Fitting outdoor christmas lights in weatherproof box

hessodreamy

Trying to set up some outdoor christmas lights to plug in my outdoor socket. 

Problem number 1 is the plug for the lights is too big for the switch cover. 

This seems pretty standard. The prevailing wisdom seemed to be to put them in an outdoor box like this:



Where the mains cable feeds through a hole about 12mm and is encircled my some kind of rubber grommet.

Which leads me to problem number 2. The plug on the end of the lights:




Is about 14mm and therefore too wide to go through the hole.

Issue number 3 is the question of whether the cable on the lights is so thin that there wouldn't be a watertight seal in the hole on the box. But maybe with the grommet that part would be OK.

Am I missing something because I don't think putting up some christmas lights would be this complicated!

subjecttocontract

What we do is :- 
* Mount the box on the wall.
* Either make the hole in the box larger and do away with the grommet or cut the cable and add a connector.
* The cable for the lights exits the box at the bottom so we never bother with ensuring a watertight seal.I
Simples.

Rodders53

You don't want that p-o-p box and mechanical timer.

Most boxes have slot-hole with rubber clamps on lid and base that seal / squash round the cables.  https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/SMTPS202.html is an example that I think shows how that works.
DRiBOX Medium IP55 Black Weatherproof Outdoor Electrical Power Cord Connection Box Enclosure 34 x 22 x 11.7cm may be another/

Ideally box is fixed so cables are out the bottom so that rain runs off, rather than into the housing.

That said Masterplug are a reputable brand - go examine one in the flesh to see how it might work for you.  But get a better electronic timer or a smart plug or two.

littleboo

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Desiretech-Weatherproof-Outdoor-Electric-Box/dp/B0DJDN839B/ref=asc_df_B0DJDN839B?mcid=eacb50483b4431c48cdcb46cd50aeb0a&th=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=718893858868&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15893425809936752119&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006583&hvtargid=pla-2374643200682&hvocijid=15893425809936752119-B0DJDN839B-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1

Brie

This is why we use battery operated lights.