Tom Clapper Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I am wrapping a wire frame santa and sleigh with incandesant minis and need to know if I can cut the string to shorten it. What I really need is a 25-35 count of white minis with a white wire, but all I can find is 100 count. So if I can cut it that would be great. I know that if I pull one bulb out half of the string goes out so do I have to cut it at the halfway point or can I cut it wherever. This is my second year of LOR but I haven't messed with cutting strings yet. Thanks for any info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Batzdorf Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Try this link. http://forums.planetchristmas.com/index.php?/topic/47868-video-how-to-seperate-incandescent-light-strings/page__fromsearch__1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeH Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Tom Clapper wrote: I am wrapping a wire frame santa and sleigh with incandesant minis and need to know if I can cut the string to shorten it. What I really need is a 25-35 count of white minis with a white wire, but all I can find is 100 count. So if I can cut it that would be great. I know that if I pull one bulb out half of the string goes out so do I have to cut it at the halfway point or can I cut it wherever. This is my second year of LOR but I haven't messed with cutting strings yet. Thanks for any info.This place has 15ct. - 200ct. strings.http://www.christmaslightsetc.com/Mini-Lights.aspMikeH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstately Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I made one of these, it's a pain to end where you want with out too many or too few lights. If you want to go LED this is a great place for short strings. http://www.christmas-leds.com/category.aspx?categoryID=284 Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKSedg Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Dave Batzdorf wrote: Try this link. http://forums.planetchristmas.com/index.php?/topic/47868-video-how-to-seperate-incandescent-light-strings/page__fromsearch__1Any help for those of us using LEDs? I would also like to cut some, if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 CKSedg wrote: Any help for those of us using LEDs? I would also like to cut some, if possible.Just like incandescent strings, if the bulbs are removable then remove one and see what goes out. Then you can cut between the section that is lit and the section that is dark.However, the GE strings that have 3 wires out of the plug and 3 wires out of the socket cannot be cut. Those are typically 50 bulbs, and removing a pair makes the whole string go out, while removing a single bulb leaves it lit.If the LED string has sealed (non-removable) bulbs, then start at the plug end and go down the string until you find a place where there are just 2 wires. This may be difficult because the 2 wires could be staggered. In this drawing you would cut at the red X's. After you cut this type of string, the half that is not attached to the plug will be a half-wave string. If the whole string was full-wave, and you want the 2nd half to also be full-wave, then you'll have to find a rectifier. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Slade Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 rstately wrote:I made one of these, it's a pain to end where you want with out too many or too few lights. If you want to go LED this is a great place for short strings. http://www.christmas-leds.com/category.aspx?categoryID=284Ron,GREAT LOOKING WIRE FRAME!!! and I agree Christmas-leds, great place for many LED options! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstately Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 John Slade wrote:rstately wrote:I made one of these, it's a pain to end where you want with out too many or too few lights. If you want to go LED this is a great place for short strings. http://www.christmas-leds.com/category.aspx?categoryID=284Ron,GREAT LOOKING WIRE FRAME!!! and I agree Christmas-leds, great place for many LED options!Thanks John, I just copied a picture of one I saw and used a projector to copy it onto 1/4" luan. Then bent all the 1/4" rod to match it... I think other than cutting strings in half, its better/ easier to just buy the short strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKSedg Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Steven wrote: CKSedg wrote: Any help for those of us using LEDs? I would also like to cut some, if possible.Just like incandescent strings, if the bulbs are removable then remove one and see what goes out. Then you can cut between the section that is lit and the section that is dark.However, the GE strings that have 3 wires out of the plug and 3 wires out of the socket cannot be cut. Those are typically 50 bulbs, and removing a pair makes the whole string go out, while removing a single bulb leaves it lit.If the LED string has sealed (non-removable) bulbs, then start at the plug end and go down the string until you find a place where there are just 2 wires. This may be difficult because the 2 wires could be staggered. In this drawing you would cut at the red X's. After you cut this type of string, the half that is not attached to the plug will be a half-wave string. If the whole string was full-wave, and you want the 2nd half to also be full-wave, then you'll have to find a rectifier.Thanks, Steven. I will see what I can do this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymac Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Why not clear led with color caps (a number of places sell them), that way you can affectivly mix any color on the same string without cutting anything. They even are available with the wire frame clips as part of the cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKSedg Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Good idea. Where would I find them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstately Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 http://www.christmas-leds.com/category.aspx?categoryID=336 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lleibeck Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 And buy the black out caps for any extra bulbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKSedg Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Thanks to both of you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymac Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Those pesky burned out bulbs! Don't throw them out, they make great blackout bulbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBullard Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 jerrymac wrote:Those pesky burned out bulbs! Don't throw them out, they make great blackout bulbs.But at the expense ot throwing increased voltage onto the the remaining bulbs therefore reducing their life (referring to mini incadescents) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymac Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 Sorry not an electrical engineer but on a 100 string of lights the additional .83 volts spread over the remaining 99 bulbs (.008) volts per bulb would be negligable? or as an neophite have I missed something? I'm sure those of you more into ohms law can set me straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBullard Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 A 100 ct string is really two 50 count strings using 2 1/2 volt bulbs (2.5 * 50 = 125)So one bulb out on a 100 ct string means 1/2 the string is getting more voltage, burns brighter and has a reduced life compared to the other half of the string.The real problem comes in when a newbie reads "just use burnt out bulbs" and replaces several, not just one.I suggest using black out caps, electrical tape or even black spray paint rather then sticking in burnt out bulbs.Just my opinion and the way I wired the wire frames I made when still using mini bulbs. Now on all my frames that I weld up I use M6 LEDs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyK Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 I think I know the answer to this, but wanted to throw it out there to confirm. Can you cut a string of 25 (c9) into two strings of 12? My gut is saying no, since you are not dealing with a 50 100) string set which is really 2 sets 25 (50). Am I thinking correctly on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKSedg Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 What I'd really like to know is: Can an LED string be cut to EXACTLY the length wanted, using resistors to make up for the lights cut out? Can anyone tell me how to calculate which resistors, and how to wire them in? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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