Is this crazy?

[MikeERWNC]

I think that the Wal-Mart light set are more forgiving.

I have had great luck with them.

 

I am wondering if GMAC used Wal-Mart or another brand of lights?

 

This thread is important info for my next year's plan.

[gmac]

I think that the Wal-Mart light set are more forgiving.

I have had great luck with them.

 

I am wondering if GMAC used Wal-Mart or another brand of lights?

 

This thread is important info for my next year's plan.

No they weren't walmart lights..........I got them from a local hardware store and don't remember the brand,  I needed a quick fix on my mini trees

[MikeERWNC]

No they weren't walmart lights..........I got them from a local hardware store and don't remember the brand,  I needed a quick fix on my mini trees

Then I am with you. HD and Lowes lights.

Many hours of pulling and sore fingers just to have a smelly living room with a lot of burnt out LED's.

Good Times!

[Max-Paul]

My only answer that makes sense is that there must be a wire wart somewhere(s). that contain a constant current controller. It will vary the voltage applied to the string in order to keep the current at say 20 mA. But even so, these devices have a range that they will be able to control over.

[MikeERWNC]

Most of the Wal-Mart stuff I have has a small 3" regulator or something for each 35 lights on a seventy count string.

[eurbani]

I had an epiphany last night. The LEDs on 5 of the 6 set types that I have experience with are all the same voltage. How do I know? Consider this example.

You have a 12V power supply. You can control one 12V light. You can put two lights rated at 6V in series and have no issues. Now, put a light rated at 8V and one rated at 4V. What happens? The 4V light will blow.

I believe that the same thing will happen with LEDs. If you have a set of X LEDs in series. Their individual voltage supplied will be 120V/X.

The one set of lights that I had issues with (Big Lots Smooth M5 multicolor), had a resistor in series with some of the LEDs and others without. They were trying to make some of the lower voltage LEDs sockets (not the LEDs, but the socket for the lower rated LEDs) use more current. That would protect the lower voltage rated LEDs. But when you start to mess with this delicate balance by switching colors, you are also moving around LEDs of different voltage ratings and their resisters and tada--Magic Smoke is released.

Thoughts?

[kiplorenzo]

there is an easier thing than changing the bulbs... Rosco (Stage Company) used to have a coloring dip for any light below 40 W. I'm not sure if it is still made, but check with any theater lighting company.

 

Kip

[TheJackal]

I'm leaving my strings alone. I changed the layout.....I still need more lights and am kicking myself for not cleaning out Walmart.

[MikeERWNC]

I still need more lights and am kicking myself for not cleaning out Walmart.

When Big Lots in our town went 90% off, I told my wife get what you want from there.

I had already bought all their colored stuff at 50% off.

She went in and took a buggy to the shelf. She said there was a woman looking at all the lights which were left, mostly incans.

My wife took every LED on the shelves and put them in her buggy.

She said the woman had a look of WTF! It was only 19 boxes of 120 count cool white smooth.

I laughed, I can only imagine what people thought when I was loading up the cart with cases of lights stacked high.

NEVER! EVER! Leave LEDs on the shelf!

 

Next year I am not buying out every store at 50% off. But if I see 90% off. They are all mine!

Edited March 2, 2014 by MikeERWNC

[Max-Paul]

I had an epiphany last night. The LEDs on 5 of the 6 set types that I have experience with are all the same voltage. How do I know? Consider this example.

You have a 12V power supply. You can control one 12V light. You can put two lights rated at 6V in series and have no issues. Now, put a light rated at 8V and one rated at 4V. What happens? The 4V light will blow.

I believe that the same thing will happen with LEDs. If you have a set of X LEDs in series. Their individual voltage supplied will be 120V/X.

The one set of lights that I had issues with (Big Lots Smooth M5 multicolor), had a resistor in series with some of the LEDs and others without. They were trying to make some of the lower voltage LEDs sockets (not the LEDs, but the socket for the lower rated LEDs) use more current. That would protect the lower voltage rated LEDs. But when you start to mess with this delicate balance by switching colors, you are also moving around LEDs of different voltage ratings and their resisters and tada--Magic Smoke is released.

Thoughts?

You said that if you put a 8v and 4v light on a 12v P.S. that the 4v light will popHNot true! Also I can put two 6v lights on a 12v P.S. and make one pop. reason that what I say is true is that it matters what wattage the lights are. Ok, if the 8 & 4 volt lamps are of the same current of say 40mA then they both will burn. But if say the 8v lamp is .5A and the 4v was still 4mA. then yes the 4v lamp would pop. Same holds true of the two 6v lamps. If one is of a higher wattage, the lower wattage could very well pop. There are apples and there are oranges. Best not mix them in the same barrel.

[eurbani]

You said that if you put a 8v and 4v light on a 12v P.S. that the 4v light will popHNot true! Also I can put two 6v lights on a 12v P.S. and make one pop. reason that what I say is true is that it matters what wattage the lights are. Ok, if the 8 & 4 volt lamps are of the same current of say 40mA then they both will burn. But if say the 8v lamp is .5A and the 4v was still 4mA. then yes the 4v lamp would pop. Same holds true of the two 6v lamps. If one is of a higher wattage, the lower wattage could very well pop. There are apples and there are oranges. Best not mix them in the same barrel.

 

OK, that makes sense.  So, how does one backwards engineer a LED to find out the wattage (and/or the voltage)?

 

See my current measurements on post #20 above.  Green and Blue clearly draw less current than red and amber do.  But all were in series originally and the lower wattage LEDs (green and blue) didn't blow.