Another LED Dimming Thread

[iChase]

Hello all!

I'm new to LOR and so far I'm loving it. However, I just plugged in all my lights and I'm having some dimming problems. I have all Home Depot Ecosmart LED 50 count strings. When dimming them in the Console they merely flicker with no observable dimming. I'm using Dimmer Curve 1, but it didn't help either. Would a 45k ohm resister at the end of each string help these to dim properly, or is this particular brand unfriendly to dimming?

Thanks!

Chase

[George Simmons]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm unfamiliar with those specific lights, but many of the consumer-grade LEDs from conventional retailers don't dim well or at all. Many people, including myself, have watched those types of lights fry over the course of a single evening if you're sequencing with lots of fades and shimmers. Those types of LEDs won't be helped at all by adding a resistive load - all you can do with them is on/off, and that gets pretty boring pretty fast for viewers.

A quick way to check is to plug a set of incans into the same channel. If that improves the LED fading, then a snubber is needed. But I suspect that won't happen because the new G3 controllers (assuming that's what you have) have that fix already built in.

Edited December 6, 2012 by George Simmons

[Orville]

EcoSmart LED strands won't dim. If new return them! Wal-Mart brand{Holiday Time}, Target {Phillips}, Lowes 200 ct LED spools and some of their others dim, some Home Depot LEDs dim, The ones that I know won't that I've found NOT to buy are Martha Stewart and EcoSmart brands, they won't dim, just flicker off and possibly catch fire. Martha Stewart was reported by a user, don't recall if LOR, but had a set literally catch fire when trying to dim them during tests.

Edited December 6, 2012 by Orville

[CLD Kevin]

I've read this same subject post too many times and unfortunately for the OP already purchased LEDs that won't dim. Maybe a good idea to have a sticky to list all led brands that will...and will not fade??

[iflights]

You really don't have to worry about the product being new in order to return to HD. They will take it back, new or used, no questions generally asked. You say they don't dim, they say, here's your money back. Satisfaction guaranteed at one of the greatest retailers of all time.

[LORisAwesome]

I have a couple of friends that work at home Depot. It is amazing what people return, and they actually allow it.

They say that people will actually buy a piece of lumber, cut off and use what they want and return the unused part. Home Depot actually will refund money. I'm not sure if they prorate it based on how much was used or refund the entire purchase price.. I just think it takes a lot of nerve for someone to pull this.

Some people return things to Home Depot they bought at some other store (non Home Depot).

Jerry

[iflights]

I just think it takes a lot of nerve for someone to pull this.

So true. And that's the behavior that will ultimately hurt the honest guy who just wants to return his lights that won't dim.

[WiggyHD]

I just got 4 strands of ecosmart 150 count C6 on spools ordered from HD, delivered by UPS. After reading the original post, I kinda panicked because HD is 1 1/2 hours from me. I hooked one strand up to U3 channel 1 and opened the hardware control panel. I ran all tests multiple times on this strand, still on the spool, and it worked just fine for me for the last 5 minutes. It fades down to 7% with little flicker.

Maybe I am just lucky?

Mark

Edited December 6, 2012 by WiggyHD

[iChase]

Wow, thanks for the replies guys. It sounds like I jumped the gun. I'll be taking them back. There's no sense in spending this money and not being happy with the end result. I'm embarrassed to admit I had already added them to my display (zip tied). So looks like a day of disheartened zip tie cutting.

I've read this same subject post too many times and unfortunately for the OP already purchased LEDs that won't dim. Maybe a good idea to have a sticky to list all led brands that will...and will not fade??

A sticky of dimmable brands would be fantastic. Maybe it could save noobs like me from making a noobish mistake.

[LORisAwesome]

I was just talking with my friends at Home Depot on my lunch break. They told me a couple of things.

Someone once returned a set of tires there -- Home Depot doesn't sell tires. Apparently the manager ok'd it in the name of customer service -- took the customers word for the amount paid for the tires too.

Like iflights said, this just drives up the prices for the rest of us.

Jerry

Don't get me wrong, I like Home Depot. I just think they need to re-think their return policy.

Jerry

[Caleb Linburg]

My dad was just telling me about people at lowes that swap out their toilet seats every year and they always take it back.

[Orville]

I have a couple of friends that work at home Depot. It is amazing what people return, and they actually allow it.

They say that people will actually buy a piece of lumber, cut off and use what they want and return the unused part. Home Depot actually will refund money. I'm not sure if they prorate it based on how much was used or refund the entire purchase price.. I just think it takes a lot of nerve for someone to pull this.

Some people return things to Home Depot they bought at some other store (non Home Depot).

Jerry

Never done that. I always have them cut the piece{s} I require and pay for what I got, not for the entire board, they sell the unwanted piece{s} in their odds and ends bin.

[Orville]

I was just talking with my friends at Home Depot on my lunch break. They told me a couple of things.

Someone once returned a set of tires there -- Home Depot doesn't sell tires. Apparently the manager ok'd it in the name of customer service -- took the customers word for the amount paid for the tires too.

Like iflights said, this just drives up the prices for the rest of us.

Jerry

Don't get me wrong, I like Home Depot. I just think they need to re-think their return policy.

Jerry

Did they say they were "automotive tires" specifically? As HD does sell replacement tires for Dollies or Hand Trucks, I've also seen tractor tires {for riding lawnmowers} at HD as well.

[Orville]

I just got 4 strands of ecosmart 150 count C6 on spools ordered from HD, delivered by UPS. After reading the original post, I kinda panicked because HD is 1 1/2 hours from me. I hooked one strand up to U3 channel 1 and opened the hardware control panel. I ran all tests multiple times on this strand, still on the spool, and it worked just fine for me for the last 5 minutes. It fades down to 7% with little flicker.

Maybe I am just lucky?

Mark

Yep, I'd say you may be lucky. Every one I've bought would not dim, but just flicker off when they encountered a fade down or just flcker on when doing a fade up, so I won;t buy them after my experience with the ecosmart LEDs..

Maybe you got a newer run and the company possibly fixed it, you just never know for sure on things until you try them.

It's one reason most of us will say it may not have worked for me or my situation, but may work in yours.

[iChase]

After reading everyone's posts yesterday, I promptly returned my Ecosmarts to HD. I went to Target and picked up a slew of Philips LEDs. They dim beautifully and cost me less money to boot!

Thanks for the advice guys, you restored a little sanity to my decorating.

[TonyD]

Any experience with Costco lights? Sorry i don't know the actual manufacturer.

[LORisAwesome]

Did they say they were "automotive tires" specifically? As HD does sell replacement tires for Dollies or Hand Trucks, I've also seen tractor tires {for riding lawnmowers} at HD as well.

They were automotive tires.

Jerry