10 ms·

How I hang Christmas lights without a ladder

185 points by mtgentry 4y ago

entropicgravity 4y ago
When Christmas is over retrieving those 20lb magnets should be easy to peal off with the hook. I'm pretty sure.
kylehotchkiss 4y ago
I love the hook handle tool. This technique seems like it’d do well in places without snow and ice.
samwillis 4y ago
Genius! There is a product idea there, both full on magnetic light sets. But also simpler magnetic clips for use on any lights.
- dskhatri 4y ago
  These may exist. For example, search for magnetic C9 light clips on Amazon.
  - mtgentry 4y ago
    My issue with those is you probably still need a ladder to place them. My family has a history with ladder accidents so I wanted to avoid that haha.
    - mh- 4y ago
      My family doesn't have a history of ladder accidents, but I'm not looking to be the one who starts that legacy either.
senthil_rajasek 4y ago
"The carefully split the wire part" in many places has me concerned about electric shock. Is this wiring upto code in the U.S? Also, the comment at the end to use "hooks" beats the whole point of using magnets.
- mtgentry 4y ago
  Splitting the wire is safe if you’re careful but no it’s not code lol. And it’s just one hook at the peak of the roof but it might be possible w/o it. I didn’t need any hooks.
- jffry 4y ago
  The two conductors in the wire are insulated separately and sort of lightly attached so it's probably OK if done carefully. If this was me, I would've threaded the lights through the big triangle piece directly and attached with zip ties, instead of modifying the cord. > Also, the comment at the end to use "hooks" beats the whole point of using magnets. Installing a nondescript hook up there would be a one-time use of a ladder which could just be borrowed or rented from somewhere. Future decorations can be done with just the extending pole and magnetic attachment.
- mindslight 4y ago
  Haha, code. IIRC, Christmas lights have their own exception in the NEC, as the things are wildly unsafe by general NEC standards. For example, nothing stops you from plugging a space heater into the outlet at the end of a string. But relax, it's Christmas! Having said that, OP's lights are built a bit more solid because they look like the 120V parallel-wired style, rather than the series wired tiny lights. I'd be completely comfortable splitting the two conductors down the middle like that. That's exactly what you do to terminate a wire, although doing it in the middle of a cable is trickier because you need to be more accurate. Start the split with a sharp knife at one point, then you should be able to just pull the conductors apart. For the general idea, I love it and it has me wondering if my gutters are steel. Although part of me wants to permanently hang WS2812 strips and be decorated for every holiday.
  - ProblemFactory 4y ago
    Despite the electrical risks, it's crazy how much Christmas safety has improved. I remember https://i.imgur.com/vKbfzEs.jpg https://i.imgur.com/vKbfzEs.jpg from my childhood. Small metal clips to attach real candles to the Christmas tree. 20-50 open flame candles on a dried out Spruce, one of the best fire starters possible.
dskhatri 4y ago
Nice work! We are putting up our lights too. I like the bulbs on the string lights to be regularly spaced and oriented. One can buy plastic clips that latch onto roof gutters or shingles to hold the cone bulbs in a fixed orientation and spacing Unfortunately, I can only hang my lights around the facade made of plaster (stipple), brick and wood. I don't want to tarnish the facade with hooks or nails and want a solution that can be reattached each holiday season without effort. I tried positioning the bulbs with removable clay/putty, hot glue but none of these temporary adhesives worked well. The solution I settled on involves driving (permanent but relatively inconspicuous) threaded inserts into the facade at wide spanned intervals - tee-nut inserts [1] for wood and molly bolts for stipple/plaster surfaces [2]. I ordered aluminum bars ($1 per foot on Grainger) that will screw into these inserts during the season. These bars will let me use shingle clips to hold the light bulbs in the desired fixed span and orientation. For Halloween, I can attach led light strips to the bars to give more custom lighting effects. [1] https://www.mcmaster.com/tee-nut-inserts/ https://www.mcmaster.com/tee-nut-inserts/ [2] https://www.mcmaster.com/molly-bolts/ https://www.mcmaster.com/molly-bolts/
bombcar 4y ago
You can get led strips of lights designed for outdoors that when off are just a clearish rope. Install those permanently and when they’re not on they’re basically invisible.
- kiawe_fire 4y ago
  As an added bonus, many have an array of color options, which makes it easy to change the lights to suit Halloween, Easter, Independence Day, or any other holiday you want your house to observe.
- ThrowawayTestr 4y ago
  Individually addressable, waterproof LEDs are super cheap. Most expensive part is the power supply.
  - pifm_guy 4y ago
    They also don't last outside long... Eaten by squirrels... Tube gets full of water... As soon as one LED dies, all the rest start flickering like crazy....
    - ThrowawayTestr 4y ago
      You can get ones fully incased in silicone but that might not stop the squirrels...
    - rkagerer 4y ago
      If you're doing a new build are there products out there that are more nature-proof? (eg. like would be used in permanent commercial displays)? Or countersunk into solid material?
      - pifm_guy 4y ago
        There are some with redundant data feeds. It means any one LED can die, and the rest still work correctly. If two LED's next to one another die, then the whole strip still fails, but obviously the chances of that are far lower. When looking at them, each addressable LED has 6 pins not 4 if it's the redundant data feed type.
brudgers 4y ago
Magnet attaches to the roof edge flashing which is metal. In the US, there is a substantial probability the flashing is non-magnetic aluminum. So test first.
- PragmaticPulp 4y ago
  Most places in the world with metal flashing, metal gutters, or other metal on an exterior will have aluminum. It’s old houses that might have steel. If you have a new house, I guarantee this won’t work. If you have an old house it’s worth checking, though.
  - grey-area 4y ago
    Or lead flashing, which is still popular.
  - ian-g 4y ago
    And you can tell from the style that OP's house is old. It could easily predate the great depression
    - nemo44x 4y ago
      Yeah it looks like an early 20th century 1920s Craftsman style home. (1905-1929) It’s likely made of extremely high quality old growth wood and a rather lovely home to live in if well maintained.
      - cardamomo 4y ago
        I love homes from this era! The quality of the materials, at least among the homes still standing, is often excellent. This is anecdotal, but I find that they also tend to have a lot of natural light and stay cooler in the summer.
        nemo44x 4y ago
        Yeah they’re great if maintained. They do tend to have a lot of windows (and larger windows) than typical modern homes. I suspect it’s because windows are expensive and the homes still standing were generally the higher quality homes of the era. Also - no AC back then so windows were very much functional appliances. Double hung sash windows are especially popular in this era because they are designed to maximize airflow. You’d open the bottom sash’s on the cool side of the house to let cooler air in and open the top sash’s on the other side to let hot air out. This also creates an airflow across the home.
chrisbrandow 4y ago
This is so smart. Even if it requires an initial reinstall action of magnetizable spots along the roof.
rufus_foreman 4y ago
I'm saddened by the fact that a gun wasn't involved.
- WallabyEV 4y ago
  While I share an affinity for magnets and their utility, I too was hoping for more zazz like a crossbow and/or Batman type over-engineering. Anything to keep me off a ladder is a safety value-add in my book. In North Texas a guy who broke his leg went in for routine surgery to fix him up, his oxygen dropped and he is now brain dead and was the sole provider for his aging Mother - malpractice suit awarded but she is caring for him the rest of their days because "he is my everything" (loose translation from Spanish).
Kaibeezy 4y ago
It’s making me wonder if permanent ornamental LED lights aren’t an option. Checking that… Well, looks like both permanent and seasonal professional installs are happening. https://tulsaworld.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/merry-and-bright-lighting-up-your-home-with-professional-christmas-lights/article_63fff8c2-6690-11ed-a5e3-f355f62638cf.html https://tulsaworld.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/merry-and-...

185 points by mtgentry 4y ago

entropicgravity 4y ago

When Christmas is over retrieving those 20lb magnets should be easy to peal off with the hook. I'm pretty sure.

kylehotchkiss 4y ago

I love the hook handle tool. This technique seems like it’d do well in places without snow and ice.

samwillis 4y ago

Genius! There is a product idea there, both full on magnetic light sets. But also simpler magnetic clips for use on any lights.

dskhatri 4y ago
These may exist. For example, search for magnetic C9 light clips on Amazon.
- mtgentry 4y ago
  My issue with those is you probably still need a ladder to place them. My family has a history with ladder accidents so I wanted to avoid that haha.
  - mh- 4y ago
    My family doesn't have a history of ladder accidents, but I'm not looking to be the one who starts that legacy either.

senthil_rajasek 4y ago

"The carefully split the wire part" in many places has me concerned about electric shock. Is this wiring upto code in the U.S? Also, the comment at the end to use "hooks" beats the whole point of using magnets.

mtgentry 4y ago
Splitting the wire is safe if you’re careful but no it’s not code lol. And it’s just one hook at the peak of the roof but it might be possible w/o it. I didn’t need any hooks.
jffry 4y ago
The two conductors in the wire are insulated separately and sort of lightly attached so it's probably OK if done carefully. If this was me, I would've threaded the lights through the big triangle piece directly and attached with zip ties, instead of modifying the cord. > Also, the comment at the end to use "hooks" beats the whole point of using magnets. Installing a nondescript hook up there would be a one-time use of a ladder which could just be borrowed or rented from somewhere. Future decorations can be done with just the extending pole and magnetic attachment.
mindslight 4y ago
Haha, code. IIRC, Christmas lights have their own exception in the NEC, as the things are wildly unsafe by general NEC standards. For example, nothing stops you from plugging a space heater into the outlet at the end of a string. But relax, it's Christmas! Having said that, OP's lights are built a bit more solid because they look like the 120V parallel-wired style, rather than the series wired tiny lights. I'd be completely comfortable splitting the two conductors down the middle like that. That's exactly what you do to terminate a wire, although doing it in the middle of a cable is trickier because you need to be more accurate. Start the split with a sharp knife at one point, then you should be able to just pull the conductors apart. For the general idea, I love it and it has me wondering if my gutters are steel. Although part of me wants to permanently hang WS2812 strips and be decorated for every holiday.
- ProblemFactory 4y ago
  Despite the electrical risks, it's crazy how much Christmas safety has improved. I remember https://i.imgur.com/vKbfzEs.jpg https://i.imgur.com/vKbfzEs.jpg from my childhood. Small metal clips to attach real candles to the Christmas tree. 20-50 open flame candles on a dried out Spruce, one of the best fire starters possible.

dskhatri 4y ago

Nice work! We are putting up our lights too. I like the bulbs on the string lights to be regularly spaced and oriented. One can buy plastic clips that latch onto roof gutters or shingles to hold the cone bulbs in a fixed orientation and spacing Unfortunately, I can only hang my lights around the facade made of plaster (stipple), brick and wood. I don't want to tarnish the facade with hooks or nails and want a solution that can be reattached each holiday season without effort. I tried positioning the bulbs with removable clay/putty, hot glue but none of these temporary adhesives worked well. The solution I settled on involves driving (permanent but relatively inconspicuous) threaded inserts into the facade at wide spanned intervals - tee-nut inserts [1] for wood and molly bolts for stipple/plaster surfaces [2]. I ordered aluminum bars ($1 per foot on Grainger) that will screw into these inserts during the season. These bars will let me use shingle clips to hold the light bulbs in the desired fixed span and orientation. For Halloween, I can attach led light strips to the bars to give more custom lighting effects. [1] https://www.mcmaster.com/tee-nut-inserts/ https://www.mcmaster.com/tee-nut-inserts/ [2] https://www.mcmaster.com/molly-bolts/ https://www.mcmaster.com/molly-bolts/

bombcar 4y ago

You can get led strips of lights designed for outdoors that when off are just a clearish rope. Install those permanently and when they’re not on they’re basically invisible.

kiawe_fire 4y ago
As an added bonus, many have an array of color options, which makes it easy to change the lights to suit Halloween, Easter, Independence Day, or any other holiday you want your house to observe.
ThrowawayTestr 4y ago
Individually addressable, waterproof LEDs are super cheap. Most expensive part is the power supply.
- pifm_guy 4y ago
  They also don't last outside long... Eaten by squirrels... Tube gets full of water... As soon as one LED dies, all the rest start flickering like crazy....
  - ThrowawayTestr 4y ago
    You can get ones fully incased in silicone but that might not stop the squirrels...
  - rkagerer 4y ago
    If you're doing a new build are there products out there that are more nature-proof? (eg. like would be used in permanent commercial displays)? Or countersunk into solid material?
    - pifm_guy 4y ago
      There are some with redundant data feeds. It means any one LED can die, and the rest still work correctly. If two LED's next to one another die, then the whole strip still fails, but obviously the chances of that are far lower. When looking at them, each addressable LED has 6 pins not 4 if it's the redundant data feed type.

brudgers 4y ago

Magnet attaches to the roof edge flashing which is metal. In the US, there is a substantial probability the flashing is non-magnetic aluminum. So test first.

PragmaticPulp 4y ago
Most places in the world with metal flashing, metal gutters, or other metal on an exterior will have aluminum. It’s old houses that might have steel. If you have a new house, I guarantee this won’t work. If you have an old house it’s worth checking, though.
- grey-area 4y ago
  Or lead flashing, which is still popular.
- ian-g 4y ago
  And you can tell from the style that OP's house is old. It could easily predate the great depression
  - nemo44x 4y ago
    Yeah it looks like an early 20th century 1920s Craftsman style home. (1905-1929) It’s likely made of extremely high quality old growth wood and a rather lovely home to live in if well maintained.
    - cardamomo 4y ago
      I love homes from this era! The quality of the materials, at least among the homes still standing, is often excellent. This is anecdotal, but I find that they also tend to have a lot of natural light and stay cooler in the summer.
      - nemo44x 4y ago
        Yeah they’re great if maintained. They do tend to have a lot of windows (and larger windows) than typical modern homes. I suspect it’s because windows are expensive and the homes still standing were generally the higher quality homes of the era. Also - no AC back then so windows were very much functional appliances. Double hung sash windows are especially popular in this era because they are designed to maximize airflow. You’d open the bottom sash’s on the cool side of the house to let cooler air in and open the top sash’s on the other side to let hot air out. This also creates an airflow across the home.

chrisbrandow 4y ago

This is so smart. Even if it requires an initial reinstall action of magnetizable spots along the roof.

rufus_foreman 4y ago

I'm saddened by the fact that a gun wasn't involved.

WallabyEV 4y ago
While I share an affinity for magnets and their utility, I too was hoping for more zazz like a crossbow and/or Batman type over-engineering. Anything to keep me off a ladder is a safety value-add in my book. In North Texas a guy who broke his leg went in for routine surgery to fix him up, his oxygen dropped and he is now brain dead and was the sole provider for his aging Mother - malpractice suit awarded but she is caring for him the rest of their days because "he is my everything" (loose translation from Spanish).

Kaibeezy 4y ago

It’s making me wonder if permanent ornamental LED lights aren’t an option. Checking that… Well, looks like both permanent and seasonal professional installs are happening. https://tulsaworld.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/merry-and-bright-lighting-up-your-home-with-professional-christmas-lights/article_63fff8c2-6690-11ed-a5e3-f355f62638cf.html https://tulsaworld.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/merry-and-...