Need to make a cable to run 9 lights around deck

Last year I bought 14 Malibu solar lights from a discount joint and only one is working now. My idea is to rip apart an Xmas light string(7 watt bulbs) and put the sockets in the light housings. I have put 9 lights around my deck, now my problem is I WANT to hide the cord under the top rail and splice into it to add 6 extensions to go to each one of the lights. Now so far I have come up with....



1. Use a two-wire extension cord and run it into EACH light housing and back out to the next one. The housing would protect the splice from the weather.

Looks ugly having 2 wires in and out like this though.



2. Use a two-wire extension cord and splice into it where ever I put a light. I would run a 6 wire into the light and would solder on male and female connectors with heat shrink tube to go over it. The problem is it would not be weather proof so I would have to put each splice into a weather proof box which would look ugly.



3. I am trying to find a supplier that makes parts for cables. There must be a waterproof T that I could screw onto the cord to protect the splice. Like some extension cords have another plug every 7 or so.... it just happens I cannot find any companies that sells these types of parts let alone a T.



Any help would be appreciated.

Thanx

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01-22-2011 07:23 AM #2 Ken_McE

Is this to be a 120 volt AC setup?

I WANT to hide the cord under the top rail and splice into it to add 6" extensions to go to each one of the lights. Now so far I have come up with....

Click to expand...

If the wire ran around under the deck, instead of under the rail, all of your junctions would be hidden and you could use stock waterproof electrical boxes. You'd still have a single wire coming up out of the deck to each light, but you could get an insulation color similar to the deck and run that on the outer side where deck users hopefully wouldn't notice it.
Last edited by Ken_McE; 01-22-2011 at 07:31 AM.

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01-22-2011 03:09 PM #3 Scodiddly

You're doing this low voltage, so you can use all the landscape lighting tricks like waterproof adhesive-lined heatshrink.

How are the lights mounted? If it's a vertical tube into the railing you could maybe drill through the railing and hide the wiring (and the splices) inside the tube.

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01-23-2011 08:51 AM #4 Ken_McE

Scodiddly said:

You're doing this low voltage, so you can use all the landscape lighting tricks like waterproof adhesive-lined heatshrink.

Click to expand...

He's using 7 watt bulbs with a screw-in base. Doesn't that sound like line voltage??

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01-23-2011 10:47 AM #5 300winmag

After hours in Home Depot and Canadian Tire I think I have figured it out. I am using low voltage wire made for outdoor light sets along with a 100watt transformer with built in timer/photocell. The lights are mounted beside the top rail around the deck so I think I am just going to run the wire under the rail and then in and back out each light. I will use plastic ties to keep the wire together to make it look presentable but after doing a lot of searching I think this is going to be the most cost effective with the cleanest look. I will rip apart a xmas light set to use the sockets. I will wire the sockets into the low voltage wire inside the light housing to make it weather proof. I think I will use the 7 watt C7 bulb. I would like to use the ultra mini CFLs but they will not fit in the light and the LED bulbs.... Well they are all stupid crazy expensive.

What do you all think??? I would like to use a dimmer along with the photocell transformer but it says not to use one with it. That and I cant find an outdoor dimmer switch.

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01-23-2011 02:16 PM #6 Scodiddly

Ken_McE said:

He's using 7 watt bulbs with a screw-in base. Doesn't that sound like line voltage??

Heh. Yes, that does not sound like low voltage. I'd forgotten that Christmas lights used to be that way.

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01-24-2011 08:27 PM #7 Ken_McE

300winmag, what voltage are you running through this system?

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01-24-2011 09:18 PM #8 shado

I had the same problem with my deck. I used a lanyard and 9 Lunasols

To be serious though, I would highly recommend going to your local Rona or Home Depot. I have found them to be very helpful with similar problems. Good luck with your project and be safe!

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01-24-2011 11:18 PM #9 300winmag

Shado: Damn those are nice lights! I think I might go with Ti or SS instead of anodizing next time.

Ken McE: It is a 12 volt 100 watt transformer from Home Depot.

I put up an add on Kijiji looking for older free Xmas lights because I could not find any around town and 56 mins later I got an email from a
nice lady saying she has a 3' X 2' box full of lights for pick up.

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01-25-2011 03:37 PM #10 Ken_McE

300winmag said:

Ken McE: It is a 12 volt 100 watt transformer from Home Depot.

Click to expand...

OK, that will work with the low voltage wire. Will 12 volts light up a C-7 bulb??

I put up an add on Kijiji... and 56 mins later I got an email from a nice lady saying she has a 3' X 2' box full of lights for pick up.

Click to expand...

Wow. /heads off to see what this kiji thing is/

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01-26-2011 07:45 PM #11 300winmag

It will when I find the 12 volt 7 watt bulb I can't seem to find now lol. Rather not order bulbs off the net but nobody seems to carry 12V Candleabra bulbs here.
Hmmmmm what else could I steal sockets from?????? Love to go LED but the cheapest one I found that meets my needs is $20

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01-27-2011 06:40 AM #12 300winmag

Wow I cant find the bulbs anywhere in this city. All over the net but none in this city. I think I might go to the junkyard and get some old sockets from tail lights or something. Atleast those bulbs can be bought everywhere.

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01-27-2011 06:57 PM #13 Ken_McE

00winmag said:

Love to go LED but the cheapest one I found that meets my needs is $20

Click to expand...

What are your needs?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Already figured it out a while ago. Thanx everybody for the help.

Buy 9 Inova X5's! :wave:

Haha Believe you me, if I could I most certainly would!!!