A rope light is primarily used as a decorative lighting fixture, featuring small light bulbs linked together and encased in a PVC jacket to create a string of lights. Rope lights can be used in many applications both indoors and outdoors. Used in place of

neon sign In the signage industry, neon signs are electric signs lighted by long luminous gas-discharge tubes that contain rarefied neon or other gases. They are the most common use for neon lighting, which was first demonstrated in a modern form in D ...

s, it is sometimes called soft neon.

Design

The design of a rope light generally depends on the end use of the product. * Wiring: The basic design involves stringing together bulbs on a wire and then encasing the wire in a clear

plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptab ...

jacket. The number of wires depends on the functionality required of the rope light. A basic rope light has two wires, which generally allows users to make bulbs dim or flash. However, a rope light with three wires allows greater functionality including chasing, dimming and flashing. * Tube: The outer plastic tube is also an important feature that greatly affects the end use of any rope light. A rope light with relatively wider plastic tubing is more durable to external elements but less flexible. Thinner plastic tubing, on the other hand, is far more flexible but less robust. Generally, rope lights are not suitable for outside usage. *

Voltage Voltage, also known as electric pressure, electric tension, or (electric) potential difference, is the difference in electric potential between two points. In a static electric field, it corresponds to the work needed per unit of charge to ...

: Rope lights in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

are generally sold in three different voltages
12 volts
24 volts and

120 volts Mains electricity or utility power, power grid, domestic power, and wall power, or in some parts of Canada as hydro, is a general-purpose alternating-current (AC) electric power supply. It is the form of electrical power that is delivered to h ...

. Generally, the 12 volts and 24 volts variants are better suited for situations where a

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

is used to power the lights. Hence, this is the best option for cars, boats, etc. The 120-volt version is more appropriate for household or industrial lighting requirements.

LED and incandescent rope lights compared

* Bulbs: LED rope lights have bulbs that are available in different colors and the bulbs themselves generate the colors. In contrast, incandescent rope lights typically have bulbs with a colored filter that is applied around the bulb. Therefore, when an LED rope light is switched off, it appears colorless, while incandescent bulbs still appear colored. *

Power consumption Electric energy consumption is the form of energy consumption that uses electrical energy. Electric energy consumption is the actual energy demand made on existing electricity supply for transportation, residential, industrial, commercial, and ot ...

and performance: LED rope lights require far less energy than incandescent rope lights and generate comparatively less heat. LED bulbs use about 1

watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James ...

per foot in power while a traditional rope light uses close to 3 watts of light per foot. In general, LED rope lights are rated for 40,000 hours while a comparative incandescent rope light is rated for 25,000 hours.

Applications

Many brands of rope lights are rated for either or both indoor and outdoor use. Due to the versatility of this lighting technology, it can be used in a variety of different environments without compromising the quality of the lighting. *

Indoor Indoor(s) may refer to: *the interior of a building *Indoor environment, in building science, traditionally includes the study of indoor thermal environment, indoor acoustic environment, indoor light environment, and indoor air quality *Built envi ...

lighting: Rope lights are used for both decorative and practical lighting purposes. Common indoor uses include outlining the edge of a kitchen counter or bar, comprehensive ceiling lighting and under-lighting the baseboards in a movie theater. Rope lights also suit a room with no permanent layout like a garage, attic or children's rooms, where it can provide comprehensive lighting throughout the entire room regardless of how things are arranged. Users who want to add ambient lighting also use rope lights, in areas like the TV/gaming room, bedroom and bathroom. * Outdoor lighting: Outdoor uses for rope lights include staircase lighting, outdoor patio or deck lighting and outdoor artistic

displays A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form (the latter used for example in tactile electronic displays for blind people). When the input information that is supplied has an electrical signal the ...

. Rope lights are durable and suitable for use around the garden, pool, driveway, shed, etc. During holiday seasons, lights can be used to create messages or designs with different colors and patterns.

References

{{reflist Light-emitting diodes Types of lamp Light fixtures