Where to buy lights in Europe ?

[eelm]

Hi to everyone,

I am looking to buy some lights for my show this year but can't find simple led strings that can be dimmed. At least when I ask the vendors they say humm I guess so and returning stuff bought online is not always that easy and it is also a big waste of time in case it turns out not to be working. Don't even mention going to megastore here. Did them all and the one for sale are expensive and have one of those useless little box that makes some effects. I think that's why they cost more money )

Buying from the US would be one option but paying tax on arrival and the 110V - 220v problem, hummm not a good idea either.

It seems like doing Chritmas lighting shows here is not yet as popular as it is in the US and I want to make sure that the lights I ll buy can be dimmed.

So if anyone here would have an online store to recommend here in Europe it would be highly appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Seb

 

 

[Steven]

 and the 110V - 220v problem,

 

That problem you can solve. A typical 100-bulb string is two strings of 50 2.5v bulbs in series. It's very easy to re-wire such a string to convert it into a single series string that will work at 220v.

[eelm]

Thanks Steven for your answer. Indeed been thinking about this but taxes got me last time I purchased something from the US so if I can find in Europe ... Was desperate and had almost given up and found a store this morning that had the leds strings I was looking for at a decent price. Bought one to test and went back right after and ruined their stock They might still wonder what am I going to do with all those lights As already said here this is nothing compared to what you guys are doing.

Spent my afternoon building my first set of mini trees. Will do some electrical surgery tomorrow to remove on some of the strings those useless effect controller boxes.

Everything is looking good this year

 

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[NorCal_Vet]

Another option is Amazon.co.uk.  They have 220 lights available.  Also Cora usually has lights available, not sure if your tried them.  There's one in Woluwe.  Also IKEA usually has lights available.

[eelm]

thanks for your answer. Already tried them and the issue is that those lights are running behind an ac to dc power adaptor which makes them useless with an LOR residential controller. Tried them all Cora, Ikea, and others also. You must use them with a DC controller board instead. I would be rather looking for AC led strings but for safety regulation it seems it is pretty rare here.

 

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[micheleboato]

Hi,

i m searching a place where i can to buy again. I found festive lights in uk but missed red, green, yellow colour and not is cheap

I find some led light on alibaba but the quility not is good and not is waterproof

[EmmienLightFan]

Finally, someone having the same problem as me!

The box controllers on DC LED Strings are easy to bypass. Just cut the wires either side and try them on different wires on the other side until they work.

I have been purchasing lights from Festive-Lights before. (Before I started with LOR).

Their lights (And the majority of lights that have "power supplies") do not run on DC! I just noticed this when I had brought a DC dimmer and power supply, and I had always been suspicious when it said "transformer" not "power supply", but I just thought they had just made a mistake. They run on Low voltage AC! The block is a transformer, not a DC power supply.

This means it is kinda hard to control them. You can read my topic asking about controlling them here: http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/35244-leds-not-working/

 

I will run some on my CMB24 at 30vdc (About what the AC power supply peaked at) and I will convert a CTB16PC to run on low voltage.

 

I have searched through Ikea, and Amazon, and Ebay, and Festive Lights, and so many many shops. ALL LED strings run on low voltage AC apart from rope lights and a few brand's (Festive-Light's) commercial mains voltage lights, which are really expensive. Incandescents are cheap here, but they are not allowed outside unless they are in rope lights. Festive-Light's connectables are good, as you are not paying for another transformer which you already have, but once again they run on AC.

 

You can run US 110v lights in series for 220v lights, but this can be dangerous, and you have to pay tax and shipping fees.

 

Because of all the complications involved with lights, I have a mainly RGB and smart pixel display. It is cheaper (For us) and makes it really special. CCRs and DMX pixels all work all over the world in exactly the same way, as the power supplies adjust to the voltages.

 

 

Also, what was that store you found. As soon as they have recovered from your purchases I might get some.

Edited March 1, 2015 by EmmienLightFan

[micheleboato]

:-( All vendor can't send to Europe and for to use led light with 110v on 220v i need to know the circuit diagram.

I'm looking for on aliexpress and alibaba but the quality is very poor and they want a minimal order 100 pieces...and there are many taxes

[micheleboato]

Hi,

with 220V and waterproof i found :

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Free-Shipping-New-220V-98-4FT-30M-300LED-Steady-ON-Pure-Warm-White-MultiColor-String-Lights/403176_32230776527.html

 

But i don t know if it s have the controller. I bought from this vendor other led light (not waterproof) and they have a controller with 8 effect (i resolved creating a bridge on the transistor)

 

So...I continue to look for solutions ....seems impossible

[EmmienLightFan]

Festive-Lights have red, green and yellow. Click on the correct length and cable colour you want and at the side you can select almost any colour.

 

I wouldn't get those lights. Any product with "living room" as an occasion, and "beautiful" as a feature should be well avoided, also, it says not dimmable.

 

Upon further inspection they look like good lights. The rubber bulge thing looks like a transformer, like the ones that go in the wall, so the lights don't fun on 220 v (It looks like it runs on 24v, as they have the same connector as festive-lights use). They can't be dimmed and they are just like having a transformer block in the wall.

 

Lights are hard to find. Here we cannot have incans outside unless they are low voltage (Rare), and the LEDs are connected in loads of small series, so they can run on much lower voltages.

 

Getting a low voltage AC dimmer would really help. If you do that, you can just go to the shops and buy ordinary lights, and use them, as well as many lights on the internet.

Edited March 3, 2015 by EmmienLightFan

[EmmienLightFan]

Or you can use battery powered lights on a CMB24