which patio lights to get?

[melanie7ny]

Hello girls, I was wondering what everyone likes about there patio lights. I would like to purchase a set, but being they can be a little pricey, maybe suggestions would help before I buy. I am know I like the globe lights, but I dont know if the clear ones are way too bright, and the amber ones are not bright enough, or if the colored ones look tacky. I'm looking for a nice, calm light, that isn't wild, pictures would be good as well as suggestions! thanks, melanie

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

You don't want TACKY?? Sorry, that is soooo cute!! I thought half the reason to have them is to have tacky! SNICKER.

Personally, I love em all, might suggest you look into those rope lights, we have some of those now and just lay em out around Tana on the ground.

Something else I have done, is to get a string of Xmas lights and use them on the awning, with no little toys hanging off them. Just the Xmas lights. Colored or white. In my years have done both.

I believe there is a web site somewhere with TONS of TACKY ones, have fun, pick the wildest one you can and laugh and enjoy. Or, go more subtle and enjoy anyway! (Try a google for the web sites, or visit Glenn's home page for so many links you will glaze over in wonder and delight!!)

Have fun!!!

[swanny]

rope lights here. hang them, lay on the ground, come in assorted colors and very compact to stow.

[Waynem]

We were at Garden Ridge recently and I picked up some solar butterflies, 3 to a package for $19. They change colors. Nice decorations for out front, or around. They also had some individual solar lights and I picked up one for step lighting - I should have picked up a couple. there were like $2 or $3 each. So check out Garden Ridge.

[Bill-N-Donna]

Well I know you were asking the gals but allow me to chime in if I may. We purchased some globe lights from C/W and really like them. They are a bit pricy but appear to be a higher quality than many we’ve seen in the past.

We thought they were a little bright for what we wanted so we placed a very low wattage bulb in each light; my wife thinks they are about 4 watts each I was thinking about 7 watts. If you have 6 lights and put a 7 watt bulb in each one then it will be about the same as a 35 watt bulb all together. Some of the places we’ve been where it’s really dark I believe that will put off plenty enough light for what is needed. If you want it brighter then just simply go with a little higher wattage but I wouldn’t go over what they're rated for.

[Uh oh a new police... the wattage police, I can just see it now!]

Edited for grammer!

[bncinwv]

Like Bill, we have the CW globe lights. Ten of them in a string, multi-colored to give the much desired garish look!! We have 40 watt bulbs in each one for a total of 400 watts (take that wattage police). I think we got them on sale for around $80.00. They will light up our awning area, the neighbors campsite area, and the next neighbors campsite area!! I post this as a warning just in case you happen to see us at a campground somewhere. If you want your campsite well lit, park next to us, if not, park at least three rigs away!! Seriously though, we love our globe lights, but we do turn them off when we retire for the night in full compliance with quiet hours. If you want illumination, we recommend them.
Bingo

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

I had a hard time deciding between clear globe lights or dragonfly lights. In fact, I would have bought both types if I'd been shopping alone, but Mr. "Remember the Economy" was with me, so I had to pick one type and one type only. I went with the dragonflies. They don't put out a lot of light, but they are pretty, I think. I've had the small globe lights on another RV awning, and they definitely did put out more light even though they were very low wattage. I've also had the "jumping fish" lights for low-level lighting.

I hope someone at the 7 Feathers rally will have the rope lights out so that I can see how they look laying on the ground. Sounds like a great way to go, and I bet it looks good, too.

Carolyn

[BB_TX]

We have the multi-colored globe lights. First put in 40 watt bulbs and it lit up half the campground. Replaced with 15 watt bulbs and gives off a nice soft light now.
Multi colored a little tacky? Maybe, but what the heck. I like them. They have the bronze colored globes also for a more subdued look.

[johnp4191]

We have had some chinese lantern style that used a clear mid-sized christmas bulb. Gave off plenty of light, but I lost several of the lantern covers. Went to Menards and bought rope lighting, the regular kind not the LED type. Didn't get to try them this weekend, we had so much wind that we couldn't leave the awing out. I hope the they work and give off enough light. I didn't buy the LED type because I have LED's for christmas lights and they don't give off any light! Just the bulb lights, but no light in the room.

Does anyone else use rope lights and leave them rolled up in the awning? I am wondering if that is ok, or will they poke a hole thru the awning due to travel vibration...
Judi

[Al B]

This all falls into the category of "Lifestyles of the Not-So-Rich and Famous" That is what my son said when he visited a campground that we were staying at. I loved it! Tacky, or not it's all fun! Pink flamingo's go nicely with the tacky party lights. Whatever your style, no one will judge you.

[Bill-N-Donna]

I personally don’t see anything tacky about the lights at all. I think they add character to your site. As a matter of fact we always enjoy walking around the campground looking at all of the campers and seeing how everyone has decorated their site. It kind of reminds one of Christmas somewhat, like when people decorate their houses with Christmas lights.

[wswebster]

We use 2 strings of little Coleman lanterns with an orange flickering bulb. Kind of reminds us of our early camping memorys, sleeping in a tent and using lanterns for light. Stacy

[LonnieB]

We have 2 strings of these for the awning. We haven't got to use them yet, but I think they are gonna be kinda cool. They use the small clear Christmas bulbs.

[Art-n-Marge]

Wow... you are living in a trailer and you worry about tacky. That's gotta be a first. For crying out loud, I haven't seen tacky enough. And I'm a guy - we can get pretty tacky.

We had dragonfly lights what were made from coiled wire forms and the bulbs were inside so they looked more like lightning bugs - I was so glad I never had to change a bulb. They only took me about 4 hours to untangle them because the wire bodies were so detailed between the antenna, 6 legs, 4 wings and the back end that looked like a cat in heat, multiplied by the eight dragonflies on the strand, they were awful. Needless to say after the third time, I chucked them because I didn't even have the heart to give them to my worst enemy. My wife was unhappy, but after I gave her the piled mess of lights and wire to untangle she agreed it was best. Fortunately DW bought them at some closeout bin for about 4 bucks and that was a rip off.

I want the globes but DW doesn't like them because they are too obvious, huh? What we do have and makes a great beacon for visitors and for us to see our rig location when we are out and about is a lighted palm tree. It has 4 green branches and the trunk is a golden color. It all collapses nicely and gives off ample light. I have it on a dusk sensor and timer so it doesn't disturb anyone after hours.

We will get something else like rope lights but I'd like more light, gee, like the globes. I wish they sold them in amber so they don't draw bugs. Is that what the bronze is supposed to do? The colored ones might not give off enough light.

[OntMont]

Just a male perspective perhaps, but to me patio lights that hang from the awning are a big nuisance. They get in the way if you ever have to roll up your awning in a hurry because of a storm. I prefer solar lights, or rope lights on the ground.

Truth is, we rarely put out our awning any more. We lost one to a wind storm, so now we don't like to leave it out and unattended. If we do put it out, it may be just for a few hours in the afternoon, then retract for the night. This may be something that depends on your local climate and surroundings.

[VanMan]

Here's the link to all kinds - tacky and non-tacky

http://www.partylights.com

[johnp4191]

This is a great site. It actually has a separate section for "upscale" and that section contains lights that are yarn balls! Who are the "tacky" vs "non-tacky" police?? Gotta love variety!

Judi

[8.1al]

I'm with Al B, FLAMINGOS

[labmom]

We have the C/W globe lights, the colored ones. I guess it depends on what you like. If you like a lot of light, then I would recommend the clear globe lights. I agree with someone else that posted. They are pricey, but they are worth the money I think. We put low wattage bulbs in ours and it gives off enough light to see by but not enough to light up the campground. (Nothing against those who do-we just like the softer light.) We also have the rope lamps that lay on the ground, but at Christmas time, Dave lights up the camper like a Woolworth's store. He loves it and is reluctant to take them down. Good luck with your choice.
Betsy McNair

[eeoski]

We have used both and I find that the LED rope lights are the easiest, most flexible and, in my case, the most affordable (I bought them after Christmas this year at Wally World). We have a four strands and use them as "path" lights and hang a strand from the awning (when it is is deployed) for "porch" lighting. We have white and blue lights. White works best for "ambient" lighting and the blue is nice for the "path" lighting as it can stay on late and not be "glaring" for our neighbors.

If we were to stay any length of time anywhere (over a week) then I imagine that I would really like those CW globe lights for regular use. But as we we do more "out and about" use of Bella and the rope lights are quick to put out and take in when on the road or if the weather changes quickly. When she is set up on our property in Umatilla, we are happy with the rope lights and I can use one of the small table lamps from inside for a reading light if I want to have more than just enough light to socialize and get about without killing myself!

OBTW "Tacky" is a decorating genre (or should be if it isn't) and is something that can be aspired to but not everyone can get there! LOL The important thing is to have fun and get what meets your needs. Oh, and your needs/desires, might vary depending on the circumstances and/or location. In Florida I thought that EVERYONE was required to have at LEAST one string of flamingo lights! :-)