The holiday season is a joyous time of year, and part of that tradition is decorating the home with festive decorations. One popular way to spruce up your home is by using outdoor Christmas lights. However, if you’ve purchased a light set that’s too long for your space, there is an easy way to shorten it without cutting or damaging the wiring.
Benefits Of Shortening Outdoor Christmas Lights
As the holiday season approaches, many of us look forward to adorning our homes with festive decorations. For some, this includes putting up outdoor Christmas lights. While it’s a joyous experience, it can also be quite time-consuming and tedious when attempting to shorten the strands of light. Fortunately, there are several benefits to shortening your outdoor Christmas light that make the effort worth it in the end.
Shortening your outdoor light will ensure they fit perfectly on whatever surface you are intending to display them on. This could be a house facade or window frame, for example. It eliminates any unappealing excess cord hanging off display areas and gives off a much cleaner aesthetic appearance in general. Not only does this look better from an aesthetic standpoint but is also useful for reducing air pockets and creating even lighting throughout the entire display.
Tools And Materials Needed
To complete this project, you will need several tools and materials including. E.g:
- Wire cutters or scissors
- Electrical tape or heat shrink tubing
- A voltmeter or continuity tester
- Replacement bulbs if needed.
Start by cutting off any excess wires at the end of the string using either wire cutters or scissors that are sharp enough to get through the insulation coating. Make sure not to cut through any exposed metal wires as they will be part of the circuit path in which electricity flows from one bulb to another.
Steps On How To Shorten Outdoor Christmas Lighting
Preparatory Steps
When hanging those lights on your house or trees outside, it’s important to know how to shorten them so that they look neat and orderly. Here are some preparatory steps you should take when shortening outside Christmas lights.
Turn Off The Lights
The process of shortening Christmas lights is relatively easy and can be completed quickly with the right tools and supplies. Start by disconnecting the string of lights from your power source, then remove each bulb individually to prevent damage to the wire insulation.
Check The Wires For Damage
It’s important to check the wires for damage before putting up your lights. Not only can damage wiring cause your lights to short out and become unusable, but also it may present a safety hazard.
Begin by inspecting each wire visually for any signs of wear or tear, such as fraying insulation or broken strands. If you find any issues with the conditions of the wires, discard them immediately in order to avoid potential shocks or fire hazards.
Measure The Length To Be Shortened
The first step in shortening your outdoor Christmas light strings is to measure the amount of length needed for each section you want to be lit up. Measure from one end of the desired area to the other and add a few extra feet for slack. This will ensure that when all sections are connected together, there won’t be any gaps in between them where no lights will appear. Once you have this measurement worked out, it’s time to move on to cutting and connecting your lights.
Cutting The Lights
Use Wire Cutters To Cut The Light String
Wire cutters are a great tool for shortening outside Christmas lights with ease and safety.
When using wire cutters, always start by unplugging the light string from its power source before beginning your work. To shorten your lights, snip off any excess wires at their connecting points. Make sure that as you clip off sections of wire you keep track of which section was connected to where so that when reattaching the strands, they can be hooked up in their original configuration for proper operation.
Cut The Excess Wire And Reattach The Plug
Make sure you have all the necessary tools: neat clippers or wire strippers, electrical tape or heat shrink tubing, and a new electrical plug with matching wires for reconnection. After gathering your materials, lay out your light string flat onto a stable surface and ensure that any bulbs are unscrewed from their sockets before cutting away any excess wire.
Seal The Cut End With Electrical Tape
Cut the light strand where needed, making sure to leave enough extra wire for easy removal should you need access to the bulb later on. After that, use electrical tape to wrap around the cut end of the strand, ensuring your wiring is insulated from any potential moisture or weathering that may occur over time. By doing this step you will make sure your new length of light is waterproofed against wind, rain, and snow while also being less prone to short circuits.
Following these simple steps will help ensure that your outdoor Christmas decorations last long into the holiday season and beyond.
Testing The Shortened Lights
Plug In The Lights
Before you plug them in, it’s essential to make sure that each strand is working properly. This can be done by testing the bulbs one at a time on a flat surface. When inspecting the strands, look for any frayed wires or broken bulbs that could cause safety hazards when lit up. Once you have confirmed all of the bulbs are functioning correctly, it’s safe to plug them into an outlet and start decorating.
Check The Newly Cut Section Of The Lights
Thankfully, this process doesn’t have to be a hassle but instead can be an enjoyable task. When testing each strand, it’s important to look out for any flickering or blinking bulbs as this will indicate if there is an issue with a single bulb or with the entire string of light. Be sure to also check that all of the lights are still securely held in place by their clips and check whether they are securely attached at both ends too; if not they may need extra attention before you hang them up.
Replace Any Blown Bulbs
Testing the shortened Christmas lights is a great first step to help identify which bulbs have gone bad. To do this, make sure all of the bulbs are connected properly and start plugging them in one by one. As you do this, watch for any flashing or flickering between each bulb as it could indicate a broken wire or connection. Once you have identified any faulty connections or burnt-out bulbs, replace them with new ones and test the light string again until all of the connections look good and there’s no more flickering. With just a few steps, you can easily get your Christmas light working again!
Final Thoughts
Shortening outdoor Christmas lights is not a difficult process. With the right tools and knowledge, anyone can easily accomplish this task in less than an hour. Keep in mind that it is important to use the correct wattage bulbs and to not exceed the maximum number of strings connected. Furthermore, always consider safety when working with electricity. With these tips, you can save time and headaches by ensuring your outdoor holiday lights turn on without issue this season.