[Ohno59]

This will probably be the most weirdest question on the forum, but.....
I have many events during the spring/summer/fall in the yard and need some lighting in a few places. There are trails in our deep woods and event areas thoughout. I recently got (5) 2ft and 4ft regular fluorescent striplights for really cheap. They have grounded cords on them. I only have 1 outdoor outlet, located by the house.

Can I permanetly mount these fluorescent lights to the trees needed where I need light? I understand the lights will rust, but I dont really care. I would bring them in during winter. I will only plug them into an extension cord that will be ran to the outlet a few times every month. They will not be used when it rains. Only when it is clear and dry. I am not going to spend money to run cable underground, as we have no more circuit spaces in the panel, nor do I have the ability to dig where I want do to huge roots from the trees. These lights are what I have.

The ballasts inside EACH one say Type 1 Outdoor. Is this suitable for outdoors that means?

This is really just a way to provide night lighting for about 10 hours every few times a month, and would just be hanging there on the trees, unplugged, abandoned, and not even the cord running out there when not in use.

BASICALLY: Can I leave these lights outside during rain, and use them when it dries out, or is this a bad idea. They are grounded, will be ran off a heavy extention cord about 100ft from the house, and be plugged into a GFCI. Pics below.

Yes:yes: or No:no:

Area in woods (mount lights on trees)

Fixtures

 

[brric]

Those fixtures are not rated for wet locations.

 

[Saturday Cowboy]

trees and vegetation are not allowed for the support of electrical componets

 

[The Deez]

i wouldn't do that, they're not rated for out doors or especially mounting to a tree, and even though your not going to use them when it rains, they're still gonna get rained on and it's not the fixture it-self rusting that will cause problems, it's the connections inside that will become unstable and the output of a t8 ballast is like 600V, the fun ends there. Somebody could be seriously injured in the event something like that happens. not to mention stringing those up through the "deep" woods with extension cords isn't the safest idea as well.

 

[Saturday Cowboy]

if u need light in the woods, the best option would be to install some underground pipe to remote locations and install plugs on posts. from these you could install spot lights, the kind that mount on a stake.

 

[Ohno59]

actually! I reviewed this over, and I have no clue what I was thinking. I wired a shed up too, and i know how dangerous this would be.

Low voltage landscape lighting would work great for this. I will put the transformer in the shed, and run the wire to the woods 25ft behind, this way no 120v is in the woods or outside, only 12v. Then I will bring the safe, LV lighting cable through to light the area. Anyone think that this is good?? I can bury the wire, and since its LV I guess could put the lamps on the trees. Correct? Energy effeciant, and no shock or fire hazards :thumbsup:

Im sure they sell 20watt spotlights, right?

 

[biggles]

watch your VA on the secondary of that 24Vs side tht 100 ft run out might dim them due to the lenght.how about a solar lights i'd trench out an underground romex cable into a weather proof quad box drop 2-3 floods down those trees and light it up.mount the weather proof floods on a weather proof round/box and cover then onto a 12" piece of 2 X 6 PT drill a hole in it and nail in a 4 X 4 nail hang them from the tree.but definitly give yourself a plug in situation at the base of the tree..maybe even threat yourself to a 30A switch:wink: to knock them off from the main run out.you can but small flood light go check HD don't need the 250W jobs 4 smaller ones at each corner will paint that area nice.higher you go the more the cone of light hitting the ground

 

[Ohno59]

For all that are wondering. I installed LV lighting in the area. Plugged the transformer in the shed, and hung it on the wall, ran the wire outside and to (6) tree mounted 20 watt floodlamps. Safe, bright, clean, and works very well for my application. No worry as there is no high voltage out in the weather.