Long strands of Christmas lights?

[Austen]

Hey everyone,

I want to at least double the amount of lights this year in my Christmas display. But it would take many many boxes to do this. I usually hit the stores after Christmas to buy boxes of lights (100light sets) for about .15 cents. But I was wondering if they make longer strands, maybe 300 light strands? Or is there a website that sells lights cheaper than Walmart or Target?

Thanks for your help,
Austen

[jjdurrant]

Not really.. usually even the 300ct mini strands are just two 150ct strings.

[Austen]

jjdurrant wrote:

Not really.. usually even the 300ct mini strands are just two 150ct strings.

Ok thanks

[Guest guest]

To have 300 lights on one string would require a bulb voltage of 0.4 volts. 0.4 volt bulb * 120VAC = 300 bulbs. And I can say I've never seen anything less than an "incandescent" bulb at 1.2 volts. (1.2 volt bulbs are in a 100 count wired string that IS NOT split into two 50 count strings). (LED's are a whole different matter and voltages).

Anyway 300 1.5 volt incandescent bulbs tied in one string would require 450VAC, and I don't think any of us would want voltages like that in our displays! But, 300 bulbs at 1.5 volts on a 120VAC outlet would either be barely lit or not at all.

This is why 150, 200, 300 count strings are actually broken down in to 50 light strands that are tied together, the bulbs on each 50 light strand are tied to each other in series, but the next half of the string is connected to the prior one in parallel, this way if a bulb goesd out in one 50 light section, the other section remains lit. It's basically a seires-parallel circuit and just makes it easier to find and replace burned out bulbs.

Some 100 light strings are wired this way, HOWEVER, there are 100 light strings that have 100 bulbs that are all wired in series. This is why we have different voltage mini bulbs, starting at 1.2 volts up to 12 volts. The 12 volt mini bulbs are usually in the 10 light strings. 6volt in 20 light strings, 3.5 volt in 35 light strings (70 count strings are usually 2 - 35 light strings, but again, not always), this is also why we have some strange in-between voltages for mini bulbs, such as 1.2, 1.7, 2.4, 2.7, 3.4 voltages on mini bulbs as well. Mainly due to the odd numbered strings that are pre-mounted on decor such as a plaque, figure or sign, like 43, 55 or some other odd count light strings, which by the way are not available to the average consumer as a replacement on any of these items, and why some of us, when they go bad replace them with a different count string, either lower or higher depending on what fits the item.

[Austen]

Orville wrote:

To have 300 lights on one string would require a bulb voltage of 0.4 volts. 0.4 volt bulb * 120VAC = 300 bulbs. And I can say I've never seen anything less than an "incandescent" bulb at 1.2 volts. (1.2 volt bulbs are in a 100 count wired string that IS NOT split into two 50 count strings). (LED's are a whole different matter and voltages).

Anyway 300 1.5 volt incandescent bulbs tied in one string would require 450VAC, and I don't think any of us would want voltages like that in our displays! But, 300 bulbs at 1.5 volts on a 120VAC outlet would either be barely lit or not at all.

This is why 150, 200, 300 count strings are actually broken down in to 50 light strands that are tied together, the bulbs on each 50 light strand are tied to each other in series, but the next half of the string is connected to the prior one in parallel, this way if a bulb goesd out in one 50 light section, the other section remains lit. It's basically a seires-parallel circuit and just makes it easier to find and replace burned out bulbs.

Some 100 light strings are wired this way, HOWEVER, there are 100 light strings that have 100 bulbs that are all wired in series. This is why we have different voltage mini bulbs, starting at 1.2 volts up to 12 volts. The 12 volt mini bulbs are usually in the 10 light strings. 6volt in 20 light strings, 3.5 volt in 35 light strings (70 count strings are usually 2 - 35 light strings, but again, not always), this is also why we have some strange in-between voltages for mini bulbs, such as 1.2, 1.7, 2.4, 2.7, 3.4 voltages on mini bulbs as well. Mainly due to the odd numbered strings that are pre-mounted on decor such as a plaque, figure or sign, like 43, 55 or some other odd count light strings, which by the way are not available to the average consumer as a replacement on any of these items, and why some of us, when they go bad replace them with a different count string, either lower or higher depending on what fits the item.

Makes perfect sense. I never thought about it like that. Thanks for the information.