kevr82 Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 Hello, I really want to get started with LOR (I know it's late in the year for it), but I saw it mentioned on LOR site to only use dimmable light strings. All of my existing lights are Home Depot/Target/Walmart buys with no special effects, but most are LED, but I have no idea if they are dimmable. Can I still use a LOR residential controller on them? I tried doing a search for my question, but the only answer I saw was to test the light strings with some hardware utility, which I don't understand what that means. Grateful to anyone that wants to give me a little guidance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibblejr Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 (edited) Though not the best quality compared to others you will be fine. 75% hours f my lights are from the big box stores. I give no special considerations other than "sale prices". ( IMO) Dimmeable is just another way of saying they are not the bulbs manufactured to blink from the store. In other words constant on. They could be made to twinkle with a bulb replacement. JR Edited August 25, 2017 by dibblejr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibblejr Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 Hardware Utility is a tool within the LOR Sequencing Software. Once you have a controller and it's configures there is a test tool built within. However as I mentioned above those lights will be fine. JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBS99 Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 If any of your store bought lights have their own controllers on them, they won't be dimmable. Most are with the exception of Martha Stewart ones. They tend to catch fire from what I have read. Welcome to the madness!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevr82 Posted August 25, 2017 Author Share Posted August 25, 2017 None of theme have their own controllers, they simply plug in and turn on. I don't think they are Martha Stewart lights, if I recall correctly they are Home Accents and Philips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GriswoldStyle Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 Most lights are dimmable from the big box stores if they just plug in with no box on the wire to control functions. You will need to go into the hardware utility to set up your controller anyways. That's the easiest part that I had to do. You will see the light tests there and can select chase, fade, ect. Honestly I go by sale price as well. My display is 100% Walmart led light reels and 100 count box lights from there. I mainly have c-9 everywhere on the house but my yard and arches are m5 led's (small mini lights) No issues with fades on the Holiday time ones. Ran halloween light show for two weeks nightly last year and ran the christmas display from thanksgiving night til jan 5th every night with no issues from those lights.. Holiday time and home depot lights I didnt have a problem with. All those ones have been dimmable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevr82 Posted August 25, 2017 Author Share Posted August 25, 2017 Thank you all so much! I really appreciate the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdwillie Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 Welcome to the madness!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 If they have a simple plug, with ONLY fuses, they probably will dim just fine. It is other electronics that in the plug/cord that will probably smoke if you try some of the cool things LOR controllers do. My (line cord) LED's came from OSH, Wallgreens & Walmart. they are 1/2 wave...but they behave just fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetalMatrix Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 All my lights I use on the LOR controller are Big box LED since I am in Canada the best I found for quality was Canadian Tire but as with the rest there C9s are starting to show poor quality in the fact that the bulbs falling off. The best part is they have a 5 year warranty were most are 3 years. If you look at my shows on YouTube you can see they dim with no issues. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpGRSY4QUOQSPXVCJX7LE9Q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcktpwrd Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 99% of our lights are from Big Lots or Walmart. They work just fine! They look even better since I have built rectifiers and converted them to full wave power... Many people are sensitive to the 60 hertz flicker of LED light strings, rectifiers solve that issue along with a bunch of soldering and rewiring of the strings or buying good light strings and spending more money on the lights... It all depends on how involved time wise you want to get or how much money you want to spend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 The dimming will cut out a little quicker. Say you're dimming from 100% down to 0 % over 4 seconds. Your big box bought lights will kick off about at the 3 second mark. As long as you don't mix them with quality full wave lights on the same prop, you will be the only one who knows. And you probably won't even remember when you're watching it yourself. Now if you mix, strands - the cutting out at different times will be more noticeable - and annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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