High Failure Rate of Blue C6 LED's

[jimswinder]

I noticed my Mega Tree this year had a few light strings not totally working 100%, so since it has been around for three years, decided to take it all apart and rebuild it this summer (or even replace with an CCB Type tree).

While taking apart my "Superstrings" (one each of RGBW 100ct C7 LED's) I started testing them to see which ones I was having problems with.

Well, out of the 80 strings (20 of each color) I found that out of 20 blue strings, 14 had some sort of failure in it...either the whole string would not lite or part of it. I had no white failures and only two green and two red.

Is this just inherent of blue LED's because of their voltage or something else?

Possibly a manufacturing issue?

Anyone else having a similar issue?

I had a high failure rate last year with the same Blue C7's but never heard anything from anyone else.

I have purposefully left out where I got them, just because I don't really think they are at fault and they are out of warranty...but I have notified them also.

P.S. This was not the Mega Tree that fell over two years ago...that was my Spiral Mega Tree.

[Admin Edit: The topic has been changed to C6. The original was a typo of "C7"]

[LORi P]

I have about 20 blue C7 25 count strings (sealed, full wave) on my roofline and gutters. I did not lose a single one this year or last. Same for the other 3 colors. Maybe I just got lucky???

I had a single red C7 string that did not work right out of the box, but all th others have done fine for 2 years. Knock on wood.

[plasmadrive]

Last year I bought about a 150 boxes of blue from Target on line. I used 40 of them last year and had two string failures pretty quickly which they replaced. This year I used another 90 strings and had a 2 string infant mortality. Didn't notice any other failures.. but I haven't actually looked them over light by light.. perhaps I should do that..

Edited January 17, 2013 by plasmadrive

[David Rise]

I know Denise Brunner mentioned that she had a bunch of her blue LEDs go out as well. I see 3 of us now that have had issues with the blue and now green strings. I think that there's something to this. I hope that anyone else having issues with their LEDs will chime in. I've purchased lights from the big 4, so it's not a company issue. But I hear that they all get their lights from the same manufacturer. That really doesn't surprise me, since my wife works in retail, I think most folks would be surprised to know that most of their brand name items are made by the same manufacturer and then they put whose ever logo on the product.

I purchased all new M5 LEDs 2 years ago (RGBW). 1st year, I only had one green string go out. This past season, I had 15 strings go out on me. I'd say probably 10 green and 5 blue. Since they are all pro grade, I am pretty disappointed that they didn't even through 2 seasons of use. Don't get me wrong, I love my LED strings. Very bright and no fading issues like the incans. I just think for the money that I spend to get the pro grade, they should last longer than 2 seasons.

The good news is that I purchased the LED light keeper and have repaired all of them. I sacraficed one blue and one green string and used the bulbs to fix the other strings. For $24, it has paid for itself and then some. I strongly suggest if you do not have the LED light keeper, to make the purchase, and repair them. Simple and easy to use. Find the bad bulb, cut it out, and replace it with one that works. Thanks to that little tool, I only purchase a few individual strings this year and those will be used to make more super strings for spares.

My red and white strings, as well as, all of my icicle lights have not had any issues.

[SteveMaris]

All these lights going out are from big box stores right? It is not the "high quality" lights from vendors, that last forever?

[jimswinder]

All these lights going out are from big box stores right? It is not the "high quality" lights from vendors, that last forever?

Nope...not big box stores..they came from a high quality vendor with a good reputation here on the forums.

This was the companies response to my dilemma:

I have no idea what would cause that. You might want to move that thread to the coffee shop. That seems to get a lot of traffic.

And like David Rise said above, I have no doubt I will be able to salvage most of my dead blue strings since I have LOTS of other dead blue strings to make repairs from.

Edited January 17, 2013 by jimswinder

[plasmadrive]

All these lights going out are from big box stores right? It is not the "high quality" lights from vendors, that last forever?

Mine were from the big box store.. I had few failures beyond infant mortality

[David Rise]

Like Jim,

Mine were from the top vendors that come highly recommended. Not the vendors fault, but too much of a coincidence that it's just the blue and green.

[JeffF]

This was the companies response to my dilemma:

I have no idea what would cause that. You might want to move that thread to the coffee shop. That seems to get a lot of traffic.

That's a little odd? No actual help?

[TitusCarnathan]

I am not trying to be rude.

I didn't know they made sealed c7 led strings I always thought all c7's were edison base. Or are you refering to c6 strings.

[LORi P]

I am not trying to be rude.

I didn't know they made sealed c7 led strings I always thought all c7's were edison base. Or are you refering to c6 strings.

I got my C7 strings here 2 years ago. I use RGBW supertrings on my roofline.

http://www.led-christmas-lights.net/LED-Blue-Lights-78311RX.htm

[TitusCarnathan]

I never realized that someone made c7 light strings like they would with c6 and m6. I would sooner perfer the regular C7 leds since they are wired in parallel

Even us long time Christmas Light Engineers can learn something new.

Edited January 20, 2013 by TitusCarnathan

[jimswinder]

I am not trying to be rude.

I didn't know they made sealed c7 led strings I always thought all c7's were edison base. Or are you refering to c6 strings.

Sorry..typo on my part..they are C6...

[Guest Don Gillespie]

I can't say I have had any trouble Jim but we don't get the rain that you guys get over there, only cold and snow, don't know if water is an issue??

[jimswinder]

Just an Update:

 

With the help of Dennis Eaton and my LED Lightkeeper Pro I was able to repair almost all of my failed Blue LED C6 100 Count strings.today (finally got around to looking at them).

 

For the most part, there was a bad LED bulb...sometimes two and even one with four.

 

The failures ranged from single and double sections not lighting at all to sections just dim.

 

I used one of the bad strings to remove a good bulb and then replace and solder the bulb into another bad string to make it good...

Edited August 11, 2013 by jimswinder

[LORi P]

It has been so long since I've had the chance to flirt with Jim.  No matter how much I try, I cannot think of a spicy reply to his post.  I guess I'll have to wait for a better opportunity to flirt with my poopsy woopsy.  *sigh*

 

[jimswinder]

It has been so long since I've had the chance to flirt with Jim.  No matter how much I try, I cannot think of a spicy reply to his post.  I guess I'll have to wait for a better opportunity to flirt with my poopsy woopsy.  *sigh*

 

 a better opportunity than now???  *sigh*  

[LORi P]

I guess you didn't notice that I turned the non-opportunity into an opportunity by sneaking 'poopsy woopsy' into my comment.  That is OK.  It gives me another opportunity, sweetie pie.    

[Max-Paul]

Hey Lori,

That Jim fellow really knows how to plug in a new light. Looks like he has that plugging in down pat now.

[LORisAwesome]

I had a high failure rate of M6 70 count Blue LED strings last year - lost 20 out of 48 on my mega tree.  Started a thread about it earlier this year.

 

Seems that there was a rash of bad blue LED strings in 2010, mine may have been purchased that year.

 

it was also suggested that I set the max intensity lower on my controllers, thought I might give that a a try.

 

I also seem to have a lot of faiures of the c9 LED retro's, but I haven't notices any particular color failing more than others.  I'm hoping cutting the max intensity on the controllers will help.

 

Jerry