Wiring up LED rope light

DrNeutron

Just starting in this crazy hobby
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Oct 19, 2012
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Just a quick question in regards to making my own power cables for LED rope light. I know I have to add a rectifier to eliminate flicker and to ensure it is bright (200v single phase rectifier), but I also have an abundance of 4 core 18gauge alarm cable (non-shielded). My main question is whether or not I can use this cable to create my power cables? Length of led rope light would not be any longer than 50 feet (so around 33.33 watts or .3 amps where I live in North America). Should I double up the conductors as well? Is there a best practice on where to place the rectifier? (close to power source or close to led rope light).
Thanks.
 

AAH

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I'll assume that the rope light is 110V as you haven't said otherwise. If it is then you must use mains rated cable rather than the alarm cable which only has an insulation rating of probably 24V or 48V. If it is 110V then I assume you are running of a LOR AC board or similar. If that is the case then you will need a rectifier and it doesn't matter really which end of the extension cabling that it goes at.
If the rope light is low voltage (under 48V) then it should be ran off a DC dimmer board and you won't need a rectifier. If it is low voltage rope light then you could the alarm cable.
 

DrNeutron

Just starting in this crazy hobby
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Oct 19, 2012
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Thanks for that info!
Looking at the alarm cable sheathing it is no thicker than SPT-1 cable and I thought maybe I could get away with it (both being 18 gauge), but I don't know what the alarm cable is rated for and best not to chance it (being rated as alarm cable probably is self-explanatory as low voltage only though). In my neck of the woods it is 110v and the rope light is 110v.
Thanks AAH, just needed someone to confirm what I figured was true.
;)
 

fasteddy

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Alan is 100% correct, Alarm cable is only designed for ultra low voltage applications (below 50V) so if using mains voltage then this is not a good choice as the insulation properties were not designed to run mains voltage.
 
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