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Lightscape Decorative Lighting, LLC
Frequently Asked Questions (F. A. Q.)
How does it work? How difficult is it? How long does it take?
How do you mow over the Lawn Lights? Can you mow over the Lawn Lights?
If one bulb goes out, do they all go out?
What colors are available? Do Lawn Lights come in different colors?
How many lamps come in a set of Lawn Lights?
How long is a set of Lawn Lights?
Can Lawn Lights be connected end to end?
How far apart are the lamps? How much space is between each lamp?
Are the wire stakes included?
What kind of bulbs do Lawn Lights use? Do Lawn Lights use special bulbs? Are extra bulbs included?
Is this product like a big net? Can I go around trees and other obstacles?
How difficult is it to dismantle and store the Lawn Lights product
display, and how long does it take?
What happens if it snows? Won't the snow cover and conceal the Lawn
Lights?
Doesn't all that wire and those 'stakes' make the lawn rather
unattractive and cluttered during the daytime?
Can the Lawn Lights product be used in high foot traffic areas and
walkways?
How much electricity does the Lawn Lights product use? Doesn't it take a lot of power to run all those lights?
What about dogs/deer/pets/animals? Will they get into and damage the display?
What about crossing my driveway? Can I drive over this product?
I have a small yard (less than 4000 square feet). Can I still use Lawn Lights in my yard?
Is the Lawn Lights product available in stores?
Q: How does it work? How difficult is it to decorate with the Lawn Lights product, and
how long does it take?
A: You can decorate with Lawn Lights very quickly and very easily.
Each set is a long string of lights that is wound on a spool. You simply
unwind the Lawn Lights off of the spool in the pattern that you want (arc
patterns are recommended) and plug them in. It only takes 10 to 15 minutes
to unroll a set of Lawn Lights in your lawn.
It is also recommended that you take the additional step
of 'staking' each of the lights as well. This will make the display even
more spectacular by making the lights more visible and appear brighter and
more uniform. It also keeps the lights visible in the event of a snowfall.
'Staking' the lights requires you to push small inconspicuous stakes into
the ground at each lamp and then attach the lamp bases to them. It is not
very difficult and entirely optional, but well worth it. This additional
step will take an additional 10-20 minutes for each set of Lawn Lights
(much less if there is more than 1 person doing it). The entire procedure
is described in more detail in the User's Manual which comes with the Lawn
Lights and is also available for viewing here:
User's Manual.
Q: How do you mow over the Lawn Lights? Can you mow over the Lawn Lights?
A: You cannot mow over the Lawn Lights product. However, Lawn Lights were
designed to be used primarily during the winter season when lawns are not being mowed
or utilized, and for short term temporary use for events like weddings and
Independence Day. If you decide that you want to mow the lawn after the Lawn Lights
have been deployed, you can remove the Lawn Lights from the area in less than 5 minutes
when using an inexpensive Bayco model KW-130 spool (highly recommended), mow the lawn, and then
return the Lawn Lights to the lawn in another 15 minutes.
Q: If one bulb goes out, do they all go out?
A: No. Lawn Lights work just like most other Christmas tree light sets do these
days. If one bulb burns out, the rest will remain lit. However, if the bulb is physically
removed from the socket, the rest of the lights will go out - just like with other
Christmas tree light sets. If for some reason your Lawn Lights will not light up, the problem
can generally be found within 5 minutes when using an inexpensive proximity type
Christmas light string tester. This procedure is described in more detail in the User's
Manual, which comes with the Lawn Lights and is also available for viewing here:
User's Manual.
Q: What colors are available? Do Lawn Lights come in different colors?
A: Each set of Lawn Lights comes with the clear lamps only.
For color, you simply slip Magic Color Caps (TM) onto the lamps. This is very simple
and does not take much time. Magic Color Caps (TM) are available here on the
catalog page, and they can also be found in some retail
stores and elsewhere on the internet. This is the best way to add, remove, or change
color on your Lawn Lights or other mini light sets. Magic Color Caps (TM) do not fade,
chip, or flake off like colored mini-light bulbs tend to do, and allow you to remain
versital with your display. You also will not be required to buy multiple sets of Lawn
Lights in order to have multiple colors.
Q: How many lamps come in a set of Lawn Lights?
A: Each set of Lawn Lights has 50 lamps. This may not sound like
very many lamps, but each set of Lawn Lights will cover 4000-5000 square feet (or less).
One of the great things about Lawn Lights is that it gives the illusion of having several
hundred lamps when in actuality there are far fewer. However, if one wanted to cover an
area with more lamps, it could easily be done by rolling out additional sets of Lawn Lights
in the area. This is really not necessary, though, as evidenced by the
Picture Gallery.
Q: How long is a set of Lawn Lights?
A: Each set of Lawn Lights is roughly 500 feet long (that distance
varies a bit due to the twist in the wire). That may sound like too much length, but
Lawn Lights are designed to be rolled out back and forth over a 4000-5000 square foot area
(or less). However, Lawn Lights could be rolled out as one single 500 foot long string if
desired. Lawn Lights have been used to outline long drives, fencelines, and ponds, but Lawn
Lights are primarily designed to cover large areas with lights as shown in the
Picture Gallery. Lawn Lights also come with roughly 20 feet
of cord between the plug and the first lamp, so you may not need an extension cord in most
cases.
Q: Can Lawn Lights be connected end to end?
A: No. Lawn Lights are not equipped with the outlet at the
end of the string, so you cannot connect Lawn Lights end to end.
However, each set of Lawn Lights is roughly 500 feet long. Therefore,
it is really not necessary to be able to connect Lawn Lights end to end in order to
make a longer string. If you want to use multiple sets of Lawn Lights, you
simply plug them into the same power source and roll them out over different
areas starting from the same location (or, starting from different locations if you want).
Incorporating the end to end feature into Lawn Lights would significantly
increase the cost, and as explained above, is really not necessary.
Q: How far apart are the lamps? How much space is between each lamp?
A: There is roughly 10 feet of space between each lamp on a set of
Lawn Lights. This spacing allows you to generate the displays shown in the
Picture Gallery.
Q: Are the wire stakes included?
A: Yes, the wire stakes are included. You get 55 wire stakes - that's 5 extra in case
you accidently lose one or two over time.
Q: What kind of bulbs do Lawn Lights use? Do Lawn Lights use special bulbs? Are extra bulbs included?
A: Lawn Lights use regular 2.5 volt mini-lamps. These are the same lamps as many
miniature Christmas light sets use. Each set of Lawn Lights will come with a few spare
bulbs. However, if you need more bulbs, you can get them easily. This is described in
more detail in the User's Manual, which comes with the Lawn Lights and is also available
for viewing here:
User's Manual.
Q: Is this product like a big net? Can I go around trees and other obstacles?
A: No, this product is not a net, although it does give the appearance of one. The Lawn
Lights product is a long string of lights that should be unrolled in arcing patterns over the area being
decorated. It can easily be used around trees and other obstacles.
Q: How difficult is it to dismantle and store the Lawn Lights product
display, and how long does it take?
A: Dismantling the Lawn Lights product display is even quicker and
easier than setting it up! If the Lawn Lights are 'staked', the stakes
must first be collected by removing the lamp bases from each stake. This is
not difficult and only takes 10 to 15 minutes. The Lawn Lights can then be
quickly and easily wound on its spool in about 10 minutes. However, it is highly
recommended that you purchase an inexpensive Bayco model KW-130 spool to collect
and store your Lawn Lights. You can remove the Lawn Lights from the lawn in well
under 5 minutes with a Bayco model KW-130 spool.
Q: What happens if it snows? Won't the snow cover and conceal the Lawn
Lights?
A: In general, snow does not create any problems for the Lawn Lights
product. Actually, snow makes the Lawn Lights product display even
more beautiful! It largely depends on how far the stakes have been pushed into
the ground and the amount of snow that falls. Many people actually prefer
the beautiful and unique effect that is generated by Lawn Lights when they are
under a little bit of snow. If it snows, the stakes will generally keep the lights
above the snowfall for a truly beautiful display. Depending on how far the stakes
have been pushed down into the ground, several inches of snow must fall before
the lights will begin to become covered, and even then, the display is truly
beautiful and unique (please see the
Picture Gallery for examples). The stakes that are included
with each Lawn Lights set will accomodate a snowfall of up to about 8 inches.
Obviously, in the event of a significant snowfall, the Lawn Lights product would
become buried and eventually concealed, as would any lawn decoration. However,
several inches of snow must fall before the lights could no longer be seen
illuminated. In the 10+ years that I've been doing this, snow has only been a
problem for me one time, and that was a 17 inch snowfall that melted within the
next 5 days.
Q: Doesn't all that wire and those 'stakes' make the lawn rather
unattractive and cluttered during the daytime?
A: Actually, no. A great deal of effort was made to keep the Lawn
Lights product as inconspicuous and unnoticeable as possible during
the daylight hours. The Lawn Lights product blends in with the natural
color of the lawn. It's rather difficult to see during the daytime
hours and is rarely noticeable. Please click on the
Day/Night Appearance link to see the dramatic
difference between the daytime and nighttime appearance of the Lawn Lights product.
Q: Can the Lawn Lights product be used in high foot traffic areas and
walkways?
A: Using the Lawn Lights product in high foot
traffic areas is not recommended and strongly discouraged due
to the inherent tripping hazard associated with the product. The Lawn
Lights product is for use only in areas where no foot
traffic is expected. The same consideration that is given when running
extension cords and other Christmas lights should be used when
decorating with the Lawn Lights product. Quite often, Lawn Lights can
be displayed in such a way that they do not enter high traffic areas.
In addition, during the cold winter months, most lawns do not see any
foot traffic at all. Therefore, Lawn Lights can be used without
creating a tripping hazard most of the time.
Q: How much electricity does the Lawn Lights product use? Doesn't it take a lot
of power to run all those lights?
A: Lawn Lights require very little electricity. It typically costs less to run
Lawn Lights than it does to light your Christmas tree! Each set of Lawn Lights only
requires about 0.2 amps. By comparison, that's 1/2 of the electricity used by an ordinary
100 bulb miniature Christmas light set, and is equivalent to the power drawn by a 25
watt light bulb. It would take 5 sets of Lawn Lights to draw 1 amp of current, so you
needn't be concerned about overloading your power circuits.
Q: What about dogs/deer/pets/animals? Will they get into and damage the display?
A: That's a very good question, and is one that I cannot definitively answer. One must use
their own best judgement in this case. If you have a pet that likes to chew wires, then obviously
you will not want it near Lawn Lights or any other powered holiday decoration or extension cord.
Only you know the behaviour of your pet or other animals in the area. However, in 10 years of
experience, I have encountered only one occurrence where a dog chewed the wires. Since the
product was plugged into a GFCI equipped outlet, the animal was not harmed in any way. I have,
however, experienced a number of rare cases where a rodent (squirrel, rabbit, chipmunk, etc.) decided
to chew through the wires. Again, because the product was plugged into a GFCI equipped outlet,
the animal was not harmed in any way. In the event an animal does damage the display, repairs
are often very simple. Troubleshooting procedures are provided in detail in the User's
Manual, which comes with the Lawn Lights and is also available for viewing here:
User's Manual.
Q: What about crossing my driveway? Can I drive over this product?
A: This is a common delimma for many holiday lighting products. The answer
is the same as it is for most holiday lighting products - it is not recommended that you
attempt to drive over this product. It was not designed to withstand that. My recommendation
is to use another set of Lawn Lights on the other side of the driveway rather than attempt to
cross it with a single set of Lawn Lights. If there is no power available on the other side
of the driveway, it may be possible to use an appropriate heavy duty extension cord to cross
the driveway.
Q: I have a small yard (less than 4000 square feet). Can I still use Lawn Lights in my yard?
A: Absolutely! Although each set of Lawn Lights is designed to cover up to
4000-5000 square feet, you can put Lawn Lights out in smaller areas by simply
spreading the lights out closer than normal. For instance, if the area you wish to
decorate is only 2000 square feet, you simply roll the Lawn Lights string out with
5 feet between each pass/arc instead of the normal 10 feet.
Q: Is the Lawn Lights product available in stores?
A: I am currently working hard to make this
product readily available in many major retail stores. I am also working to
make this product available in a few stores in the Washington, Indiana area. You
can see where this product is available from the
Where To Buy link. I have made this product available
on www.EBay.com as well.
This product will always be available through this website.
If you are a retailer who might be interested
in carrying the Lawn Lights product line or if you would like for your local
retailer to carry this product, please contact me at the
Contact Me link.
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