How to Cut Rope Light

Rope light and LED rope light is manufactured in bulk lengths. Some retailers sell LED rope light in pre-assembled lengths with a power cord already installed so no cutting or assembly is required. One of the reason that rope light is offered by retailers in pre-assembled units is so that the product can obtain Underwriter's Laboratory or UL certification. Only rope light that is assembled at the factory and in accordance with authorized and approved UL processes can obtain UL approval. Thus, any rope light that is assembled in the field or cut and assembled by the end user cannot be UL approved. Most retailers that specialize in LED rope light offer their products in bulk so that the end user can cut the rope light to their specifications. While UL approval ensures that the processed used to assemble the rope light is safe, rope light can be safely assembled by the end user. The safety issues related to end user assembly of rope light are greatly reduced when LED rope light is used because the product draws so little power.

Assuming you have decided that pre-assembled LED rope light is not the best choice for you, we've written this article to help you through the process of cutting and assembling your LED Rope light.

The first step in cutting and assembling LED rope light is to select the desired length of your finished product. All rope light must be cut in specified units. Our LED rope light is cuttable in increments of 3 feet. Other brands can be cut in lengths of one meter. The rope light will be marked with a white colored grease pen (usually with a scissors icon and a line) in the location where the rope light can be cut. In some cases, the cut marks may have been rubbed off but you can locate the cut point by looking for the break in the wiring that should appear at regular intervals. Measure the length that you want and locate the nearest cut point to your desired length.

Next, using a pair of heavy duty utility scissors, align the blades of the scissors carefully with the cut mark on the rope light. (Be sure that the scissors are sharp and are adequate to cut through thick material or you may not achieve a clean cut and will damage the rope light.) Apply pressure and cut cleanly and completely through the rope light.

Third, after you have cut the rope light to length, located the rope light power cord assembly kit and remove of the pieces if in external packaging. Take the power cord assembly and line up the two connection points with the two wires in the rope light. (The objective here is to pierce into the two wires in the rope light with the two connection points in the power cord.) Apply pressure and push the power cord into the rope light. Once the power cord is seated on the rope light and you can view a solid connection between the connector points on the power cord and the wires in the rope light, plug the power cord in to test and be sure the rope light is working. If the rope light does not work you probably have a bad connection between the connection prongs and the rope light wires. In some cases, you may have to install the power cord at the other end of the rope light unit.

Fourth, after you have tested the rope light and it is functioning, remove the power cord from the rope light by gently pulling it straight out of the rope light. (Be careful when doing this because you do not want to bend the connection points or the rope light wires.) Now you are ready to permanently install the power cord assembly.

Next, open your bottle of rope light sealant and apply a small bead of the clear sealant around the circumference of the end of the rope light where the power cord will be installed. One the sealant is applied, carefully reinstall the power cord. Allow the rope light sealant about 15 to 20 minutes to dry. After the sealant has dried a bit, slide a shrink sleeve over the opposite end of the rope light so that half of the sleeve covers the end of the power cord assembly unit and the other half covers the end of the rope light. Using a standard household hairdryer or heat gun, apply heat to the shrink sleeve evenly until it shrinks tightly around the rope light and power cord assembly creating a weather proof seal. (Be careful not to put the end of the heat gun or hair dryer to close to the rope light as it could burn or melt the rope light or rope light components.)

The final step in the rope light assembly process is to install the end cap. Using your rope light sealant, apply another small bead of sealant around the end of the rope light. Install the plastic end cap to the end of the rope light and allow he sealant to set. One the sealant has set, place a shrink sleeve over the end cap so that the end cap is covered by the sleeve and the balance of the sleeve is covering the end of the rope light. Shrink the sleeve with a hair dryer or heat gun in the same fashion as you did when installing the power cord.

Before using the rope light, allow the sealant an additional hour to fully dry. The rope light is now fully sealed and ready to use for indoor or outdoor use.