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Rope Lights
Rope lights are a series of small incandescent
bulbs packaged in flexible plastic
tubing.
Rope lights can be used to mark
walkways,
add a warm glow around corners,
and to create
designs and writing in lights.
Here are a
few tips to consider when buying
rope lights:
- Newer designs use long lasting LED's instead
of bulbs; LED's dramatically reduces the
electricity needed to operate them and the
heat that the rope lights generate, but LED
rope lights are much more expensive to buy.
- Rope lights come in a variety of colors (usually
by putting white bulbs in colored
tubing).
Mixed color rope lights use
different colored
bulbs and are more expensive.
White lights
are fine for general lighting,
but the color
rope lights can add a decorative
sizzle to
your layout.
- Rope lights come in a variety of diameters
and lengths, generally up to
150 feet. Look
for rope lights that can be
cut and spliced,
as this gives you the added
flexibility of
using only the length you need.
Smaller diameter
ropes are generally easier
to bend around
tight corners.
- If you are planning to use the rope lights
outdoors, make sure they are designed for
this (for example, the tubing should be sealed
to keep out moisture).
- If you want something more than just an "always
on" lighting pattern, consider buying
3 wire or higher rope lights (the more wires
the more the flexibility in your patterns)
and a controller. Controllers can cause the
lights to flash, to flash in sequence ("chase"),
alternate, or to flash in a random pattern.
Some controllers even cause the lights to
flash based on sound. When buying a controller,
make sure it matches the voltage (usually
120v) and has the capacity to power the length
of your rope lights.
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