When it comes to the safety at your place, you may need to ask, are rope lights waterproof? After all, if you’re planning on using lighting to enliven your home, integrating rope lights is one way you can hardly go wrong. Rope lighting has endured over a long time as an effective choice of accent lighting, outdoor landscape lighting, decorative lighting, and creating beautiful low brightness light motifs.
Consider installing the best rope lights for crown molding to make your space look and feel tastier.
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Are Rope Lights Waterproof?
Yes, rope lights are waterproof. They consist of a string of small incandescent bulbs or LEDs enclosed in a clear and waterproof cylindrical tube made of epoxy, PVC plastic or other material. Rope lights with relatively thicker outer casings are more waterproof and resistant to external elements. However, they’re also less flexible than rope lights with thinner outer jackets.
Can Rope Lights Be Used Outside?
Absolutely! If you thought rope lights are only ideal for indoor use, think again. Most rope lights are versatile and are rated for use either indoors, outdoors, or both. So, you can use them outside without compromising their lighting quality.
When used outdoors, rope lights are best for decorative and landscape lighting or very low light level accent lighting due to their low brightness. They also have a 360 degree viewing angle, so you can easily see the lights from any angle. This makes rope lights ideal for wrapping around outdoor objects such as trees. You can also bend them into various letters and shapes to create artistic light motifs.
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Due to their resilience against outside elements, rope lights can be used for accent and decorative lighting around driveways, pools, sheds, gardens, sheds, and other outdoor structures. You can also use them to light your outdoor deck or patio. Moreover, you can use rope lights in holiday lighting to quickly create beautiful designs and festive messages including animated characters, snowflakes, and stars.
What Are The Best Rope Lights For Outdoors?
Rope lighting is among the easiest and most effective ways to enhance the atmosphere in your outdoor deck, patio, backyard, driveway, or garden. It’s like a magic switch to transform your outdoor space from bland to enchanting. Whether you’re setting up an outdoor party space or simply spicing up your outdoor space to entertain guests, you can’t go wrong with thoughtfully installed rope lighting.
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In spite of the benefits of lighting up your outdoor space with rope lighting, choosing the right rope lights can be tricky. The number of rope lights manufacturers and brands can be overwhelming. We’ve compiled a list of factors you can consider to guide you to the best rope lights for your specific outdoor lighting project:
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Types of power source for the rope lights
Rope lights generally come in 3 types depending on the source of their power. Most are equipped with a single power source but some have multiple (mostly duo) power sources.
Battery-powered rope lights run purely on battery power, so you don’t need to run power extension cables around your home. This makes it convenient and cost-effective, but you have to replace the batteries periodically when their power runs out. Some rechargeable models connect to standard USB-port chargers for fast and easy recharging. Battery-powered rope lights can light up your outdoor area for approximately 8 hours in a week.
Solar-powered rope lights use sunlight to charge their batteries during the day and then light up your space after dusk. They’re environmentally friendly and extremely easy to use as they have automatic on-and-off sensors. What’s more, solar rope lights require minimal maintenance and are the best in terms of cost-effectiveness.
Wired rope lights get their power from your domestic or industrial electric supply via electric cables. Although they won’t dim, run out of power, or require a battery replacement, they can’t work without the external power source. The biggest disadvantage of wired rope lights is that they lose power immediately their external power source blacks out. It can also be difficult to access an electric power outlet in some instances.
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Type of rope lights
Rope lights are available in two major types of light bulbs- incandescent and LED lights. Incandescent rope lights burn bright without generating plenty of heat although they use a lot of electric power. On the other hand, LED rope lights are smaller and are more efficient. They draw up less electric power and remain cool even after staying lit for long durations.
Generally, LED rope lights are smaller, safer, more cost-friendly, and preferable to incandescent rope lights. They output brighter light and most are equipped with dimmer switches to enable you to set a preferably mood around your home’s outdoor spaces.
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Energy Efficacy
We all want to keep our bills down, so it makes sense to choose rope lights with low energy consumption. Energy-efficient rope lights are the best for outdoors use as you can leave then burning for a long time without putting a huge dent on your electricity bill.
Most LED rope lights are energy-efficient, burn bright, and have a long lifespan. When shopping for rope lights, look for the energy-efficiency rating and compare the average run time for each to find the best one for outdoor stringing.
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Quality and waterproofing
The quality of your outdoor rope lights determines the quality of the output light and your safety. Your best bet is to choose robustly built rope lights for outdoor use. Consider purchasing a rope lights string with a durable outer PVC casing. Such outer tubing can weather harsh environmental elements such as rain, debris, and UV rays from the sun.
Ensure the outer clear casing of your rope lights has a sound and consistent structure. Look out for rope lights with cracks or tears where moisture can seep through. You’ll also want to confirm that all connection points on the rope lights string are tightly sealed so water won’t leak through.
It’s also crucial to ensure that the rope light bulbs are of high quality and are carefully assembled. Loose bulbs can cause rope lights to flicker or burn. They can also be an eyesore in an otherwise perfect assembly.
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Ease of installation
Installing outdoor rope lights should be a breeze. That’s why you should ensure your choice of outdoor rope lights has the necessary mounting equipment to hold them in place. The most common mounting hardware for outdoor rope lights includes screws, clips, and 3M adhesive.
Mounting clips provide a steadfast attachment for outdoor rope lights. They attach to the tip of your fence, deck, or patio, and allow you to drape the rope light string securely into the slightly curved inbuilt holding bracket.
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Safety Certifications
Nobody wants to suffer an electric shock, and using certified rope lights is the only way to ensure you’re safe. There are two major safety certifications for outdoor rope lights you should look for:
The UL certification: Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent 3rd party entity company that reviews and rates various electronic components. It’s been around for over a century, so you can trust its reviews and ratings.
The IP ranking: This rating determines the level of dust and water-resistance for your rope lights. Rope lights with higher IP ranking are more resistant to dust and water, and are better suited for outdoor lighting.
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Reliability
Ideally, your outdoor rope lights should be able to give out consistent light for several hours without flickering or fading. The only way rope light manufacturers can guarantee you such reliability is using top-shelf and durable components and expert workmanship when assembling the parts. While most outdoor LED rope lights are very reliable, the most dependable ones have solid warranties to protect you from quality-related mishaps.
The best rope lights for outdoor lighting are made using high quality components and are assembled by industry experts. They’re long-lasting, have firm attachment hardware, are certified by trusted professional firms, and are cost-friendly. They transform outdoor spaces from plain-looking to lovely in an instant.
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How Long Can Rope Lights Stay On?
Rope lights can stay on for different periods of time depending on their power source and type of bulbs. Electricity-powered rope lights can stay on for extended time spans while solar and battery-powered options fade out as their charge runs out.
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If your rope lights are hooked to a mains electric power outlet, it’s advisable to switch them off when you sleep to allow their step-down transformer to cool off. This can help you to prevent accidental fires.
Incandescent rope lights tend to heat up more quickly than their LED alternatives. Therefore, they should stay on only for a few hours and shouldn’t stay on overnight or for prolonged periods. On the other hand, LED rope lights take up very little electric power and give off very little heat. Thus, they can stay on for long periods of time without risking a fire or impacting your electricity bill a lot.
Can Rope Lights Go Underwater?
Yes, rope lights can go underwater since they’re waterproof as long as the second digit of their IP rating is 5 or higher. However, rope lights aren’t completely waterproof against total or continuous submersion, so you must put in place precautions so the lights don’t roast you in the water.
Budget rope lights are cheaply made, and are unsuitable for submerging under water. They can short-circuit and burn holes through their waterproof casing particularly where they’re most flexed. While most rope lights are waterproof, their terminals aren’t. You can also submerge the face of the rope light string while the back (with connections) stays in a protective housing.
Ideally, the best rope lights for underwater use should be powered by 12V or 24V direct current. This protects against electric shocks in case the outer PVC casing is compromised.
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Final thoughts
Rope lighting is a fun and easy way to upgrade your home into a beautiful masterpiece with minimal effort and cost. The best rope lights for crown molding highlight the most striking aspects of your home and make the entire place look and feel more welcoming. Even better, rope lights are waterproof and can add some sparkle to your outdoor living spaces such as backyards, patios, decks, driveways, gardens, and pools.