Where to Buy Outdoor LED Lights (C6,C7,C9)?

[legendsfan]

I just purchased a 16 channel controller last Friday and this will be my first year of doing any Christmas lighting.  I'm curious where most people purchase their LED Christmas lights?  Home Depot has a pretty good selection of EcoSmart LED light strings at good prices but I have no idea if they are dimmable or not.  I'm planning on outlining the roof, doors and windows with either C6, C7 or C9 bulbs and will need approximately 250 feet.

 

I've seen the big spools of wire available for purchase and then install bulbs but this route seems to be more expensive.  Please send me suggestions of what to buy and where for a newbie that doesn't want to drop thousands of dollars in his first year.

[mcmpros]

Lights can be purchased anywhere you find a good deal. Walmart has 12.5 lit length 25 C7 bulb led for 6.00 each. So with that get 20 boxes you're looking at 120.00 in lights

[legendsfan]

Are those dimmable or do they have flicker issues?

[zeighty]

I have some GE lights from Target, but this year most of my lights are from Holiday Light Express. Fully rectified, sealed and completely compatible with LOR controllers. 

I rarely go to Big Lots, but I dropped by the other day and they had great prices on LED strings and floods ($10 each, 26 LEDs).  I purchased 2 of the floods but have not yet tested with a controller. I don't expect any problems, but you never know until you test. 

Avoid Martha Stewart lights. I know Home Depot sells them, but they may show up other places. I have read more than a few post about them not working with LOR. 

[keepaofdagr00ve]

Zeighty,

 

Which lights off of Holiday Light Express would you recommend? C6 LED?  Or would the 5mm be a good choice? or M6 minis?

[Duckie24]

I started with the lights I already had on hand, all from Lowe's or Sam's Club.  Then I bought a bunch of 5MM convcave from Christmas-LEDs.com.  I make no endorsements, but I did buy from Christmas-LEDs.com again this year.

[need lights]

I had those Home Depot Martha Stewart lights, well over 100 strands. They are not only incompatible and don't dim - at all, but they corrode and require replacing bulbs, even after (or during) one season depending on how much rain/moisture you get. I had to bite the bullet this year and replace them all. i used Christmas Designers ..com. You have to use pro series (or commercial grade works too, but you will need special connectors for the ends to plug into your outlets). Do not use retail grade from this site as they are only half wave rectified and will not dim. I do not know how long they will last, but they seem like quality, single mold injected, weather proof, and I tested them on the controllers. they were fully functional/dimmable  I have the newer controllers with the built in resistors that I believe is the G3 model(came out in 2011. I have never purchased from them before this year, but you can call and speak to them over there with any questions and they actually do professional commercial installations as well as sell lights and other stuff. All LED lights are different. Each manufacturer, and color, will dim slightly different. I recommend using all of the same or at least test new and old side by side before making large purchases. Some big box stores have "replacement lamps with the strings. if the bulbs are replaceable, sometimes they are exposed to the elements. I learned this by removing the bulb from the socket and observing daylight where the wires entered the bottom of the socket. UL approved for indoor/outdoor use(they should not be!). Trips GFCI outlets when rains, and corrodes the conductors right off the bulbs. Also, when they claim "when one bulb goes out they all stay lit", they mean that literally. If two bulbs in a row go out the whole strand (or half the strand - depending on the design) will go out. And wait until you try your old incandescent testers to try to locate a burnt out bulb on an LED strand, you will find it does not work. LED are diodes, not resistors like in incandescent bulbs. You can get an electromagnetic signal even when passing the "dead bulb" on the LED set. Suggestion to all, if you see a bulb out, replace it right away. if you don't and the bulb on the same wire set(the next bulb) goes out too, the strand will go out and you will have an awful time trying to locate it. this is of course if you get a set with replaceable bulbs. I suggest getting a set with non-replaceable bulbs, single injected, fully sealed set. Yes you may lose the whole strand someday, but it will definitely last longer. Good luck. 

[zeighty]

Zeighty,

 

Which lights off of Holiday Light Express would you recommend? C6 LED?  Or would the 5mm be a good choice? or M6 minis?

My first 4 sets from them were M6s and I don't like them. Too small so you need extras to get the light of the C6s.  I purchased about $500 worth of C6 strings and probably could use $1000 more (by the way that is always the case). When it comes to lights the best number is "more".  

 

Others may be able to comment on the 5MM. I have not used any and they seem to be more directional due to the type of lens they have.  

 

The main thing I have noticed with Holiday Light Express lights is the brightness of fully rectified strings. The are so much better than the GEs and no names. 

I have about 250 feet of GE C9s purchased at Target over the last couple of years and look forward to see how they perform. 

[Duckie24]

With regards to 5MM, mine are very bright.  I bought a bunch of strings last year for a mega-tree.  Have re-purposed them this year for a number of different applications due to new mega-tree construction.  Even bought some more 5MM LEDs for other things.

 

I also second the full wave, sealed LEDs.  They cost more, but are worth it.

[m1ke05]

http://www.holiday-light-express.com

1year warranty, good prices, and fully sealed. Fast shipping too

[m1ke05]

I pretty much use all 5mm wide angle bulbs. Never really noticed a bad viewing angle with them, and they are bright as hell! My house star and webber tree star will probably be c9 or c6 this year. What ever you choose, zig hit the nail on the head, quantity is always "more" and if you're serious about putting on a good light show, then pay more for the fully sealed professional lights, you will be thankful to not have to go replace a set in the middle of a show..

[keepaofdagr00ve]

Would anyone recommend LEP ROPE lighting just house trim?  

[zeighty]

Would anyone recommend LEP ROPE lighting just house trim?

I found rope lights to be too difficult to work with, especially mounting it. Some also had odd connectors. Others have done great things with it. So as a lot of things that go blink in the night, you will learn that this is a personal choice. As long as there are no technical problems you should be fine, I just do not know of an advantage. Perhaps a few others will comment.

[Mateo]

www.christmas-leds.com, clearance section is the way to go....outstanding products.

[m1ke05]

Would anyone recommend LEP ROPE lighting just house trim?

As long as the LEDs are full wave, then there should be no issues using rope light. Rope light vs string lights, vs icicle lights - a matter of opinion if you ask me.