patio lights

Black Wire Patio String Lights

Available with candelabra (E12), intermediate (E17), and medium (E26) bases, black wire patio string lights have either in-line or suspended sockets. In-line sockets are close to the main wire and are a good choice for covering shorter distances or as a temporary installation. Suspended sockets resemble small pendant lights, with the socket and bulb hanging below the main wire. These strings are preferred for permanent installations or runs that span a longer distance. Each socket has an eyelet at the top to allow you to add a guy wire (or guy-line) to help reinforce the sting and prevent sagging.

Black wire patio light strings can be used with incandescent or LED bulbs. Popular choices include S14, A15, globes, and vintage antique bulbs. When deciding which bulbs to use, you will need to consider the wattage. Patio lights have a maximum wattage, or the total wattage the string can handle, that cannot be exceeded. For instance, a 15 socket sting with a maximum wattage of 1,200 Watts means that each bulb can use up to 80 Watts (1,200 divided by 15 is 80). If you plan on connecting two strings together, the max wattage for the run stays the same and the individual bulb wattage decreases to 40 Watts spread over 30 sockets. Go with LED bulbs for long runs or to take the math out of your installation preparations as they use far less power than incandescents.

Decorating Ideas and Tips

Black wire patio string lights can be used for a wide variety of indoor and outdoor lighting projects. Add lights to your covered patio or gazebo by hanging strings from overhead beams. If youre handy at DIY projects, you can make light posts using planters and wood poles to run lights around a picnic table, fire pit, or outdoor sitting area. Patio string lights can even be strung across the yard to provide soft lighting during your next outdoor barbeque. For weddings, drape lights behind food and cake tables to create a stunning backdrop or hang multiple strings over the dance floor for beautiful ambient lighting.

To get the most out of your patio lights, keep these helpful tips in mind. Dont wrap patio string lights around trees or columns. The bulbs risk breaking if knocked into a hard surface by the wind. You should avoid draping lights though tree branches as well. For permanent outdoor installations, use bulbs that are wet location rated. These bulbs are designed to withstand direct contact with water and other weather. Damp location rated bulbs can used outdoors temporarily, but should be taken down once you are done using the lights unless if used under cover in a permanent installation where protected from direct contact with water.

Need help deciding which bulbs are best for your black wire patio light string project? Call 1-800-624-4488 today to speak with one of our outdoor lighting experts!

String Lights and Outdoor Patio Lights

In-Line vs. Suspended Socket Patio String Lights

Patio string lights with suspended sockets have an eye above each socket through which you can run a guy line (also called a guy-wire). This adds extra support and tension when spanning long distances so that the bulbs in the middle dont droop. You can use wire with some elasticity, but the more solid the cable, the less the middle of the line will sag. In-line sockets keep the bulbs closer to the string and the bulbs dont swing as much in the wind. Available in different lengths, these patio lights can accommodate spaces large and small. If you need your string lights to cover even more distance, connect them together. To prevent any gaps in the bulbs where the strings connect, its recommended to get the closest string size possible for your application, or measure it out so that the connection is made near an anchor point rather than in the middle of a run.

Which Bulbs Can I Use For My String Lights?

Some of our patio string lights come with the bulbs included. If youd like an all-in-one solution, this takes the math and guess work out. These strings list a max run in ft. to let you know how many strands can be connected together. When replacing bulbs as they burn out, you can use incandescent bulbs or switch to LED.

If you want more freedom to customize your outdoor patio lights, patio string lights sold without bulbs can be paired with any outdoor rated bulb so long as the bulb base fits the socket and the total wattage of all bulbs on the string does not exceed the maximum wattage rating of the string. For these strings, the max run, listed under Specifications on each product page, will tell you how many Watts that string can handle. For example, a 24 socket string with a maximum run of 1,200 Watts can support up to 50-Watt bulbs (1200 divided by 24 is 50). Connecting two of the same strings together doubles the number of sockets, but does not change the maximum wattage rating. This means the 1,200 Watts would be spread out over 48 sockets instead of 24, meaning the maximum Wattage for each bulb would come down to 25.

Using LED bulbs in your string lights eliminate most of the math because LEDs draw so little power compared to incandescents. For example, a 165 socket string with a 1,800-Watt max run can only use 10 Watt bulbs or lower. This could put you at only 50 Lumens per bulb and make it difficult to use S14 bulbs because many start at 11 Watts. However, an LED globe producing 300 Lumens can use as few as 3.5-Watts, six times as bright and well below the maximum rating of the string. LED string lights are also popular because they are more durable making them less prone to breakage. As far as shape, globes, S14s, and vintage bulbs are some of the most popular.

Not sure how many lights you can string together? Give us a call, our friendly staff is more than happy to help.

String Lights and Outdoor Patio Lights

In-Line vs. Suspended Socket Patio String Lights

Patio string lights with suspended sockets have an eye above each socket through which you can run a guy line (also called a guy-wire). This adds extra support and tension when spanning long distances so that the bulbs in the middle dont droop. You can use wire with some elasticity, but the more solid the cable, the less the middle of the line will sag. In-line sockets keep the bulbs closer to the string and the bulbs dont swing as much in the wind. Available in different lengths, these patio lights can accommodate spaces large and small. If you need your string lights to cover even more distance, connect them together. To prevent any gaps in the bulbs where the strings connect, its recommended to get the closest string size possible for your application, or measure it out so that the connection is made near an anchor point rather than in the middle of a run.

Which Bulbs Can I Use For My String Lights?

Some of our patio string lights come with the bulbs included. If youd like an all-in-one solution, this takes the math and guess work out. These strings list a max run in ft. to let you know how many strands can be connected together. When replacing bulbs as they burn out, you can use incandescent bulbs or switch to LED.

If you want more freedom to customize your outdoor patio lights, patio string lights sold without bulbs can be paired with any outdoor rated bulb so long as the bulb base fits the socket and the total wattage of all bulbs on the string does not exceed the maximum wattage rating of the string. For these strings, the max run, listed under Specifications on each product page, will tell you how many Watts that string can handle. For example, a 24 socket string with a maximum run of 1,200 Watts can support up to 50-Watt bulbs (1200 divided by 24 is 50). Connecting two of the same strings together doubles the number of sockets, but does not change the maximum wattage rating. This means the 1,200 Watts would be spread out over 48 sockets instead of 24, meaning the maximum Wattage for each bulb would come down to 25.

Using LED bulbs in your string lights eliminate most of the math because LEDs draw so little power compared to incandescents. For example, a 165 socket string with a 1,800-Watt max run can only use 10 Watt bulbs or lower. This could put you at only 50 Lumens per bulb and make it difficult to use S14 bulbs because many start at 11 Watts. However, an LED globe producing 300 Lumens can use as few as 3.5-Watts, six times as bright and well below the maximum rating of the string. LED string lights are also popular because they are more durable making them less prone to breakage. As far as shape, globes, S14s, and vintage bulbs are some of the most popular.

Not sure how many lights you can string together? Give us a call, our friendly staff is more than happy to help.