Reinforced Christmas / Fairy Light cables
Let Sugru save you from the frustration of strings of bulbs not working on your lights.
This often happens because the cables have been loosened inside the control box*. A little bit of Sugru holds them in place to help prevent them being wiggled and means your lights are more likely to be working even when kids, cats and rough handling have tweaked the cables. *pulled cables don't always show on the outside but inside the wires are sometimes held by the tiniest dab of glue which has come off the circuit - but it's not wise for the non-electrically minded (like me) to poke at such things - so Sugru is a great preventative.
this
Re Fairy lights
Thanks James,
I hope this saves a lot of lights from landfill, and a lot of people from frustration and expense. I plan to do it to the outside lights too since they take a lot more abuse from the weather. And to protect areas where the cables and the conifer rub together.
I meant to ask if Sugri can be used in place of the glue on the internal circuit for ones that have already come loose. Or do they use conductive glue on that sort of thing, in which case would the addition of some graphite powder mixed with the sugru surface do the job. I'm not keen to experiment without the benefit of greater wisdom from people who actually understand such things but if it would work I have several sets of lights that could be revived.
Prevention is better than cure
james
Hi Cally.
great post, and a fantastic suggestion for people to save their stuff before it breaks.