paths, as safety lighting for steps, or as architectural or landscaping accent lights in any of a variety of areas

Rope light bulbs are usually rated for 25,000 hours of use before they fail -- if you had them on for an average of 4 hours every day, that would be about 17 years of life.

Rope light is very easy to cut, splice and work with if you follow basic instructions. Few tools are required and it can be used by almost anyone.

The 3/8 and ½" diameter rope lights are identical except for the thickness of the jacket - the 3/8" is easier to conceal, the ½" is a thicker, more durable jacket. They contain the exact same bulbs, so the brightness and power consumption are identical.

The brightness of the rope is determined by the watts. A 5.5 watts/per foot rope light is brighter than a.3.6 watts/foot rope light. The maximum run for 3.36 watt is 240 feet while the maximum for 5.5 watts is 150 feet.

110 Volt and 120 Volt are essentially the same and can be plugged into a household outlet. Its maximum run is 150 or 240 feet depending on the wattage. On the other hand 12 Volt utilizes low voltage bulbs and is suitable to use around water with a 12 volt battery, alternator or transformer. While 12 volt lights are lower voltage they do draw higher amperage, so there is no cost savings in running 12 volt rope lights. Its maximum run is 30 feet. Both are suitable for indoor and outdoor use. You cannot splice 110/120 volt and 12 volt together.

Should I purchase UL rated rope light?

Not necessarily. The UL (Underwriter Laboratories) rating on rope light effects the ability to field cut  rope light (cutting done at the sight of installation).  Underwriters Laboratories published a new set rules known as UL 2388-Flexible Lighting Products which eliminates field cutting and states: "The cutting and splicing of rope light at the site of installation is NO longer permitted. All rope light must be pre-cut at the factory and have molded ends that can be easily connected. Installers will now only be able to connect and disconnect molded ends of pre-cut lengths."

At Centsible Holiday Lighting, we recognize the need for our customers to be able to field cut their own rope light. Therefore, we have purchased premium commercial grade non UL rated rope light in 150' spools. It is the same quality and price as UL rope light but our rope light can be cut at the place of installation. However, if you would like to purchase UL rated rope light, we still have a number of original UL rated (prior to the new rating) rope light spools left in our inventory.

What is the temperature tolerance?

-5ºF to 140ºF  or -20ºC to 60ºC