Its time for the next exciting round of our patio light showdown. In one corner, we have our own commercial-grade PLT patio string lights. In the other, we have a different competitor string each week. As a reminder, we looked for patio lights similar to ours and compared the wire type, sockets, bulbs, end plugs, and customer reviews to see how they compare. Who will be this weeks victor?

PLT has been 3-0 so far, as none of the other competitor strings have even come close. This week, we'll be looking at a string from another big-box home improvement store: Home Depot.

Hampton Bay Patio String Lights from Home Depot

Measuring 48', this Hampton Bay patio light has 24 sockets spaced 2' apart. It comes with 24 LED S14 filament bulbs (plus two extra replacement bulbs) that are billed as "[s]tate-of-the-art LEDs [that] never need replacing and provide a lifetime of light". Each bulb delivers 40 lumens of 2200K light (per the product page). This string costs $59.97.

Initial Unboxing

Straight out of the box, these looked pretty similar to ours. The bulbs were already in the string and each one had a red protective film over it. There were also two extra bulbs we didn't know about as the product page doesn't not mention them. We did find that one bulb was dead when we plugged the string in for the first time.

Wire

This string uses SJTW 18 AWG wire. Since its a thermoplastic weather-resistant wire, it is safe for use as permanent outdoor lighting.

Per the product page, this string is connectable up to 550', or 11 strings. However, the box and instruction manual both say up to 12 strings. Doing the math, 12 strings exceeds 550' (48 feet x 12 strings = 575 feet). Since they are going by run length, you should connect no more than 11 strings (48 feet x 11 strings = 528 feet).

Commercial-grade PLT Stringers: Our commercial-grade string lights also use SJTW wire. Wire gauges range between 14, 16, and 18 AWG.

Sockets

The product page does not list what the suspended sockets are made out of, but appears to be PVC with a rubber coating. They also have very thin, flimsy gasketing that will not last in extreme hot and cold temperatures. The gasketing on these sockets can also be lifted away from the bulbs, so it's not providing a very tight seal.

Like the previous string, the sockets are molded to the wire. The molding is better on this one, though gaps do appear when the wire is moved around.

Commercial-grade PLT Stringers: The PVC sockets on our stringers are molded directly to the wire to seal them against water. The gasketing is very thick, ensuring that a tight seal is form around the bulb to keep water out of the socket.

Bulbs

Despite having a protective film, nearly all of the bulbs were scratched and marked up underneath to varying degrees. When lit, the scratches give the bulbs a cloudy, dirty appearance. A few of the bulbs also had bent or crooked filaments. The two replacement bulbs fared far worse. Both were packaged in a small bag with no protection. One was gouged to the point of being unusable. The other had very noticeable spots in the lens, as well as some minor scratches. No one wold want to use either of these bulbs. Between the two replacements and the one that was bad, we had one open socket with no bulb. So much for these never needing to be replaced.

We would also like to point out that the only information printed directly on the bulbs is the wattage, which is 0.9 Watts. Color temperature and the lumens are not printed at all. Later on down the road, if you no longer had the box (which only had the CCT info) or couldn’t find the correct product page online, you would have no idea what to get as a replacement.

Direct bulb replacements are available for this string. To get them, you have to contact the manufacturer directly (Alpan Lighting). Home Depot customer service also recommends a Feit bulb, available in a 4 ($9.97), 12 ($24.96), and 24-pack ($53.24). It is not a direct match for the original as it produces less lumens (70 lumens) and is a slightly higher wattage (1 Watt). There will be a noticeable difference in brightness, so you would need to replace all of the bulbs at the same time.

Commercial-grade PLT Stringers: Bulbs for our stringers are sold separately. You can choose what type, shape, and wattage you want as long as it doesn't exceed the maximum wattages for the sockets or string. This let's you choose from a variety of incandescent and LED bulbs to complement your outdoor space.

Plugs

This patio string light actually has outdoor rated male and female plugs! They look pretty durable and the female plug has a cover. The only thing we really noticed is that they are not very molded to the wire. There are gaps, so there is a chance that water can get in and short them out.

Commercial-grade PLT Stringers: Our PLT patio lights also use outdoor rated male and female plugs. They are molded directly to the wire, ensuring that water cannot enter. The female plug also comes with a cover that fits snugly over the face.

Reviews

This string has a 4.4 rating, with only 61% of customers recommending it. The steadily growing number of negative reviews cover a plethora of complaints. The most common complaint is that the bulbs start filling with water within weeks to a few months of purchase. Some of the bulbs in the images were filled almost all the way to the top. That is a potential safety hazard.

Many customers said their strings didn't work right out of the box, had scratched bulbs, or dead bulbs right out of the box. Several customers had bulbs that either warped or outright melted in the heat. There were also some mentions of bulbs not being able to make full contact with the sockets.

Commercial-grade PLT Stringers: Our customers rave about how much they love our commercial-grade PLT patio lights. They love the overall quality of the wire and sockets, and how long they last. The also love how easy it is to customize their string lights with the wide variety of bulb options.

Additional Callouts

There are no mentions anywhere on the product page that this comes with the two additional replacement bulbs. Given the condition that ours arrived in, its not surprising. They also do not list any sort of contact number for Alpan Lighting in regards to getting exact replacement bulbs. In fact, we wouldn't have known about them at all if we hadn't have gone though the Q&A section. The only contact number available is Hampton Bay's. Being that Alpan is the direct manufacturer of the string and bulbs, we are not sure how you would contact them.

There is also the 'never needs replacing' statement about the bulbs mentioned on the product page, but as we saw with the string we tested and the product reviews, that is not true.

Final Thoughts on this Patio Stringer

While this Hampton Bay string is decent, there are a lot of issues holding it back. Due to the water ingress in the bulbs alone, we do not recommend using these for outdoor lighting. The amount of water being shown in the customer reviews is alarming and is a huge safety hazard if the string is plugged in. Water can also get in around the plugs and where the sockets are connected to the wire, potentially shorting the string out. Though these do some some different replacement bulb options, they are very limited.

Once again, our PLT commercial-grade patio lights have come out the victor. Their water-resistant design helps keep water out, making them the perfect choice for outdoor lighting in your backyard or any other outdoor space. Plus, with such a wide section of bulb options to choose from, you can customize the appearance and output of the strings with ease.

Ready to purchase some PLT patio stringers to hang around your backyard, garden, gazebo, or other areas in your yard? Call 1-800-624-4488 to speak with one of our lighting experts. They can help you find the perfect patio string lights and bulbs for all of you outdoor spaces. You can also visit our website, 1000Bulbs.com.

For our final installment, we'll be looking at a Honeywell string from Walmart.