Indoor, outdoor and what a weather rating really promises
Decorative lighting is sold as indoor or outdoor, and the difference matters most on a balcony in the monsoon.
What outdoor-rated means
It means the set is built to tolerate exposure — sealed lamp housings and a jacketed cable. It does not mean submersible, and it does not mean the plug and controller can sit in the rain. The weak point is almost always the connector, not the bulbs.
Where water gets in
- The join between the lead and the controller box.
- Any connector left lying on a wet surface rather than hanging.
- Cut or pierced insulation from a nail or a tight cable tie.
Practical fitting
Keep the controller and the plug under cover, let the cable drip away from the socket rather than towards it, and fix with clips rather than nails or staples through the cable.
What our pages say
Indoor or outdoor is listed exactly as the supplier states it. Where a page does not state an outdoor rating, treat the set as indoor. We do not upgrade an indoor set to outdoor on the strength of it looking sturdy.