Outdoor Lights

cstrunk

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2006
14,446
4,842
113
37
Longview, TX
Wife wants Christmas lights put up this year. I've started looking into options for permanent lights that I don't have to install and remove each year. Govee is a popular brand. I'm not sure if I like the puck style or LED strip style better yet. I don't want them to look tacky.

Has anyone gone this route and have any advice?
 

Clonehomer

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
26,031
23,808
113
A lot of people in our neighborhood have them. Most had them professionally installed and I don’t know what brand they were. But remember, they are Christmas lights. They are not year round celebration lights for the Fourth of July, or Halloween, or your favorite team is playing today lights. It just takes away from the specialness of Christmas lights. Now all you damn kids get off my lawn.
 

CySki

Active Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
May 3, 2010
101
99
28
47
Waukee, IA
Wife wants Christmas lights put up this year. I've started looking into options for permanent lights that I don't have to install and remove each year. Govee is a popular brand. I'm not sure if I like the puck style or LED strip style better yet. I don't want them to look tacky.

Has anyone gone this route and have any advice?
I have Gemstones and love them. They’re installed in a channel that matches your soffit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cstrunk

Gonzo

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2009
26,223
30,171
113
Behind you
I don't like extension ladders or being up on rooftops anymore. We have a fairly tall two story, so I don't string lights along the roofline or peaks, just put up a big lighted wreath over the garage and a bunch of accent lighting up the walk, some lighted decorations on the front steps, lighted wreaths around the exterior sconces around the garage doors. This year I figured I'd look into having someone else install lights on rooflines/peaks, got a quote back and it was going to be north of $1,500. No thanks.
 

rpcyclone2013

Active Member
Jan 4, 2017
109
121
43
Nevada, IA
Wife wants Christmas lights put up this year. I've started looking into options for permanent lights that I don't have to install and remove each year. Govee is a popular brand. I'm not sure if I like the puck style or LED strip style better yet. I don't want them to look tacky.

Has anyone gone this route and have any advice?
I installed the Govee Outdoor Permanent Lights 2 (puck lights) a few weeks ago. I’ve been very happy so far. When I turn the lights to all warm white, it makes my house look super sharp. It took probably 4-5 hours to install, and I used 5 of the 6 strands of lights in the 100 foot box. I put the clips in each light to make it very secure so that added to the install time for sure. The Govee app is not the most intuitive, but I’ve mostly figured it out.

I paid about $300 for the lights, weatherproof box for the power adaptor, and an extra extension cord. I got an estimate from someone in Ames and it was 4,800. They would have done part of my second level that I didn’t do because it was too tall to reach, and I didn’t want to put a ladder on a sloped roof.
 

cstrunk

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2006
14,446
4,842
113
37
Longview, TX
Luckily my house is a single story ranch style home so the roof design is simple. I'll have to try to figure out where I'll supply power from. I've seen some drill into the eaves to get power from the attic.
 

rpcyclone2013

Active Member
Jan 4, 2017
109
121
43
Nevada, IA
Luckily my house is a single story ranch style home so the roof design is simple. I'll have to try to figure out where I'll supply power from. I've seen some drill into the eaves to get power from the attic.
I ran an extension cord from one of my outdoor outlets to the edge of the house. Then the lights had about a 10 foot cord before the actual lights started that I just ran up to the soffit. It would have been nice to have power up there, but it wasn’t bad buying a weather proof box and extension cord.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cstrunk

Agclone91

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2011
2,823
948
113
Ames
I've been kicking this around also. My thing is, none of the permanent light solutions look as good as traditional Christmas lights IMO. The strip lights are too dense and don't love that the spotlight appearance from the Govee lights. We will probably go the Govee route if we decide to pull the trigger
 
  • Like
Reactions: cstrunk

ackatch

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jul 22, 2021
742
1,297
93
Waukee
I have Govee flood lights around the house and shed and love them. Easy to use and manage, completely customizable, and the customer service is good. I had a few bad lights (2 out of like 30) and they send an entire replacement set, not just one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cstrunk

PFlatts

Active Member
Nov 1, 2013
468
200
43
I have govee permanent lights and love them. Have gotten several more of their products and they are all over the house now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cstrunk

cstrunk

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2006
14,446
4,842
113
37
Longview, TX
I've been kicking this around also. My thing is, none of the permanent light solutions look as good as traditional Christmas lights IMO. The strip lights are too dense and don't love that the spotlight appearance from the Govee lights. We will probably go the Govee route if we decide to pull the trigger

My feelings are the same. I think they're cool but they don't feel like Christmas lights. I like the idea of having them up for other holidays and for normal night lighting with some kind of dim white lighting.
 

JP4CY

Lord, beer me strength.
Staff member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Dec 19, 2008
73,377
93,793
113
Testifying
I'm a purist. I like to do my own lights during the holiday season only.
JELtVd.gif
 

isufbcurt

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2006
27,421
44,286
113
45
Newton
The first year I was married my wife asked me to put up Xmas lights. I told her that I must have forgot to mention that I think Xmas lights are tacky and that I would never put them up. So every year she wraps the deck railing in Xmas lights herself.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NWICY

ISU_Guy

Well-Known Member
Jul 21, 2021
5,076
4,075
113
47
Des Moines
I used to enjoy it, but I'm now 52 and am done with extension ladders. My fear of heights also seems to be worsening with age, which is weird but just a reality.
You know I just said this to my wife. My extension ladder and getting in the roof gets harder each year
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gonzo

somecyguy

Well-Known Member
Jun 19, 2006
3,478
3,914
113
I used to enjoy it, but I'm now 52 and am done with extension ladders. My fear of heights also seems to be worsening with age, which is weird but just a reality.
Same. With age comes less balance, which doesn't seem like much until I'm on a ladder and I become keenly aware that I'm not 25 anymore.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gonzo