Bulb Spacing - Who wants to spend the time to wrap a Christmas tree two or three times just so that it is the brightness you want? Not me. This is where the spacing between each bulb is important. The maximum spacing for a tree or home should be 6 inches. Something like a banister should have a spacing of about 4 inches. Greenery or wreaths that you use should be lit with a 2.5 inch bulb spacing. This should give you a general idea of spacing for almost any light project.
Lead and Tail Length - The lead length is measured from the male plug of your light string to the first bulb. Typically, this length is about 3 to 6 inches. If you are buying something for crafts, like lighting wine bottles, the lead will be about 36 inches. Longer lead wires are great for things that might be hung on the wall, also. That way you won't have a lot of extra lights hanging out.
The tail length is measured from the last bulb to the female plug of the mini light string. This is always the same as the lead length, Although with craft mini lights, you will not have a female plug, it will end with a bulb. Which means you will not have to consider a tail length.
Wire Gauge - The gauge of wire used on your mini light strings can be a very important topic. This will determine approximately how long they will last and how many end to end connections can be made. The standard wire gauge is 22 AWG. But, if you are using these for an unusually long run or in extreme weather conditions, you need to consider getting a thicker gauge wire. The smaller the gauge number, the thicker it will be.
We hope that this helps cut down on the mystery of buying mini light strings for you lighting projects.
--
Hannah
Christmas Lights Shop
