which wire connectors for outdoor deck lights? (1 Viewer)

[Cardinal]

One of our bastard squirrels chewed through our led deck lights. Can I use solder seal connectors like I used to extend my indoor speaker cables, or is it necessary to trek to home depot to pick up proper outdoor wire connectors? I can't imagine these wires are more heavy duty than 18awg.

@Rexedgar

 

[Chock Full o Nuts]

One of our bastard squirrels chewed through our led deck lights. Can I use solder seal connectors like I used to extend my indoor speaker cables, or is it necessary to trek to home depot to pick up proper outdoor wire connectors? I can't imagine these wires are more heavy duty than 18awg.



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Assume those are standard 'Christmas lights' that just plug in and carry 120 volt and not low voltage fed from a transformer?

If the former(I assume), as long as the connector is rated for the voltage and is sealed, either would be fine.

 

[Cardinal]

Assume those are standard 'Christmas lights' that just plug in and carry 120 volt

Yep.

and not low voltage fed from a transformer?

If the former(I assume), as long as the connector is rated for the voltage and is sealed, either would be fine.

Cool.

 

[Rexedgar]

As long as their is no stress, (weight,) on the wires, those heat-shrink connectors will suffice, A heat gun is better to shrink the connectors than an open flame.

 

[Rexedgar]

One of our bastard squirrels chewed through our led deck lights. Can I use solder seal connectors like I used to extend my indoor speaker cables, or is it necessary to trek to home depot to pick up proper outdoor wire connectors? I can't imagine these wires are more heavy duty than 18awg.

@Rexedgar



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Did you add my handle in the edit, I didn’t see it when I first read the post and there was no notification?

That upper connector is what I have an assortment of around the shop.

 

[Cardinal]

Did you add my handle in the edit, I didn’t see it when I first read the post and there was no notification?

Yeah, I added it after the fact. I guess it doesn't show up in your notifications if it happens in an edit.

That upper connector is what I have an assortment of around the shop.

Which upper connector? From the solder connector picture or the outdoor connector picture?

 

[Rexedgar]

Yeah, I added it after the fact. I guess it doesn't show up in your notifications if it happens in an edit.



Which upper connector? From the solder connector picture or the outdoor connector picture?

 

[Cardinal]

As long as their is no stress, (weight,) on the wires, those heat-shrink connectors will suffice, A heat gun is better to shrink the connectors than an open flame.

It just occurred to me that a heat gun (which I have) is probably more practical anyway since a lighter flame will constantly be blown out by the slightest breeze.

 

[BabaVoss]

For low voltage landscape lighting, don’t use the cheap connectors the fixtures typically come with. Cut them off and use these;



For some reason they are not usually found at Home Depot or Lowe’s, but you can find them on Amazon. These really work well, and last.

 

[Rexedgar]

It just occurred to me that a heat gun (which I have) is probably more practical anyway since a lighter flame will constantly be blown out by the slightest breeze.

Be aware that you can overdue it with the heat gun and melt the entire deal…..

 

[Rexedgar]

For low voltage landscape lighting, don’t use the cheap connectors the fixtures typically come with. Cut them off and use these;

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For some reason they are not usually found at Home Depot or Lowe’s, but you can find them on Amazon. These really work well, and last.

For what I understand of @Cardinal ’s issue, those are overkill and my middle name is overkill…….

 

[Cardinal]

Be aware that you can overdue it with the heat gun and melt the entire deal…..

Well crap. There are three wires and I have no visual clues for which wire goes to which.

This pic is a little misleading, but trust me, all three wires are severed (or else this would have been the easiest fix on earth).

The consequence of mixing up the wiring for passive speakers is you have to listen to the receiver tell you your speaker is "out of phase." Not sure about the consequences of mixing up the wiring here, but I doubt they're good. Although they might make the wires more squirrel proof.

 

[Rexedgar]

Well crap. There are three wires and I have no visual clues for which wire goes to which.

This pic is a little misleading, but trust me, all three wires are severed (or else this would have been the easiest fix on earth).

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You have a DVOM?

 

[Cardinal]

You have a DVOM?

One that I never learned how to use, yes.

 

[Chock Full o Nuts]

Well crap. There are three wires and I have no visual clues for which wire goes to which.

This pic is a little misleading, but trust me, all three wires are severed (or else this would have been the easiest fix on earth).

The consequence of mixing up the wiring for passive speakers is you have to listen to the receiver tell you your speaker is "out of phase." Not sure about the consequences of mixing up the wiring here, but I doubt they're good. Although they might make the wires more squirrel proof.

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Hmm.. not even one of the wires is 'ribbed' or a faint stripe, or anything?

 

[Rexedgar]

One that I never learned how to use, yes.


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Those don’t look to be house current wires. What does the transformer look like?

 

[Cardinal]

Hmm.. not even one of the wires is 'ribbed' or a faint stripe, or anything?

Nah, I just used a magnifying lens on them and they all look identical to me.

 

[Cardinal]

Those don’t look to be house current wires. What does the transformer look like?

 

[BabaVoss]

For what I understand of @Cardinal ’s issue, those are overkill and my middle name is overkill…….

Probably so. But squirrels chew through wire, wood, almost anything. Connectors may not solve his problem anyway.

 

[Rexedgar]

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Can you get rid of the shadows? It looks like there are only two wires leaving the voltage regulator/transformer?

 

[Chock Full o Nuts]

Nah, I just used a magnifying lens on them and they all look identical to me.

Trying to think of how you could test it out. If I'm thinking correctly, it seems the strands with the 3 wires to each bulb are wired in series/parallel sections, which is why I've had strands lose a section but downstream still works.
May look at one of mine shortly and follow the wiring pattern to see just how the circuit flows and see if I can give you an idea.

 

[Cardinal]

Can you get rid of the shadows? It looks like there are only two wires leaving the voltage regulator/transformer?

You're not wrong. It's two wires until you get to the first led light, then it's three wires.

 

[Rexedgar]

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Is it possible that one wire is to support the power and neutral wires?

 

[Cardinal]

Probably so. But squirrels chew through wire, wood, almost anything. Connectors may not solve his problem anyway.

Well if the squirrels are that motivated then the strength of a connector isn't going to solve any problems.

 

[Cardinal]

Is it possible that one wire is to support the power and neutral wires?

I just assumed "hot, cold, grounded," but that didn't get me any closer to knowing which wire connects to what.

I'm guessing the manufacturers weren't thinking, "Oh man, we need to make sure this can be repaired by a licensed electrician."