Make your own string of lights

Do you want to use party lights? And determine the length of the cable and the type of lamp fittings yourself? Then you will soon end up with the string of lights. You can of course rent string of lights, but there are cheaper options. You can make your own string of lights and easily arrange the lighting to your own liking. String of lights are relatively easy to make yourself and convert into a string of lights for your home. The following step-by-step plan describes in detail how you can make a string of lights yourself, step by step. Are you planning to install outdoor electricity? Read all about outdoor electricity and outdoor lighting in this article: Installing outdoor electricity.

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From string to plug

Installing a string of lights is a lot easier than it might seem at first. To install your own string of lights, you don't need any tools other than a screwdriver. A string of lights basically consists of the following parts:

• The cable

• The starting piece (plug)

• The push-fit fittings

• The end piece

The length of the cable, the conductor cross-section, the number of pin fittings and the type of lamp you mount in the fittings can be arranged entirely according to your own wishes.

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Cable length and cross-section

First of all, it is important to determine the length of the string of lights. Do you not know exactly how long the cable should be? Or will the cable be hanging in a location that is difficult to measure? Then it can be useful to first mount a rope in the same way. This guarantees that the cable is exactly long enough, which benefits the finish.
The cables are available in string of lights 2x1.5 mm2 and string of lights 2x2.5 mm2. For cables under 50 meters, we recommend choosing a variant with a thickness of 1.5 mm2. For cables longer than 50 meters, a thickness of 2.5 mm2 is recommended.

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Light string for home

Below is a list of tips and points of attention to help you prepare as best as possible for installing the fairy lights:

• The pin fittings have an E27 fitting by definition. This is often described as the 'normal fitting'. However, we advise you to check again whether the desired lamps fit in the pin fittings. Christmas tree lights, for example, have an E5 fitting, to name but one.

• Will the lamps be hung indoors or outdoors? You often need a higher wattage outdoors to achieve the ideal light output.

• Take into account the maximum power of the lamps per fitting.

• If you want to use LED lamps outdoors, make sure that the rubber ring is on the fitting when mounting the LED lamp. If this is not done, there is a chance that this will be at the expense of the waterproofness.

• Determine how much light you need and adjust the number of fittings accordingly.

• Are you going to use the pin cable for a longer period of time? LED lamps have a longer lifespan and therefore break less quickly, hardly get warm and are a lot more energy-efficient than the standard spherical lamps that are often used.

• Make sure you stay under the maximum load of the power group. By multiplying the number of lamps by the wattage of the lamps, you calculate the total load of the power group. If you use LED lamps, you will almost never have problems with this, because LED lamps need a much lower wattage for the same light output.

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Install your own light string

Now that the cable has been cut or ordered to the correct length, you can start installing your light string.

Step 1: Install the contact plug

At the beginning of the cable, mount the 'plug'. This is the plug that you put in the socket at the end of this step-by-step plan. The plug is specially made for string cables, making mounting easy.

Step 2: Install end piece
Mount the 'end piece' at the end of the string of lights. This end piece is almost always equipped with a hook on which you can hang the cable.

Step 3: Remove lids
Remove the lids from the pin fittings. Do not place the lids too far away from you, because you will need them again soon.

Step 4: Pressure from the pin fittings
Press the barbed fittings into the cable. Note: Is the cable going to hang outside? Don't forget to mount the rubber ring on the fitting!

Step 5: Screw on the lids
Screw the caps back onto the fittings. Screw the caps on tightly so that the fittings are seated tightly on the cable.

Step 6: Place bulbs in sockets
Place the desired bulbs in the sockets. Screw the bulbs firmly into the socket and check this carefully. Prevent a bulb from not being properly secured if the light cord is already fully assembled.

Step 7: Install cable

Once all previous steps have been completed correctly, you can mount the cable in the desired location and plug it into the socket.

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