Channel shimmer when lights are off

[bklsu]

I have 1 channel that keeps a slight shimmer to it when all lights are off. It is weird because it is not the full strand. It is leds. Can anyone tell me how I might fix this?

[The Pest]

Try a snubber or for a test if you have a single c7 or c9 bulb try plugging it into th string of lights and see if that works. If the light works you could try hiding it or making a snubber there are many examples around the forum's.

[bklsu]

Thanks for the help. I am a newbie. Strange thing is I have have 4 columns with a strand of 200 c6 led lights on each and this is the only one that is giving me this problem. What might be the best way to make a snubber if in fact that is what I need?

[bklsu]

Seems to just be that channel. I just tested it with other sets and it does the same thing.

[cmoore60]

What type of controller?

Did you assemble?

Is it possible that you reversed the power and neutral on this one channel?

Chuck

[Richard Hamilton]

Probably the easiest thing to do for a "snubber" is to put a small incandescent light of about 3-7 Watts in the string.

I have seen issues where a snubber won't work unless you put it in front (connected to LOR first) of an LED string that are the cheaper 1/2 wave rectified lights. It often depends on the design of the LED lights.

Lots of ways to make a snubberl. Attached are pics of how I did mine a few years ago. I bought plastic clam shells at Home Depot for about 60 cents and bought 33K Ohm, 1/4 Watt resistors at Radio Shack. All that is needed is to screw the resistor in place in the clam shell and then close it. No soldering needed.


Attached files

[jallenl]

Found a good source for clam shell plugs at Ace Hardware .70 each. Have to order in multiples of 10. Even with shipping they were cheaper than I can purchase locally.

http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/1757-blade-plug-caps-conn/69357.html?keyword=3201191

[Guest guest]

jallenl wrote:

Found a good source for clam shell plugs at Ace Hardware .70 each. Have to order in multiples of 10. Even with shipping they were cheaper than I can purchase locally.

http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/1757-blade-plug-caps-conn/69357.html?keyword=3201191

Now I'm gonna have to take a trip to the local ACE Hardware store and see if they sell these in-house.

I think I've seen them in their stores when I've been in there buying other hardware for projects.

[Richard Hamilton]

Just keep in mind that if you have any trouble with the lights after plugging in the snubber, then it is probably because you plugged it in at the END of a string of LED lights. I usually have a short extension cord where I plug in the snummber in parallel with the lights or I use one of those "3-way taps" to plug in at the controller that gives 3 sockets available.

[Guest guest]

Richard Hamilton wrote:

Just keep in mind that if you have any trouble with the lights after plugging in the snubber, then it is probably because you plugged it in at the END of a string of LED lights. I usually have a short extension cord where I plug in the snummber in parallel with the lights or I use one of those "3-way taps" to plug in at the controller that gives 3 sockets available.

That's why if I use those clam shell sockets I will find an old non working strand, cut off the female end of it and wire it to the clam shell so the snubber can be placed at the controller and light strand plugged into it or at the end of the strand and then cap off the very short female end.

Another idea I was toying with is to cut off the passthrough plug, the male/female at the beginning of a bad light strand, remove the fuses and then take some wires, solder them together to make somthing the same size of the fuse{s} that were in the plug, solder the resitor lead to this so that it makes contact with the prongs where the fuse originally sits, you'll need 2, 1 for each side, and unfortunately does require soldering the resistor to these two make shift fuses. as most plugs have two in them, then clamp the fake fuse with resistor lead on one side, the second fake fuse with the opposite resistor lead to the other side, close the slide panel over the fuse area, and now you have a snubber that can be used at either end of the strand!

Although if I used it at the end, I'd still cap off the female pass through side with one of those child protective plastic plug cover insets. Just helps keep water and moisture out of the female plug. I use them in all my light strands at both the pass through and the end female receptacle and they work great.

[Richard Hamilton]

Yup that also works well and I have done that one occasion, yet I generally like to not wire-in any lights so I can place them quickly where needed.

I'm not quite picturing what you do with the male end of the light string if you are wirng in the female side. Also note that this technique will not always work with some light strings that have a full-wave rectifier at the male plug side. The lights won't work at all in those cases.

One thing to keep in mind for those people who like to wire-end the male end of a light set to the clam shell is that many LED lights bury the fuse in the plug. If you cut it off and wire it into the clam shell, then you will be missing the fuse.