I purchased heavy duty incandescent white rope light from 1000 bulbs. Since they didn't have any instructions included with the spool, I called to find out where to cut the ropelight. They told me the first cut is 23" and then 24" after that. The reason for the first cut at 23" is that there is a power chord attached permanatly and an inch of the rope is included in the chord. So I made a cut at 47"...the last 6 inches didn't light...So I cut that six inches off..about a foot on the end was dark. SO.... I made the cut at 23" as instructed and it went dead.

There are no cut markings on this ropelight. There is some writing but nothing resembling a cut mark. The rope is very opeque so I can't see the bulbs to try and figure out where I possibly should cut it.

1000 bulbs was very helpful and even sent another spool. But before I cut the new spool, I was wondering if anyone out there has any positive information on where to cut the rope.

No sense in me having a bunch of useless ropelight in small sections.

Thanks in advance.

Since the cut points are not readily marked, try plugging in the ropelight to see if you can see the cut marks. Here (http://www.planetchristmas.com/RopeLight.htm) is a good tutorial on cutting.

Since the cut points are not readily marked, try plugging in the ropelight to see if you can see the cut marks. Here (http://www.planetchristmas.com/RopeLight.htm) is a good tutorial on cutting.

Thanks for the link and response. I'll light it up and see if I can find the cut point that way.

Appreciate the help.

My friend just got some blue ropelight from them. I had gotten some from dcpilgrim and mine had little scissors and dash where to cut, I believe he got his from 1000bulbs. I think they must've changed whoever they source it from cause my friends has 3 little squares where it needs to be cut. Not sure if you have anything like that.

Actually, I got the blue rope light also in the original order. Nice white cut marks......The white is from a different manufacturer.

Hmm... my white from them had cut marks...

Steve,

My white is flextec 2 wire 1/2 inch heavy duty. Do you recall if yours came on a black plastic spool? The white is different than the blue I got. When I plugged the rope in, it's so opaque that I can't make out any of the wires.

1000 bulbs has been great throughout this process and he just told me perhaps I had a bad spool and to go for it again. I even had the eagle eyed wife look at it and she couldn't find any cut marks either. I am starting feel like I have the luck of Tom Logan :)

Is it possible that the marks are embossed not painted? you would need to look VERY carefully under a very strong light.

I purchased mine a while ago, but I just checked some I had left over. There should be a VERY small white mark/line of three dashes every 18" give or take. Its realy small and easy to miss.

No sense in me having a bunch of useless ropelight in small sections.

LOL

Hey, by chance I just ordered the exact same roll from them last weekend and it is scheduled to deliver tomorrow. I will get my super specticals out and see if I can see anything. I will let you know.

I used 1000bulbs 1/2" rope light and mine was marked.

It is very light white text with a vertical line. Like the the link provided above, the line will fall between two 'vertical' wires approximately an inch apart. You can pretty much cut anywhere between the vertical wires.


------------------------------------------ outer edge of rope light
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - internal wire
| | vertical wires every 24"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - internal wire
------------------------------------------ outer edge of rope light

Jamis,

Does it say Flextec on the ropelight that you have? Is it the heavy duty version?

RphDrew,

Let me know what you see.... :)

Is it possible that the marks are embossed not painted? you would need to look VERY carefully under a very strong light.


Big,

Hell, I took it outside in the sun! :D I'm confused why they are telling me it's every 24". My blue is every 18". I'm sure it's something simple....

HeyNow^ -

The sun is the big orange-y ball up in the sky in the DAYTIME. The MOON is the one at night. Make sure you look outside in the daytime.

Thanks Tom. That should make a big difference. Should I stare at it for a while first to get my eyes warmed up?

Jamis,

Does it say Flextec on the ropelight that you have? Is it the heavy duty version?

RphDrew,

Let me know what you see.... :)


I believe so to both, but I'll have to double check when I get home. The vertical cut line immediate follows the text on the rope light.

Jamis,

My blue light came on a cardboard spool. The white came on a flimsy black plastic spool.

Thanks Tom. That should make a big difference. Should I stare at it for a while first to get my eyes warmed up?

No problem. Just trying to help. Because that's the kind of guy I am. NO. DO NOT stare at the sun to get warmed up. That's what the moonshine is for.

I don't care who you are, that right there is funny.

:)

instead of us trusting YOUR eyes... take a buttload of pics of the rope, post em up, and we can stare at them :)

Jamis,

My blue light came on a cardboard spool. The white came on a flimsy black plastic spool.

Mine also came on the flimsy black spool.

If it's embossed, you could try feeling around for it at the "supposed" cut point. Just an idea. Short of using "the force" to guide you, I'm not sure of what to say. You'd think they would use black or some other high contrast color on white rope light...

I don't want the ropelight to feel violated.... I'd ask the wife to do it but I don't want her to leave me for a spool of ropelight.

Damn, where is the UPS dude... I can't wait to get in on this eye strain...

It left for local delivery at 7:33 this morning.

P.S. Bought myself a new brad nailer so I am working on getting the crown up to put the rope in as we speak...:D

You know your delivery won't be there until after 4:00 p.m. Now if you weren't home, it would be there at 8:00 a.m.

Maybe I'll try illuminating it with a black light.....I'll bet it has secret luminus coded markings on it....

Steve,

My white is flextec 2 wire 1/2 inch heavy duty. Do you recall if yours came on a black plastic spool? The white is different than the blue I got. When I plugged the rope in, it's so opaque that I can't make out any of the wires.

1000 bulbs has been great throughout this process and he just told me perhaps I had a bad spool and to go for it again. I even had the eagle eyed wife look at it and she couldn't find any cut marks either. I am starting feel like I have the luck of Tom Logan :)

My rope lite did come on a black plastic spool, however the plastic was not frosted... it was clear. So maybe different model #?

Damn, where it the UPS dude... I can't wait to get in on this eye strain...It left for local delivery at 7:33 this morning.
:D

You know your delivery won't be there until after 4:00 p.m. Now if you weren't home, it would be there at 8:00 a.m.

Mine JUST arrived!!! UPS in my neighborhood rocks:p

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s270/mdputnam/UPS.jpg

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Is that... box... for me???

She has a box?

If that was my ups delivery person, I'd be having deliveries coming in daily... One wire at a time from monoprice.

Bing bong... though I could only hear that upstairs.:mad: UPS is here.

FLEXTEC
Item: SIV/206ULPW
SPEC: IF2CD-120V-150F-R-PW
Ultra Pearl White 1/2" 2 wire

On black plastic roll.

No visable marking on surface... However if you hold it up to sun light and look through the wire, every 24" you will see a dark spot. Rotate the wire 180 degrees and you will see another dark spot about an inch away. If I was a betting man, I would bet you cut right between them.

Not ready to try yet as I am not ready for them.

Note the print on the wire repeats every 19+ inches so I don't believe it has anything to do with the potential cuts.

So I'm not so crazy afterall....

Well cut the darn thing and let me know. I already tried the dark spots... Your move. I'll wait......did you cut it yet? :)

The lights just flickered at my house he must not have unplugged them first.

There will be Peace in the Loganator thread now..... :)

She has a box?

If she doesn't, I would be very disappointed.

There will be Peace in the Loganator thread now..... :)

Hey now... < That is a response to the above, not me calling you by name...

So I'm not so crazy afterall....

I'm not so sure the verdict has come back on this one yet...:D

Well cut the darn thing and let me know. I already tried the dark spots... Your move. I'll wait......did you cut it yet? :)

Nope. But I heard if you plug it in and bite into the middle of the black dots, you will have no further problems with it.:D

Red arrows point to the vertical wires I discussed earlier

Blue arrow points to the printed cut line next to the 'Flextec' label, also which I discussed earlier.

You can cut anywhere between the vertical wires.


http://mostlyharmless.org/theater/rope.jpg

No fair Jamis, I can see a cut mark on that clear ropelight.

Try running it by a bright light and look for the vertical wires or abnormalities that only appear every 18-24". Or dissect the piece you already cut for science.

Or maybe dump it in a bucket of bleach... then you'll have clear rope light too. Problem solved.

Nurse, scalpel please.

Ok, if you look really, really close you will see a black dotted line printed by the manufacture.

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll211/RPhDrew/P9180178.jpg

Ok, not really.

But... my original plan was correct. Hold up to very bright light and look through it. Find the dark spot, then spin the wire 180 degrees and you will see another dark spot about an inch away. Cut between the two.

I did it and it works.

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll211/RPhDrew/P9180179.jpg

The other way (being that you have already mangled what you have) would be to plug it in and cut off what isn't working. Wait let me rephrase...

Mark what isn't working...
Unplug...
Cut off what isn't working...(never know who is reading this stuff).

I know you said you did this but you must have cut too much off.

And as always when working with electrical, stand in a puddle with bare feet, while cutting the live wires...:D

Now that it is dark I just plugged in to look at the whole roll and there are two bulbs burnt out...:mad:

I just sent a note off to 1000 bulbs...

Well, I did cut it like you said. 48" it lit just fine, installed it on my backbar shelf and all was well. I took a look about an hour later and half of the 48" went dark.... I thought maybe I missed the wire in the rope....nope...then I couldn't get any of the rope to light up....what the Fark is going on?

Try reseating the 2 prong plug to the other side of your cut. I had My rope light stop working from one side, plug it in to the other and got it to work.

Thanks Oman, I was thinking the same thing....Spent the last two days painting the damn front porch railing.....one more day to go. I'll give it a try....

I appreciate the suggestion.

Just be sure to cut at every 1080 bulbs. This way you can ensure that you will be HD Ready.:)

only half of the string came back....drat.

I think there is a joke here somewhere.

How Many AVSers does it take to cut a rope light?

..... seven...... One to unplug it, One to hold it straight, One to point out the place to cut, one to actually cut it. Then three more to offer opinions regarding why it doesn't want to work.

only half of the string came back....drat.

Maybe you got the interlaced version and your eyes/brain are not working fast enough to see the other bulbs coming on.

Send it back and order the progressive version :D

How Many AVSers does it take to cut a rope light?

..... seven...... One to unplug it, One to hold it straight, One to point out the place to cut, one to actually cut it. Then three more to offer opinions regarding why it doesn't want to work.


...and one to sit back and laugh at all your pathetic attempts to finish first!

Wrong thread Tom.

Brit, I thought of that too....So I did that blinky test thingy....you know...blink real fast to see if the other half was lighting up.... I think I had a seizure ala Pokeman...

You order a new product and it doesn't work and they won't replace???

Here was their reply..

-----------

Good afternoon,
I do apologize for the delay in contacting you.
There is no warranty on the rope, but for our customers, we do send splice kits and sections, no charge and no shipping.

Please let me know how much you need and, I will get it sent out.

Thanks!

------------

Any body else think this is a crock of $%#$ ???

That's interesting.