LED Christmas Lights, 2007

[Darell]

I can't find a current thread on these for this year... so here it is. That time of year AGAIN. Anybody have the poop on the best LED strings out this year?! I want all white! None of this multi-colored stuff for me. And I'd like some strings that actually last a season or two... no more "ForeverBright" that isn't!

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I saw some strings on display at Loew's that have the foreverbright cone shape but they're GE branded. I pushed the button on the "try me" display and found that the white ones are actually a pleasing, slightly warm white. At least the two in the demo panels were.

I have no idea whether these are full-wave or half-wave strings. The "try me" power source is often a battery pack so it's not a true indication of how they'll look in real life.

 

[Darell]

Ah yes. Thanks for the "half wave" reminder as well! I do think it is time for some non-flickering units as well!

I've been told that the local Costco is filled up with this year's LED strings, but know nothing more about them. And there's NOTHING online about them.

 

[yuandrew]

My WalMart SuperCenter conversion just started stocking Christmas decorations around the beginning of this October as well. I remember seeing some Sylvania branded LED Christmas lights there as well as their own "house brand" sets in multicolored.

I haven't been to Target in a while but I do expect them to have the Philips brand LED lights again. I have a string of white from when they were first introduced and the second generation string with in-line resistors on the cord. The second generation (and I assume the current ones) are noticeably a lot brighter; almost blinding than the first set.

Still have my 2001 Forever Bright sets.

 

[sledhead]

Replaced all my lights last year with the philips brand LED's from Target. All red and white. I'll be putting them up early this year, hopefully they will all work! The whites have a slightly blueish tint but it grew on us.

 

[yuandrew]

I was down at Lowe's today for some electrical stuff (replacing a cracked ceramic light socket) and decided to check out the Seasonal items while I was at it. I found the GE light sets and a pre-lit tree using the white (actually a warm white colored LED about 2800 to 3000K judging from some compact fluorescent lamps). I decided to take a box over to the pre-lit tree area where I can get access to a power strip. Upon removing the plug from the box, I noticed the plug itself did not look anything like the usual "Christmas Light" plug with the end to end type connection but it was a longer than normal green "rectangle" which looked as if it had some sort of driver electronics in it. There were four wires coming out; a pair that went to the LEDs themselves and another thicker pair that went all the way to the other end where it terminated in a socket so you can plug another set into the first.

Anyway, I plugged the set in and looked closely and noticed there was no 60hz flicker at all so it may have a full wave rectifier. I removed one of the LEDs from the set and the rest stayed on so I looked at the contacts in the socket to see how the set was wired. Sure enough, the LEDs in the GE set are wired in parallel. Besides the rectifier, I'm sure there is some voltage reduction in that special plug. Before re-packing the light set back into it's box, I checked the side and it said it was manufactured by "santa's best workshop ?" using the GE name under license. I forgot the website on the box though but I'll check it again.

 

[greenlight]

Costco has multi colored strands in two 'bulb' sizes, and also flickering white snow dangling sets. They were 7.99, but I didn't buy any. I'm more interested in single color strands.

They also had a mini xmas house with a controller and a music sync'd display. I'm sure the controller could be hijaked and modded for your household lighing scheme..

 

[kelmo]

It's not even Halloween yet!

Gimme a break...

 

[Darell]

It's not even Halloween yet!

Gimme a break...

While I *totally* understand your sentiment... I know from experience that if you don't get on this NOW, that it can easily be too late in November and December. I'm not putting them up! I just want to buy them now so I don't miss out... again. It is never too early to buy LEDs, ya know? In a perfect world, I wouldn't even think about this stuff until December. It isn't a perfect world.

Thanks for all the input, guys. The Lowe's stuff sounds interesting. Seems that Costco only carries the multi-colored stuff year after year.

 

[700club]

Thanks for the tips guys, I stopped by Lowe's tonight and found an indoor Christmas tree 7 ft. tall with 504 LED lights for $300.

 

[yuandrew]

Stopped by Target today on my way home from work. They have the Philips sets similar to the 2006 lineups but they added some new icicle type sets with "twinkling" LEDs every four or six sockets and I also found some sets near the bottom of the shelf with warm white LEDs (the box said "Soft White" on it)

In a nearby aisle where they had things like timers and other decorating accessories, I found a couple packs of 5mm LEDs in white and blue for use as replacements in the Philips LED sets. They were only $1.19 for a pack of three LEDs and were on the shelf next to the usual replacement bulbs for most other Christmas light sets. When I get some more money in my wallet, I'm going to purchase a few packs of those so I'll have spares on hand.

 

[700club]

Here is a link to the website you were referring to in you earlier post yuandrew.

http://www.santasbestcraft.com/index.htm

 

[Darell]

Thanks 700. I'm somewhat surprised after watching the slide show to see all the 120VAC connections. Would seem far safer to convert to low voltage at the base, and pass that up and around the tree - or at least at each level.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I bought a package of the white G-E "C5" LED lights today at Loew's. It turns out the lights are the same pleasing warm white color as the ones in the "try me" display at the store, and after waving them around I detected NO flicker at all. There must be full-wave rectification and filtering going on inside that long plug. :thumbsup:

Now if they only offered a multicolor version of these they'd have a home run! I have a feeling that the reason for the single-color strings has to do with managing the different voltages required for different colors with the way that they're regulating the current.

My only complaint about the design (and it's a small one) is that the LEDs are set deep into the sockets, below the level of the lenses, which seems to reduce the off-axis brightness a bit.

I wonder if these are using the newer UV-based emitters and better phosphors. G-E has that Gelcore division that's dedicated to LED lighting research.

 

[700club]

Target has a huge selection of LED Christmas lights in my area. I looked a Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart, and Target. Prices aren't half bad either.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

The Targets in my area always set up a nice display of their lights, allowing you to see them lit up. I wish more stores would do this.

 

[Darell]

I bought a package of the white G-E "C5" LED lights today at Loew's. It turns out the lights are the same pleasing warm white color as the ones in the "try me" display at the store, and after waving them around I detected NO flicker at all. There must be full-wave rectification and filtering going on inside that long plug. :thumbsup:.

Thanks for the report, Mr. Wrangler. Since I'm after the single-color units, this sounds like a winner. Different lengths available? Spacing? Sizes?

 

[PhotonWrangler]

They only have one length available, 16.3 ' total string length, 4" spacing with 50 LEDs. I believe they have white, red, green and blue strings. I'll double check that next time I'm there.

**Edit** I just noticed the phrase "soft white" on the box. I wonder if this is the same LED that's used in the warm white LEDs at Target. The GE string is made in China by a company called LEDUP and distributed by Santa's Best.

 

[CanadianGuy]

I'm looking at buying some "NOMA" LED lights from Canadian Tire. They are color changing with 8 modes or something. Steady on for each color, color changing, and smooth color changing or something.

I believe they are $75-80, and C7 sized plastic "bulbs" I think.

Can't wait to pick them up and put them on. Gonna put them on solid orange mode for Halloween!

Haven't bought something LED for a while.

 

[yuandrew]

The Philips "Warm white" sets at Target say "Soft White" on the box and I only found the "mini-light" style ones in that color; none in C-6 or bare 5mm "dome" style.

I bought these from Target earlier and already used all three white one as replacements for a few LEDs that have dimmed out on one of my older Philips sets.

*Note: They DO NOT have the "Lumileds" logo on them; I photoshopped that it in just for fun.