Rope light and wall dimmer recommendation

Standard 120 volt incandescent rope light would be the easiest "plug and play" rope light. You would just need to have an outlet that is controlled by the dimmer. LED strip lighting will work just about as easily but you will need a transformer (think AC adaptor for just about any electronic device) to plug into your dimmer controlled outlet.

Try 1000bulbs.com

http://1000bulbs.com/category/120-vo...ar-rope-light/

I'm looking into this myself. I don't want to link to a distributor's website (I think that is a no-no). Google "The American Lighting Premium Grade Rope Light"

LED Rope Lights are dimmable. They also run off of 120 volt supply with no transformer. They use a special power cord with an in-line rectifier, but no transformation.

Bird Dog Distributing sold me my lights at a very good price. I've used their lights for other applications than my theater, too.

I am using incandescent rope lights from 1000bulbs.com behind my crown molding. I had the electrician put an outlet in my soffit behind the molding and plug two strings of rope light into that outlet. That outlet is controlled by a zone on my Lutron Grafikeye controller/dimmer.

I did the same with my riser rope lights as well (step lights and under the bar accent light). They are on their own zone as well.

I am using the 1/2" rope found here:

http://1000bulbs.com/category/120-vo...ar-rope-light/

* Brand : FlexTec
* Part No. : IF-65CL
* Voltage : 120 Volt
* Bulbs Per Foot : 12
* Chasing : No
* Dimmable : _Yes
* Flashable : Yes
* Color : Clear

* Cutting Intervals : 24 in.
* Diameter : 1/2 in.
* Length : 150 ft.
* Life Hours : 35,000
* Maximum Run : 200 ft.
* Type : Incandescent
* Watts Per Foot : 3
* UL Listed : Yes (Uncut)

The colored versions are also dimmable.

Various pictures can be found starting here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...1#post14976581

Your electrician put an outlet on a dimmer? Or did you put the Grafik Eye on the circuit after he put the outlet in?

My LED rope lights are on a Grafik Eye controller/dimmer. But they also dimmed when I tested them with a standard Lutron Diva dimmer (a full decora toggle switch with a little slider next to the toggle) before I installed the Grafik Eye.

My electrician told me that he could not put a dimmer on a receptacle. Instead the solution was to wire the rope light into a junction box.

I believe there is a way to do it, with a special purpose outlet. I was wondering if Jamis' electrician used the same special purpose outlet I installed, or if it was a normal receptacle, if Jamis had any indication from his electrician that it was permissible because the outlet was basically inaccessible (up in a soffit is a dumb place to plug in a vacuum cleaner ...).

One of my dimmable receptacles is clearly accessible, so I needed a solution for it, but I always wondered if there was a logic that could have saved some expense of the dimmable receptacles for the ones that are in really hard to reach areas. I just wanted to learn from Jamis' experience.

The outlet in the soffit is a zone on the grafikeye... so technically yes, the outlet is on a dimmer. It was all new wiring. It's not like the outlet is convenient for plugging stuff into (it's out of reach, but accessible). I believe it is one of the standard black 15A receptacles that I purchased.

It passed inspection without a problem.

here is the box during the rough electrical:


here is an overexposed pic in which you can see the finished outlet in the back corner of the room (barely). In person, it blends in much better:

My old theater had an outlet located in a soffit hooked to the grafik eye, installed by a license electrician, passed by inspection. I didn't spec it, that's the way they did it.

I guess it is all about what your local inspector decides is acceptable ...

I think most people are using a standard outlet wired to a dimmer, which may or may not pass inspection. Lutron makes a special dimming outlet and companion plug which can be seen here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...2#post18564992

You can google "lutron dfdu" for more info.

That's the one I chose to install. I like them very much.

I actually bought exterior led rope light from home depot( 9$ per 12 foot ) works flawless

Put a red, green and blue one up there, and dim them individually to make whatever color you want!

I don't know about "light blue" but blue is a stock color of rope lights, both LED and incandescent:

http://www.birddogdistributing.com/p...ght-p-773.html

http://www.birddogdistributing.com/1...ack-p-438.html