String lights are among the easiest lights to install in any indoor or outdoor space. The beauty of string lights is their ability to be strung together with multiple strands for a complete lighting experience. However, you may have the question – how many string lights can I connect together? The truth is, there is no real number to answer the question. Basically, the number of string lights that may be used in accordance with one another is dependent upon a few factors.
Although we can’t offer a direct answer to the question, we can tell you 2 methods to know how many string lights can be strung together.
1. Ask the Manufacturer
The first thing you should do if you wish to know how many string lights can be connected together is to ask the manufacturer. Most manufacturers will have some guidance on the box the lights came in. Contact measures might be in the form of a number you can call or the website of the company. The website may have a FAQ section that can help you answer the question or a way to email the company directly with inquiries. If you require immediate help, consider utilizing both contact avenues. Some companies monitor their phones more than their website and vice versa.
2. Calculate on Your Own
The first thing you will need to consider before plugging multiple string light strands together is the type of string lights you have. LED lights and incandescent lights require a different level of energy.
The primary factor in calculating how many strands of lights can be connected lies in the electrical capacity of your home. Homes tend to run on a 120 volt plug capacity. Additionally, each plug maintains a 15 or 20 amp circuit. The maximum capacity is the amps per circuit multiplied by available volts. Therefore, a 15 amp circuit would be able to contend with 1800 watts while a 20 amp system could take up to 2400 watts.
Experts recommend maintaining only up to 80% of the circuit’s capacity which would be 1440 for a 15amp and 1920 for 20 amp circuits. Although the circuit is able to take on more than these numbers, maxing it out over long periods of time can be potentially hazardous.
Combining all the information provided indicated that a set of incandescent string lights with a wattage of 100 would allow for up to 14 strands connected together. However, when utilizing the lower wattage of LED string lights that average 10 watts per strand, considering the 1440 capacity of a 15 amp circuit, you could, presumably connect up to 144 strands of lights or 180 on a 20 amp system.
What Happens if You Connect Too Many String Lights?
Connecting too many string lights together may be a theatrical light display, but it is also a fire hazard. Modern electric outlets are designed to avoid the potential of overload through GFI technology. GFI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. Instead of allowing the current to continue to flow, like older outlets, GFI outlets are designed to trip the breaker of the outlet to cut the current. Once the faulty plug is removed, the connection can be established once again but will trip at the first sign of an electrical overload. GFI outlets have traditionally been placed in moisture-driven areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, but more and more homes are utilizing these units throughout to avoid the potential for a fire.
If your outlet is not equipped with GFI, an overloaded circuit from too many string lights will likely trip the main breaker to that circuit. Again, you can reset the breaker, but it will trip once again if there are too many string lights remaining on the circuit.
Another thing that might happen if you connect an overabundance of string lights together is blowing an internal fuse to the lights. Modern lights possess a variety of safety mechanisms to avoid the potential for a fire to occur. One of these is the fuse. Every set of string lights has an internal fuse that ensures the lights perform as they should. Additionally, string lights come equipped with backup fuses just in case an overzealous decorator connects too many lights together. If you find that fuses continually blow, you might want to consider the level of voltage you are sending through the circuit.
Although there are a variety of fail-safes built into home outlets and modern string lights, it is best to avoid the need to use them. Connect only the recommended wattage for your string lights. A stunning light display should never come at the risk of your home.
How Do I Connect Multiple String Lights?
There are actually 2 ways to connect multiple string lights together. The first and most common method is to simply plug multiple lights together adhering to the 1080W equation discussed earlier. Although there will be a noticeable plug attachment, this can be easily hidden behind walls, decorations, or clipped up out of the way. This method is the easiest and safest way to connect your string lights together.
The second method of connecting multiple string lights is not something recommended to all. It requires cutting and splicing wires, so if you are not equipped to handle such a task, do not attempt it. However, for a skilled craftsperson, this method produces custom and cleaner light displays for virtually any occasion.
First, you need to arrange your lights how you want them to look, taking into account how they will connect. You should leave enough room between each strand to connect the wires properly so the wires are not pulled too much. Also, locate the positive and negative sides of each strand to ensure you do not connect 2 positives or 2 negatives. Connecting negative to positive creates a cohesive circuit allowing power to flow as it should. Generally, the positive side is noted in red with the negative notated as black.
Cut the wires leaving plenty of room to connect them together. Once the wires are cut, strip away enough of the wire coating to allow the wires to be twisted together. Twist the wires and attach a wire cap to the end to keep everything together. Once the wires are together, you can hang the lights.
Conclusion
String lights are beautiful and can make for a stunning light display, but stringing too many of them together can simply leave you in the dark. Take the time to understand the wattage of your lights and how they work together. Too many string lights connected together is a fire hazard and even with all the safety precautions in place within fuses, breakers, and outlets, it is simply a bad idea. Always connect string lights together responsibly
