I went the “official” route at first—weatherproof boxes, gaskets, the whole nine yards. Honestly, it was a pain and cost way more than I expected. The cable gland and silicone combo seems way more practical for what most of us need, especially if you’re just stringing lights for the season. Like you said, though, that silicone doesn’t last forever. I noticed mine gets brittle after a hot summer, not just winter. Probably worth budgeting a few minutes every couple months to check things over, just to avoid surprises.
Probably worth budgeting a few minutes every couple months to check things over, just to avoid surprises.
That’s a fair point, but honestly, I get tired of crawling around the patio every time it rains just to make sure the lights aren’t shorting out. I’m starting to wonder if it’s even worth the hassle for something that’s only up a few months. Has anyone tried just using ziplock bags or something super basic, or is that just asking for trouble?
Has anyone tried just using ziplock bags or something super basic, or is that just asking for trouble?
Honestly, I’ve slapped ziplocks over the plugs before when I was in a pinch. It worked okay for a while, but after a couple storms, water still found its way in. I get the hassle—crawling around in the mud isn’t my idea of a good time either. Have you looked at those cheap plastic cord covers? They’re not fancy, but they’re less fiddly than bags and seem to last longer. Just depends how much you want to gamble with the lights, I guess.
I once tried the ziplock trick at a rental property—thought I was being clever. Next rain, the bag filled up like a goldfish bowl and tripped the breaker. Now I just spring for the covers. Cheaper than replacing fried lights... or explaining to tenants why the patio’s dark.
Covers definitely seem like the smarter move, but I keep wondering if there’s a way to keep things dry without shelling out for all the official gear. I tried using plastic grocery bags and twist ties once—honestly, it looked ridiculous and didn’t work much better than your ziplock experiment. The water just pooled at the bottom and I ended up with a soggy mess anyway.
Is it really worth the extra cost for those weatherproof covers, though? I get wanting to avoid the hassle of replacing lights every season, but sometimes those covers seem overpriced for what they are. Has anyone tried just mounting the plugs higher up or under some kind of DIY awning? I keep thinking there’s gotta be a middle ground between “let it fry” and “spend a fortune.” Or maybe I’m just overthinking it and should cough up the cash for the covers like everyone else...
