Need Help! Brand New To Light Displays and starting from scratch!

[New Guy]

I am brand new to Christmas Lights and decorating. So brand new that I don't even have anything purchased yet. I would like to buy some lights but I don't even know where to begin or where to buy them at. I have been checking home depot, lowes, and menards but have the time, the online specifications don't say if they are dimmable or not, and from what I have been reading it is best to have dimmable lights for a good display.  I did read in one of the forums that Walmart actually had a good selection to choose from, but once again, where do I start and what do I buy in regards to LED lights?  I want to start off with a decent display and I don't want to buy lights that wont work for a light show.  If someone could point me in the right direction so I know exactly what to look for and buy that would be awesome! (Pictures of light strings are always welcome too! haha!) I am trying to plan this all out so I don't have just a bunch of random things or I buy the wrong lights! Is there a particular brand, style, etc.. to purchase?

 I know I need a controller as well, so I will be buying one of those soon, so if anyone has any suggestions on something decent that would give me a good start that would be great! Or If I need any other hardware to go with it! Any suggestions and help would be greatly appreciated! Like I said, I am completely knew to this!

  I am excited to get started, so fire away at what I need to get this going for next year!!

  Merry Christmas!

[dibblejr]

For LED's the Walmart (blue and white boxes) are fine, available and affordable. That's a start. To use them for sequencing any of the LOR AC controllers will work. Just starting out the Residential Starter package and possibly one extra controller will be great. Get the highest license level you can afford because you will expand. "Afford" being the key. Don't put yourself out this late in the game. Less stress is better.

There are plenty of free sequences, its the software that may have the most important role at this time.

JR

[Speedster]

I've had good success with LEDs purchased from Walmart, Home Depot, & Menards.  No problems with them dimming.

However stay away from the Martha Stewart brand lights because there have been reports of them catching fire when dimmed.

[Orville]

I've purchased LED strands from Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, Lowes, At Home, Walgreen's, Dollar General, Big Lots, Ace Hardware, K-Mart, Sears and sometimes even find some at the Everything is $1.00 stores, Like Dollar Tree.

I've had success with all of them being dimmable that I've purchased at every one of these places.

But Like Speedster stated, "However stay away from the Martha Stewart brand lights because there have been reports of them catching fire when dimmed."

[New Guy]

Thanks Fellas! I really appreciate the help! So basically, I can just go to Walmart and buy any of the LED lights in the blue and white boxes and they work? I did not know that! That helps out tremendously! Now I just need to plan the colors I guess! Any tips and tricks would also be welcome!

[TexasLights]

just a warning that our local one didn't have much choices today - mostly just multicolor.   If you want a constant color, you may need to look online.   I have swapped strings from multi-colored to a single but it is pretty time consuming.  

[dgrant]

May I suggest, first start with a picture of your house/yard. Then draw strings of lights on and decide how you want them to appear. This will dictate your hardware requirements. First year, go easy on yourself. Not only will you need controllers but the wiring to them and the computer or whatever you will run the show from. You’ll need to think about audio too. Speakers in the front yard, FM transmitter or both? Again, cabling for either. There are two sales each year at LOR, spring and summer. Take advantage. Vampire plugs, sockets and SPT1 wire will save you a lot with extension cords 

[tlogan]

1 hour ago, dgrant said:

Vampire plugs, sockets and SPT1 wire will save you a lot with extension cords

That's what I was going to suggest...and the time it takes to make them. The heavy duty extension cords at the big box stores get expensive really fast, And heavy and bulky to store. So yes, go easy on yourself first time out.

[TheDucks]

12 minutes ago, tlogan said:

That's what I was going to suggest...and the time it takes to make them. The heavy duty extension cords at the big box stores get expensive really fast, And heavy and bulky to store. So yes, go easy on yourself first time out.

Heavy duty is for areas of HARD SERVICE (eg get walked upon).

Heavy duty should not be confused with Heavey Load Capacity (basically, heavier wire GAUGE.I Use store bought for the runs from the wall outlets to controllers.

[Orville]

One other suggestion, wait to buy your lights AFTER Christmas, yuo can usually find them anywhere from 50%-80% off.   I bought a lot at Walgreen's after Christmas one year and scored them for less than .30¢ a box. I bought all they had left at that price.   Some folks here have even gotten better deals and scored some at .01¢ a box!  

So keep your eyes on the stock throughout the day after Christmas and New Years time frame, you may be able to pick up much more for the money you want to spend, and then you can use the all those left over funds toward the Controllers and Software when the time comes to buy those {like Spring or Summer sales that LOR has}.

 

Edited December 16, 2019 by Orville

[tlogan]

43 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

Heavy duty should not be confused with Heavey Load Capacity (basically, heavier wire GAUGE.I Use store bought for the runs from the wall outlets to controllers.

Yes, sorry. I meant the standard 15amp rated manufactured cords at the Big Box stores.

[TheDucks]

27 minutes ago, tlogan said:

Yes, sorry. I meant the standard 15amp rated manufactured cords at the Big Box stores.

Sorry, but I have run into to many people that all that counts is "The Plug Fits" 😮

Been places with Window Air units on SPT1 cords, The plug was turning darker (as in crispy)

[Euro92]

Check stores soon for Wallmart. Last year the lights went on sale a week before Christmas was over. I got there and most of the lights are gone. Seems like stores are trying to unload before Christmas and not just after.

[Orville]

13 hours ago, TheDucks said:

Sorry, but I have run into to many people that all that counts is "The Plug Fits" 😮

Been places with Window Air units on SPT1 cords, The plug was turning darker (as in crispy)

Yep, I know some folks like that too.  My window A/C unit is plugged directly into the wall outlet, where it's supposed to be plugged by the instruction manual,. Got a small space heater that says the same thing, NEVER PLUG THIS DEVICE INTO AN EXTENSION CORD.  But people do it, then wonder, why'd my home catch fire and burn down?  Hoo boy.   Sure does make you wonder at times, doesn't it?

[dgrant]

I'll also suggest that you purchase LEDs instead of incans. They look nicer, last longer and draw a whole lot less power. I've had good luck with BigLots lights, Phillips from Target, GE's from Lowes and lights from Home Depot except their Martha lights as already mentioned...stay away from those. I've found that lights from SamsClub only last about a year as the contact wires easily rust and break off. I'm assuming Walmart's are similar but I truly don't know. I've had extremely good luck with sealed LEDs that I bought from a place called LEDGen but I don't know if they still exist. Not a single failure of those in 5 years.

 Pixels, China's idea of waterproofing and mine are two different things. Each year, I'm battling leaks, therefore full or partial failures of the strips. I have two different pixel trees, one with LPD6803 strips and the other with WS2811 nodes. The 6803 strips...nothing but problems each year but when they work, they look very nice. I'm going to swap them out with 2811's, possibly 2812's or the newer types. Suggestions welcomed! I have other WS2811 props that all work great but many are node types. I do have some 2811 strips but they're enclosed white tubing for circles and a large driveway arch...work nice.

The infrastructure to make everything work is something you need to document and keep. Wiring of pixel connectors, if you choose to use them, each manufacture of pixel strips and controllers, all have their own wiring scheme as there in no "standard" in this industry yet. Each controller is different too in its capabilities and limitations so caution is advised to do your homework first.

[tlogan]

On 12/16/2019 at 4:17 PM, TheDucks said:

Sorry, but I have run into to many people that all that counts is "The Plug Fits" 😮

Been places with Window Air units on SPT1 cords, The plug was turning darker (as in crispy)

My Father-in-law used to file down the polarized side of plugs when they first started making them with the pointed ends that kind of fanned out. And he would nip off the grounds on plugs. And they live in house that is now 100 years old and had original knob and tube wiring with a somewhat suspect upgrade in the early 60s, but still has some of that knob and tube and ancient wiring in place. I think they have a circuit breaker that needs to be replaced (it pops pretty easy so I'm thinking the spring probably is going bad) but they don't make them anymore and I've only been able to find used ones on Ebay so I don't think I want to try that. 

[TheDucks]

58 minutes ago, tlogan said:

hey have a circuit breaker that needs to be replaced (it pops pretty easy so I'm thinking the spring probably is going bad) but they don't make them anymore and I've only been able to find used ones on Ebay so I don't think I want to try that. 

Let me guess: ZINSCO (the long, thin ones with different colored handles (by Amps). 3rd party Replacements are still available, but OMG, 2@ 2pole breakers will almost buy a New 200A panel (SANS-BRANCH BREAKERS)

If it is a FPE. STOP. Those have been proven to be so unreliable at protection that no one is making breakers to fit because all that should be done is CUT the utility feed and replace NOW.