Christmas lights, rain, GFCI

[MiguelACA]

Every year its the same thing, I put up Christmas lights and at some point they get TOO wet and trip the GFCI. I used to wrap them in electrical tape, but didn't seem to help, when water did get it, it would stay in until I unwrapped and let it dry. I do have some waterproof housings and enclosures for some of the connections. I've heard of using dielectric grease on them to make them more waterproof/resistant. I have all the lights plugged in already, I was thinking of waiting for a nice, dry day and coating the connections in dielectric grease. Thoughts?

While its not a big deal to go and reset the GFCI, the problem is I have a chest freezer in that circuit. I lost food one year when it tripped and I didn't notice. I will add a second GFCI circuit for the freezer next year, but for now, trying to keep the lights from tripping the outlet.

I see they sell in-line gfci cords, would the inline GFCI trip BEFORE the outlet GFCI?

Thanks!

There are a lot of knowledgeable people here, hoping someone can help!

 

[ajw22]

No, you don’t want to double up GFCIs on a circuit.

Water and electricity do not mix as the GFCI is showing.

You need to enclose the connections in weatherproof enclosures.

 

[Mdragger88]

Do you perhaps have some of the cord ends laying on the ground? If You can, try to get them elevated so the rain rolls off.
There’s lots of types of covers available

Extension Cord Accessories - Extension Cords - The Home Depot

Get free shipping on qualified Extension Cord Accessories products or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Electrical Department.

www.homedepot.com

Also be sure u don’t have any loose bulbs or connections anywhere that may be allowing water to accumulate.

 

[markayash]

I have 15 strands of Icicle lights off a GFI outside and never had the GFI trip. This year I went with old fashion bulbs and had to run several power cord but fence went from 40 watts to 800 watts

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I use these for my C9 bulbs (C9, Rubber O-Ring for Sockets, Green). Although I have never had a problem before I was using them.

You mention having a freezer plugged into the GFI. GFI's and inductive loads such as compressors do not play well together. It may likely be the freezer that is tripping the circuit. I have a standup freezer that was plugged into a GFI and it would work for a few months and then trip. Took me losing a freezer full of food before I finally got around to changing that recept out for a standard one.

--Jeff

 

[cowboycasey]

Dielectric grease works perfect, on every single connection use it and on the end of the lights where you can plug another light in... put enough where it squeeze's out the plug..

This one works perfect for it

Amazon.com: CRC 5113 Grease : Automotive

Amazon.com: CRC 5113 Grease : Automotive

smile.amazon.com

I know about lights

 

[RMcGirr83]

I know about lights

Way to go Mr. Griswold!!

 

[RDFBocephus]

Dielectric grease works perfect, on every single connection use it and on the end of the lights where you can plug another light in... put enough where it squeeze's out the plug..

This one works perfect for it

Amazon.com: CRC 5113 Grease : Automotive

Amazon.com: CRC 5113 Grease : Automotive

smile.amazon.com

I know about lights

Nice RGB tree!

We run three houses here using Light-O-Rama with about 22 songs. We raise money for Hospice every year, and our neighborhood is in the top three in the Tampa Bay area for Christmas lights.

 

[MiguelACA]

thanks for all the responses yall, I ordered more waterproof housings to cover some of the connections, ill use the grease on the rest. The freezer has never once tripped the gfci, it only ever trips during hard rain during the holidays. I light up the house quite a bit, looking into the light-o-rama stuff now lol

 

[RDFBocephus]

thanks for all the responses yall, I ordered more waterproof housings to cover some of the connections, ill use the grease on the rest. The freezer has never once tripped the gfci, it only ever trips during hard rain during the holidays. I light up the house quite a bit, looking into the light-o-rama stuff now lol

Here is my neighbor who runs the light-o-rama show out of his garage on a dedicated PC:

Let me know if you have any technical questions as I do most of the PC work for my neighbor.

 

[MiguelACA]

Here is my neighbor who runs the light-o-rama show out of his garage on a dedicated PC:

Let me know if you have any technical questions as I do most of the PC work for my neighbor.

that's awesome! I was browsing the light-o-rama site, doesn't like anything I couldn't handle, just gotta get creative about it! probably too late for this season, but will stock up on lights and extension cords as they go on sale! The wife has been alerted about incoming expenses lol! I have been wanting to do a music lightshow for sometime, but never really looked into it. I will 100% be bugging you about it!

 

[markayash]

Here is my neighbor who runs the light-o-rama show out of his garage on a dedicated PC:

Let me know if you have any technical questions as I do most of the PC work for my neighbor.

Do you get a knock at your door every years " Hello, I am from Florida Power, can you please turn your pool pump off, we are about to trip a breaker on the pole"

 

[RDFBocephus]

that's awesome! I was browsing the light-o-rama site, doesn't like anything I couldn't handle, just gotta get creative about it! probably too late for this season, but will stock up on lights and extension cords as they go on sale! The wife has been alerted about incoming expenses lol! I have been wanting to do a music lightshow for sometime, but never really looked into it. I will 100% be bugging you about it!

Sounds good, and let me know! Best thing is to get the necessary electrical to support all of the "hardware" you want to run so you aren't tripping breakers. We put in two breakers when we bought the house just to run the Christmas lights. When not in use I use the outlets to run lights for my flag pole in the front yard.

Do you get a knock at your door every years " Hello, I am from Florida Power, can you please turn your pool pump off, we are about to trip a breaker on the pole"

Actually it's not that bad. Since the show runs the lights, and they aren't constantly on it isn't that much of an increase if at all. Since it is typically cooler weather, and we aren't running the HVAC all the time as well.

That being said I'm sure if we didn't run the show every year they probably would be knocking on our door.

 

[markayash]

I have about 150' of icicle lights and after having the LED fail after a couple years I went back to old style..Watts also jumped from 40 to 800!!
I have them around the back of the pool wood fence and it's wife Christmas present

 

[RDFBocephus]

I have about 150' of icicle lights and after having the LED fail after a couple years I went back to old style..Watts also jumped from 40 to 800!!
I have them around the back of the pool wood fence and it's wife Christmas present

Interesting... All we run is LED to save on the costs, and haven't even considered incandescent lights in years. To be honest I never decorated for Christmas, but my wife did so she got me into it about nine years ago. Some of the hardware that we bought back then is still going, but some of it is starting to fail. We just replace the ones that go out each year so the financial impact isn't to bad.

On another note the best practice for buying Christmas lights is to buy the same brand if you can, which is sometimes difficult since many of the big box stores will change suppliers every so many years. We typically get our lights at a local Ace store so it helps with the brand issue.

 

[Newdude]

I often see 3/4/5 way splices just laying all over peoples yard and wonder how they don’t trip when half the yard becomes a puddle. Like you said, not every rain but whenever it’s a big one. The blow up lawn decorations seem to be the most common ones with cords all over going to the 15 decorations.

Anywhere I have a ground splice I pound a small stake in and zip tie it 6 inches off the ground. (After taping the connections of course). The splices in the air are also taped well and I’ve never tripped the breaker even when strands that got damaged in the wind. They just go out and I replace that section with new ones.

 

[markayash]

Also if you have strands out try this..I have no idea why or how it works but it does Fixed several strands on our old tree

LightKeeper Pro Light Tester-1203-CD - The Home Depot

Choose this LightKeeper Pro Light Tester to ensure your Christmas lights stay perfect this holiday season. Easy to repair.

www.homedepot.com

 

[Mdragger88]

Y’all’s displays are great!
It is my eventual goal to have eave outlets, some near each set of bushes, & @ each of the trees that line my driveway on dedicated circuits. No cords! So far I’m just the timer queen lol set it & forget it!

 

[RDFBocephus]

Y’all’s displays are great!
It is my eventual goal to have eave outlets, some near each set of bushes, & @ each of the trees that line my driveway on dedicated circuits. No cords! So far I’m just the timer queen lol set it & forget it!

This is one of ours on the side of the house.

 

[Newdude]

It is my eventual goal to have eave outlets, some near each set of bushes, & @ each of the trees that line my driveway on dedicated circuits

I know a gal that can do that for ya !!