I would like to know what to use to hang the icicle lights from the outside of the house. I have about a 3 inch overhang.

 

One mistake most folks make is using a power stapler to tie the wires to the eaves. Suggest you use a push pin in the eaves and a wire-tie at each support. Have a good power source. These light in a string can draw some amps. No outlet? Use a good orange #12 AWG extension cord.

About five years ago, I lived in a "bad neighborhood" where theft was a way of life. I wanted to put out Christmas lights. So, I ran my lights with a "third wire" that was hooked to my house electric "hot". I ran a fourth wire to ground. We never knew what happened but I found a pair of wire cutters on the ground with a large hole burned in them. Someone dragged the body off. My lights stayed intact.

I don't suggest this....but it works!

 

Thank you for answer to my question on Christmas lights. I neglected to say I have metal eaves. What now?

 

Well, that does complicate things, doesn't it? If the eaves are of a ferrous metal, you could use standard household magnets. But, chances are very good that they are aluminum. I might suggest getting a couple tubes of standard RTV Clear Gasket Compound from your local automotive parts house, put a glob every foot or so, and push the wires into the glob, let it set, and you are good to go. You can tape the wires up temporarily while the stuff sets up. RTV is liquid rubber that gels up when in contact with air. When it comes time to take the lights down, the stuff will come right off and not disturb the paint, etc. Also good for gluing soles on Tennis shoes and a few thousand other odd jobs. But, this is a suggestion. Perhaps someone else has a better idea.---Smokey

 

Try the shingle tabs. They fit under the shingles and work well unless you have a gusty wind. Or use the gutter hanger clips but screw them (or use construction adhesive) to the underside of the eaves. Use zinc coated or stainless steel screws.

 

Thank you for your advice on the christmas lights. I will certainly use them. Happy Holidays

 

Found this in the archives, With the holidays coming up, does anyone else have any suggestions

 

I use 1/2" open eye hooks to install my X-mas lights. They work really well.

 

Not to admit I'm cheap, I have a cheap way of putting up mine each years.

I slide a paper clip on the wires near each light.

To install, I just slide the clip on the shingle tabs or on the flashing.

When I take the lights down, I leavre the clips on the line for next year.

JT

 

When I just bought my lights at home depot they had these plastic hooks that clip in your gutter. It would work great except I have a torch down roof with no gutters.

 

I don't think that I would reccomend electrifying your lights with an extra "security wire" that is hot. While your at it.. land mines and trip wire? I know that post was very old, but wow.. that just doesn't seem like a good idea...

btw: who steals christmas lights? Their 1000ft for 5 bucks the day after new years.

 

who steals christmas lights, the same people who stole my lighted santa I bought when my daughter was born in 1981. Put it outside my house every yr wired to the fence, but in 1997 somebody decided they wanted it and walked off with it. It was there at 4am and at 6am it was gone. I hope the person who stole it plugged it in and got electrocuted. hahaha.

 

One of the bulbs in my Christmas tree lights failed so I bought some bubls from the local shop. I though that I had a 20 bulb set and bought 12V 1W bulbs. When I got home I realised that I had got a 40 bulb set needing 6V 1W bulbs. I though the 12V bulb would let me light the set but when I put one in the bulb blew. I tried a few more and they did the smae. Why did my 12V bulb blow?

Plz help because I need my lights up quick for christmas