I get pretty wild with my displays at times, but was trying to figure out a safe way to not bust out yet another extension cord. I've got LED icicle lights along the roofline of my 2nd story. There is a peak in my roofline above a window and I want to hang an LED Christmas star just under that peak and connect it to the icicle lights from above. The connection point between 2 of the strands of icicle lights is almost right near the peak and would only be about 4 feet away from where the star would hang.

But how do I easily connect it in between the lights? Is there a way? Both the icicle lights and the Christmas star have non polarized male plug ends as well as female connectors that other light strands can connect too.

If I understand correctly.....use a 6 foot extension cord and break off the ground pin. Never use this cord for anything else after that.

they make 2 prong extension cords

I just bought an "out door"extension cord with only two prongs for that use.

But don't all extension cords have one small and one larger prong at their end, along with the ground prong? I can break off the ground prong, but I thought it still won't plug into either the icicle lights or the star. (I would need to unplug the two icicle light strands from each other and plug the star in between them)

Build your own cord.

Your local Ace hardware should have vampire plugs and SPT wire in stock right now for christmas. Its really easy (and safe) to make your own cord. Cut it to length, slap on the plugs, and you are could to go. It would take all of about 15 minutes and less than $10 to make a cord that fits.


almost all of them will fit with a little bit of wiggling if you can't find non polarized plugs.

Agreed. Vampire plugs are the way to go. I use them all over the place with my lights.

FDXAg said:

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But don't all extension cords have one small and one larger prong at their end, along with the ground prong? I can break off the ground prong, but I thought it still won't plug into either the icicle lights or the star. (I would need to unplug the two icicle light strands from each other and plug the star in between them)

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That's called polarized. I'm pretty sure you can still get non polarized extension cords. They are cheap AF.

Or make one from a power cord that looks like this

Thanks for the advice everyone! I don't want to be unsafe with this so I needed the help. I had read things online like how you could shave down the larger prong to get a regular extension cord to fit into a stand of Christmas lights, but that seemed like a very bad idea.

So, to sum it up, if I made or bought 2 NON POLARIZED extension cords, I could unplug the connection of the 2 stands of connected icicle lights, connect one extension cord from the female end of one strand of icicle lights to the the male end of my Christmas star, and then connect the other extension cord from the female end of the star back up to the male end of the next icicle strand, this completing the connection?

FDXAg said:

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I had read things online like how you could shave down the larger prong to get a regular extension cord to fit into a stand of Christmas lights, but that seemed like a very bad idea.

So, to sum it up, if I made or bought 2 NON POLARIZED extension cords,

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You realize those are the same things right??

Just buy a cheap set of mini incandescent lights and remove a bulb to where the lights do not work and use that as an extension cord. That's what I've always done in these types of situations.

Bassmaster said:

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Just buy a cheap set of mini incandescent lights and remove a bulb to where the lights do not work and use that as an extension cord. That's what I've always done in these types of situations.

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Oh shoot...that's a smart idea! I didn't even think of that

Bassmaster said:

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Just buy a cheap set of mini incandescent lights and remove a bulb to where the lights do not work and use that as an extension cord. That's what I've always done in these types of situations.

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That works, but can be a bad idea. Mini light strands are typically small 22ga wire, only capable of supporting 3A.

Stupid question, does it have to be incandescent or could I use an LED light strand with the same results (perhaps taping the ends of each bulb to hide the lights if I can't simply unplug a light)? Only reason I ask is because I've read that mixing LED and incandescent string lights in the same series is bad for the LED lights. Would hate to prematurely ruin my LED star....

LED would actually be better, just make sure that it is one where the entire strand goes out if one bulb is removed. You don't want to mess with removing all the bulbs on a strand.

I had buckets of extension cords of various sizes and then found this:

I customized all my lighting. Love me some Christmas lights.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0178TZUB4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



https://www.amazon.com/Holiday-Lighting-Outlet-Vampire-Gilbert/dp/B0178TZU78/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Holiday+Lighting+Outlet&qid=1576099498&sr=8-4



spool of wire....



My lighting is no longer a fire hazard and I am slowing replacing everything with LED.

Let me know how it turns out if you try it.

~G

you can look it up, but you can only string a few incandescent lights together, but a crap ton of LED.

It's expensive, but I am slowly replacing all of my incandescent lights with LED. I usually buy right after Christmas for the following year.

I'm definitely going to do that next year! Sick of buying so many extension cords and I wish I had known to do that years ago. I've probably got well over $100 invested in extension cords alone.

To piggyback on this thread, has anyone found clear led lightbulbs in warm white that look remotely close to and are as bright as traditional incandescent bulbs? Love the look of my old c9 bulbs and don't want to change the look which has prevented me from moving to LEDs

I moved to LEDfor outside this year, using the high end ones from ACE home improvement. They look pretty good. Warm light gold.

Aggie71013 said:

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To piggyback on this thread, has anyone found clear led lightbulbs in warm white that look remotely close to and are as bright as traditional incandescent bulbs? Love the look of my old c9 bulbs and don't want to change the look which has prevented me from moving to LEDs

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There is an outfit called Holiday Bright Lights that sells an LED filament bulb that mimics incans. Check it out.