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LED Lights - Not Really Worth It?


Robert G.

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Ok, since you are not, (or most people arn't) using a static display with all your lights, don't you think you should stick with regular minis? Is it really worth it to buy all LED's and have a display being controlled by LOR, when TECO, (the electric company near me) is not able to calculate all the electricity due to the flashing and effects-(Thanks LOR!) And don't forget, ofcourse the LED's last longer, but hey, all the lights are going to last longer since they're not static.

What are YOUR opinions on LED's? Why do YOU choose them?

(All tips and feedback appreciated.)

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I'm guessing you'll get more opinions than you might really want on this topic. (Just make sure you pay no attention to nutcases from New Jersey) I use LEDs because I like the color blue and LEDs don't fade color. And it's not just the blues - all LED colors are brighter and fade-free. I also like their ruggedness as compared to incandescents. Did I mention their miniscule power needs? Or how well they do with the shimmer effect?

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Nut cases from Jersey...hmmm...must be someone else then. :-)

There's more to it than just the cost savings. Because the electrical output is so minor, one can have many, many, many more light strings hooked up on one circuit compared to regular lights. I do use regular lights, and I cannot turn everything on at one time, or I'd be popping fuses and circuits.

The fading issue is a big one too, especially for certain colors.

Yes, there is the cost factor, and I will admit that is what has kept me away from LEDs...for the most part. I do have a few within the display, but I haven't converted the whole display.

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I went with led lights because i would have needeed to upgrade my power supply at a cost of over $1400.I just bought $1400 worth of led lights and put off the upgrade.Plus i like the color of the led lights.

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There's another benefit for LEDs: People that have large displays and are getting close to maxing out their electrical service have a choice to make. You can spend some serious $$$ upgrading your electrical system, perhaps adding another panel or subpanel, etc.

Or you can spend some of that same money on LED lights to replace some or all of your incandescent lights. So you end up with more brilliant colors, no susceptability to sun fading like certain color incandescents, and the lower power consumption just adds the whipped cream on top to the whole deal...

I think there's lots of benefits. Of course, the LED lights cost more, and since the higher quality ones haven't been on the market all that long, we don't know yet what their real lifespan will turn out to be...But to me, nothing beats the brilliant color of the high quality LED lights...

If you stick with sealed LEDs, you should be able to get some good service out of them and help your electrical needs as well....

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I myself don't have any LED's but I do agree with most everything that's been said here. I prefer the looks of brand new incandescent lights but as they said the colors fade off the lights after a couple of years.
A problem with the LED's is that the blue's actually hurt the eyes if you look at them too long.
There is a couple of places that I would like to use LED's just because I have too much current draw on one channel so I have to use two channels to accomplish the job of one.

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I myself don't have any LED's but I do agree with most everything that's been said here. I prefer the looks of brand new incandescent lights but as they said the colors fade off the lights after a couple of years.
A problem with the LED's is that the blue's actually hurt the eyes if you look at them too long.
There is a couple of places that I would like to use LED's just because I have too much current draw on one channel so I have to use two channels to accomplish the job of one.

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Robert if your still in a few more that I have not heard yet. I agree with all that has been said about the colors, no fade, low cost to operate, dont have to do a electrical upgrade.
But how about no glass to break? How about the low maintenance (dont have to replace light bulbs in the middle of winter freezing your fingers off to get that element of your display to light up again.
And I feel that a incan lamp will burn out faster flashing on and off than if it was to be left on steady.

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Max-Paul wrote:


But how about no glass to break? How about the low maintenance (dont have to replace light bulbs in the middle of winter freezing your fingers off to get that element of your display to light up again.

I admit I'm still a relative newbie (last year was my first year animated). I know this thread is probably intended to be about minis vs LEDs. However, I always had major issues with my previous static display which included C9s along the roofline. Every year I'd test them, then hang them on the gutters, turn them on and typically 7-10% would have failed. Last year I replaced them with C9 retros and not a single bulb failed during the install or the entire season. For me it was definitely worth not having to get the extension ladder out mid season to replace bulbs that were out.
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Hey what can I say? I am a electrical maintenance man for a major corp. I dont like having to go out and fix the same problem over and over again. So, if I can figure a way to fix the problem with something that has a lower failure rate I do it. So like lamps in machines that need a light to show that something is on. I replace the lamp bulb with an LED indicator. So, same thing for my display. I use LEDs.

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Hey George,

Whats wrong with people from NJ.... we are not all crazy, only a certain few. I love my LED's, they are prettier, brighter, last longer (i hope) and save energy. Nothing wrong with a green display. Kept me from having to upgrade my main panel which is big bucks for use only 8 weeks of use. Rather put my money into a non fading, easier maintenance, energy saving product. But this is just from a crazy NJ women !!!

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A couple other cost saving advantages of LEDs. You don't need high power heat sinks on your controllers. You can save channels on your controllers; for example, I run about three hundred feet of C7 lights around my walkway. Rather than use incandescent bulbs and several channels of LOR to control them, I can now use a single channel. Since you can plug several strings of LEDs together vs. the limitations of incandescent, you also save on extension cords. These may not seem like very significant savings when considered individually, but when you run 20 or more controllers, the cost savings add up quickly.

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Denise Brunner wrote:

But this is just from a crazy NJ women !!!

SNOOKI, is that you?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! :(
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Okay - two questions:

I know I don't get out much, but who the hell is Snookie?

And why should I even care?

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I still prefer the look of minis and other incandescent lights. I agree LEDs have many advantages for us. Power consumption being the most important.

The incandescents give off the heart warming glow NJ inventor Thomas Edison gave them. I am glad that most NJ displays still use the incandescent lights that I and a fellow south NJ resident prefer.

Unfortunately I fear all you LED lovers will get your way in the years to come. There were less minis in the stores last year and I fear this year the growing trend toward LEDs will continue. My only LEDs are the CCRs.

AND Snooki is a NYer and not from New Jersey.

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George Simmons wrote:

Okay - two questions:

I know I don't get out much, but who the hell is Snookie?

And why should I even care?


Snookie is that gal on Jersey Shore on MTV that's always getting into fights. She does not represent the general population or visitor make-up of the Jersey Shore. In fact, the entire cast is from New York.

You, me, and the rest of the country should not care. It was annoying on my last vacation when I was asked where I'm from "Jersey", and they instantly relate that to Jersey Shore. I would much rather be asked "What Exit". Grrrr....
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