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RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> Community Chat -> Rope lights
Post Info TOPIC: Rope lights
kb0zke


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Rope lights
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Many people use outdoor rope lights around their rigs for different purposes. Some say they prevent or at least reduce visits from mice. Others just like the looks. A few years ago we bought five strings of warm white LED lights from Wal-Mart. They lasted a few years and then started dying, so I replaced them. The new ones haven't lasted as long as the old ones did. Of course, they are a seasonal item, so no longer available in the stores. That's okay, because they don't last very long. I'd like to get some that are going to last more than a year. We want them just to provide some additional light to make coming and going after dark easier without bothering the neighbors too much. The warm white seems to be the best for us. FWIW, we've not had a single mouse in the house since we started using them. Of course, we also have an indoor cat, so maybe she is the reason the mice don't want to visit, rather than the lights.

Since our coach is 40' long and 8.5' wide we need about 100' of rope lights. Any suggestions?



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David, kb0zke

1993 Foretravel U300 40'

Build number 4371

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Terry and Jo


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I won't be much help, David, but it might be the outdoors aspect that is the problem.  My only experience with the rope lights are the ones that are inside of our Mobile Suites.  We've got them under the cabinet of the kitchen sink, in one of the overhead cabinets, and under the edge of the bathroom sink cabinet.  Our coach is nearing 9 years old (around May) and ours still work.  I will have an occasional one "go out" in the string under the edge of the kitchen cabinet, but as soon as I lean over and tap the string where they have gone out, they come back on.

I have no idea what lights DRV used, but that might give you an idea.

Terry



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Terry and Jo

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LarryW21


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Some of us from big cities like the dark when camping.

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arcaguy


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I won't disagree with LarryW21 but I also appreciate where you're coming from. I have seen, and I don't know where, rope lights in clear plastic hose. I'm thinking this might help with the outdoors thing as long as you keep the open ends down. I just searched for "rope lights in a plastic tube" and got quite a few hits. Just something I thought might work.

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Acheron2010


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I use this one. Of course, you may not need 100 feet, but place a few in strategic areas, like wheel wells and engine and generator spaces.



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bjoyce


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"Some say they prevent or at least reduce visits from mice."
Not mice, they prevent pack rats (also called wood rats) from invading, since they do not like lights. Mice and city rats don't seem to care if they are seen.

Amazon always has rope lights available.

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RonC


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I would offer one observation ... most rope lights seem to offer soft lights, but one guy in the park now has rope lights that are so bright that they look like runway marker lights. To the point of annoying his neighbors, so consider that with your selection.

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Ron and Janice

 

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kb0zke


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Thanks, Archeron2010. $30 for 10 feet seems pretty steep, and since they apparently are only individual ropes, operating on their own batteries, that doesn't quite fit the bill.

Ron, we are in the group that wants the softer lights, so I don't think you will have anything to fear should you find yourself near us. We really want something that will do two things: put a light all around the coach and provide a bit of light when we're coming or going after dark.

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David, kb0zke

1993 Foretravel U300 40'

Build number 4371

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RonC


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kb0zke wrote:

Thanks, Archeron2010. $30 for 10 feet seems pretty steep, and since they apparently are only individual ropes, operating on their own batteries, that doesn't quite fit the bill.

Ron, we are in the group that wants the softer lights, so I don't think you will have anything to fear should you find yourself near us. We really want something that will do two things: put a light all around the coach and provide a bit of light when we're coming or going after dark.

 We have MCD day/night shades, so we can block out the sun.  Not everyone has this ... it's just a common courtesy not to shine bright lights on your neighbors.  As I said, most rope lights are just fine ... but apparently there are some out there that are very bright.



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Ron and Janice

 

2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system

2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114  LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW

FT class of 2016
DaniellTaphous


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People mostly use such lights due to safety concerns. I also installed some LED lights but some of them fused after a short time. A few days ago, my friend suggested me to exchange the LED ones with HID kit. Not sure!!

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dovenson


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DaniellTaphous wrote:

People mostly use such lights due to safety concerns. I also installed some LED lights but some of them fused after a short time. A few days ago, my friend suggested me to exchange the LED ones with HID kit. Not sure!!

 HID kit? What brand/model?



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Tom Cooper


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Had experience using such lights. After they short-circuited once, I never installed them again. Anyway, I like the darkness more

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Danny and Cheryl


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Harbor Freight has the Solar Powered rope lights which are fairly inexpensive

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