As you choose your stringers or spools, you need to consider the following:
-
Wire Type – Stringers and spools come with either SPT-1 or SPT-2 wire, with the only difference between the two being wire thickness. SPT-1 is sufficient in most cases were you will only be using the lights for the holiday season. The only time you will need SPT-2 is if your lights will be up your-round or if you live in an exceptionally harsh environment.
-
Wire Color – Wire colors can vary, but generally will be either white, green, or brown. Green is the most popular color as it can blend seamlessly into greenery. Brown is good for trees, wood, and other similar surfaces. White wire is a popular chose for wedding and event lighting, but can also blend into white trim and surfaces.
-
Plugs & Sockets – The wire type directly affects any plugs or sockets you need to add or replace. Any sockets and plugs must have the same SPT rating in order to properly fit and attach to the wire.
-
Socket Type – Spools and stringers have either candelabra E12 or intermediate E17 sockets. E12 sockets are designed to be used with C7 bulbs, and E17 sockets use C9 bulbs. We’ll talk more about these bulbs in a bit.
-
Bulb Size – Bulb size will be determined by the socket choice, as mentioned above. Your options are C7 or C9 bulbs. C7 bulbs are the same size as traditional nightlight bulbs, and their small size make them ideal for lining windows, pathways, and other areas that don’t need a larger bulb. C9 bulbs are larger and are highly visible due to their size. They are the most common bulb used for roof lines and fences.
LED or Incandescent Lights?
You have now reached the most crucial point of your holiday light display setup: do you use LED lights or incandescent lights? Incandescent Christmas lights are the traditional bulbs you grew up with. Made of glass, they deliver that classic warm glow that is associated with the holidays. LED bulbs are a far more efficient option made with durable polycarbonate. You can opt for bulbs designed to closely match the output of incandescents, or go with brighter bulbs.
Ultimately, though, your choice is going to boil down to wattage. Incandescent Christmas bulbs and strings use a lot of wattage, limiting the number you can have on one circuit. Since LEDs use a fraction of the energy, you can safely use far more lights per circuit. If you absolutely must have that traditional look and your setup will be relatively small wattage-wise, go with incandescent bulbs. But if your setup is going to be large, requiring longer runs of lights, or you just want to keep your electricity costs down, then choose LED Christmas lights.