Hanging LED Lights for the Patio, Part 2

2 years ago
20

Finished filling in the gaps between the patio roof framing with insect screen. I selected a 24" wide, 0.108" galvanized steel mesh and cut it into 25.5" lengths to fit the 24" spacing on the roof framing:
https://www.mcmaster.com/9217T23

That was stapled to the underside of the framing and then some black PVC angle was caulked and screwed over the mesh. That PVC covers the raw edge of the mesh and staples as well and providing a drip edge for the patio roof:
https://www.mcmaster.com/7077N16

Brass S-hooks were used to hang the LED lights from the PVC angle:
Amico 48FT LED Outdoor String Lights with Shatterproof LED Filament Bulbs:
https://amzn.to/3CLlFpx
These light are spaced about 3 ft. or 1m.

The 15-light string was cut into 9- and 6-light strings and mating connectors added to the cut ends. Adding a mating connector on the end of each string allow for extending the string in the future:
2-pin low voltage lighting connectors:
https://amzn.to/3RpZppk
Be sure to get the right size and configuration of connector to match your light string. I ordered a set of the connectors that looked similar but were too small. Only then did I find out there are 2 different sizes. I'll be using the smaller waterproof connectors on my 4Runner when I replace some old incandescent lights with LEDs, they'll be ideal for that.

3 of the socket connectors were used to make a splitter to take the power feed and send it out to the 9 lights under the patio roof, 6 lights under the house roof and finally to the gas grill 12V light input.

Wire Loom Tools:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2979358
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3127294

Toggle switch box:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3660963

Then a DPDT toggle switch will be used to tie these lights into the existing patio lighting circuit as well as having a manual control option. Since the gas grill and cook top on the patio are potentially to be used during extended power outages, having a backup to a complex home automation system for controlling these lights is desirable.

More to come, hooking up the DPDT switch...
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Intro/Outro:
Louisiana Fairytale by Austin Rogers
https://web.archive.org/web/20170402222425/http://drfiddle.com/show_tune.php?id=94

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