Last year I told my parents to try the LED lights. The results were poor. From the road, they looked so feeble. I did like the deep hue of the blue and green lights, but compared to incandescent miniature strings, the LEDs just don't stack up. Hopefully things are better this year.
Will LED Christmas lights be good this year?
- Thread starter JohnR66
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PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
They're getting better - look at the latest line of Philips lights sold at Target. They're still not as bright as incandescents, although as you noted the color saturation is impressive and it will never fade.
I got a sample of "Intellishine" lights a few years ago. They're very expensive and aimed primarily at the commercial market but they're MUCH brighter than regular LED strings. Craig has a review of the Intellishines on his website.
I got a sample of "Intellishine" lights a few years ago. They're very expensive and aimed primarily at the commercial market but they're MUCH brighter than regular LED strings. Craig has a review of the Intellishines on his website.
Alternatively use 65%RED/35%BLUE and your plant's will probably look the greenest in the neighborhood for December - Joined
- Jul 15, 2007
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I'll have to see them. All the LED lights I looked at last year (My FIL wanted some) 'blinked'. Now, I'm not your normal average guy that can look at a 60hz monitor- I get nauseous. I have to set the refresh all the way up to 85 hz to work- so these LED lights were like little police sirens constantly flashing in my face.
He took them back (it was either that or I stopped showing up at his place with his daughter...)
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
Look for an LED strink that's powered by a small wall-wart rather than a simple AC plug. Those run on DC and don't exhibit that annoying 60hz strobing. Many of the "effects" LED strings run on DC.
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
Yes! Lowe's has a string of very pleasant looking warm white LEDs. I believe Target carries the same string under the Philips name. Unfortunately they're direct driven from AC, so they do strobe a little bit.
asdalton
Flashlight Enthusiast
I got one of those warm white LED strings at Lowe's last year. The color temperature is probably 4000 K.
One of the Christmas light boards I visit (Planet Christmas) had an explanation about the flickering LED kits. "Half-wave" vs. "Full Wave" light sets. The half-wave ones are the one with the noticeable flicker. Full wave sets have a rectifier, increasing the effective pulse rate to 120Hz which eliminates the flickering.
Full-waves are brighter too but more expensive.
Full-waves are brighter too but more expensive.
I'd kinda like to do white outdoor tree lights I could use for really long time. Incandescent xmas lights are really pretty and all but they take a surprising amount of power and eventually bulbs start burning out. It would be awesome to find cheap strings and just have a crazy amount of light going on in my backyard. It's efficient so it's something I could use any time we're back there.
A warmer "yellow" white would certainly be the most desirable. Actually what I've found out is that a main difference in "outdoor" strings is they use lead in the wire insulation so it doesn't UV degrade, which would certainly be a possible limiting factor on their life. That is if squirrels don't chew up the wiring first. So that outdoor rating may be necessary.
Waterproof ballasts would be needed but I might be able to waterproof one which isn't, esp if the price is right. I saw where some of the cheap strings had inefficient ballasts- probably resistive- that got really hot. We probably won't be doing that type unless I can design a new ballast (which isn't impossible).
A warmer "yellow" white would certainly be the most desirable. Actually what I've found out is that a main difference in "outdoor" strings is they use lead in the wire insulation so it doesn't UV degrade, which would certainly be a possible limiting factor on their life. That is if squirrels don't chew up the wiring first. So that outdoor rating may be necessary.
Waterproof ballasts would be needed but I might be able to waterproof one which isn't, esp if the price is right. I saw where some of the cheap strings had inefficient ballasts- probably resistive- that got really hot. We probably won't be doing that type unless I can design a new ballast (which isn't impossible).
Stillphoto
Flashlight Enthusiast
While in costco the other day I noticed they now offered both the normal cold white led strings, as well as warm white leds. Target now stocks "soft white" led strands...They're finally catching on!
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
That's it, the "soft white" strands. I couldn't remember what their term was for warm white. Thanks.
jtr1962
Flashaholic
I just hope they have more strings which are pure white. Many of the cool whites have an annoying blue tint and the warm whites are just too yellow, especially for use outdoors (the light makes it look like someone pissed on the snow). As for brightness relative to the miniature incandescents, I'd say at this point white and blue are definitely brighter, pure green and red-orange are about the same, yellow, yellow-green, and deep red are somewhat dimmer. A mix of colors are generally about as bright as a similar mix of colors might be on an incandescent string, but with 1/10 the power consumption. I'd personally like to see a few more colors added to the mix such as aqua, pink, purple, and Tokyo blue.
brickbat
Enlightened
I bought some of the GE 'soft white' strings last year. 2 have been running pretty much non-stop (24/7) outdoors. Not a single LED has gone out - pretty impressive compared to other strings I've used (Even the Philips ones didn't fare too well over the long haul...) I like the color of the soft white.
I also have a few multi color GE strings from last year - too cool for my taste. IOW, the blues are too bright and the reds/yellows are too dim... Like JTR mentions, it'd be nice to see some other colors in the mix.
I also have a few multi color GE strings from last year - too cool for my taste. IOW, the blues are too bright and the reds/yellows are too dim... Like JTR mentions, it'd be nice to see some other colors in the mix.
wasBlinded
Flashlight Enthusiast
Your lights probably had a simple half-wave rectifier, thus a pronounced 60Hz visible 'buzz'. Better strands, and they are out there, have a full wave rectifier, so the 'buzz' is 120 Hz and also without the half cycle off period. It makes a big difference to my eyes.
2xTrinity
Flashlight Enthusiast
Now all that's necessary is for someone to make a string of LED lights that doesn't flicker at all. There is apparently a cutting edge that's able to eliminate flicker in applications like this. It's called a "capacitor". I've read somewhere that adding one of these so-called "capacitors" to a full-wave rectifier can eliminate the flicker entirely. I wonder if the technology will live up to the hype and make it to these products in real life...
There is apparently a cutting edge that's able to eliminate flicker in applications like this. It's called a "capacitor". I've read somewhere that adding one of these so-called "capacitors" to a full-wave rectifier can eliminate the flicker entirely. I wonder if the technology will live up to the hype and make it to these products in real life...
Hmm, you mean "capacitator" don't you?
I believe it has to be a one giga (with a soft "g") watt, flux capacitor.Now all that's necessary is for someone to make a string of LED lights that doesn't flicker at all. There is apparently a cutting edge that's able to eliminate flicker in applications like this. It's called a "capacitor". I've read somewhere that adding one of these so-called "capacitors" to a full-wave rectifier can eliminate the flicker entirely. I wonder if the technology will live up to the hype and make it to these products in real life...
