Just getting started please help.

[ericm]

2 hours ago, ~DOC~ said:

So I have a lot of Walmart holiday time lights are they half or full wave then. Will they hurt the controler if they are half?

I have nearly 80k of walmarts lights in my show, in 5 years not one string has failed.  Now I also do not have cold weather and snow to deal with down in Houston, but I usually clear out 2 or 3 stores the day after christmas clearance sales.  I have spent the money on sealed full wave lights in 2 places... My singing trees, and my C9 bulbs I line my roof, roof peaks, yard and flower beds with.  Other then that all my stuff is walmart. Warm white, red, green and working on collecting blue.  I have no issues with flickers and any of the dimming curves that are used. 

Edited September 28, 2018 by ericm

[dibblejr]

5 hours ago, ericm said:

I have nearly 80k of walmarts lights in my show, in 5 years not one string has failed.  Now I also do not have cold weather and snow to deal with down in Houston, but I usually clear out 2 or 3 stores the day after christmas clearance sales.  I have spent the money on sealed full wave lights in 2 places... My singing trees, and my C9 bulbs I line my roof, roof peaks, yard and flower beds with.  Other then that all my stuff is walmart. Warm white, red, green and working on collecting blue.  I have no issues with flickers and any of the dimming curves that are used. 

Blue 100 ct was next to impossible to find here last year. Must have been a shortage.

My hook head broke on the MT and the guy wires to my tower cut about 10 strands. I was forced to take my arches and many of my mini trees apart to use the blue strands.

This year I already see blue 50’s on the shelf but no 100’s. If I see them I plan on buying the entire pallet even at their premium price.

JR

[Mr. P]

18 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

Blue 100 ct was next to impossible to find here last year. Must have been a shortage.

Big Lots, I got 50 boxes of blue C6's last year @ $1 a box after the Holidays.

Edited September 28, 2018 by Mr. P

[Goldie1970]

My suggestion is the At Home store if available in your area, especially when they drop prices to 50-75% off AFTER the holidays. Think ahead for next year, you don’t need to know exactly what you are doing with the lights, but buy a bunch and think in groups of 4. I think I added about 60-80 light strands, good quality extension cords (probably 20), 2 inflatables, led 2 foot tall ornaments.....all for about $200 after Christmas. They will make up my leaping arches this year and other options. 

I also got a 15 foot tall family of three polar bears from sams for about $40....down from $200. No clue where that’s going!  Need to cut down some bushes!

[ericm]

8 hours ago, Goldie1970 said:

My suggestion is the At Home store if available in your area, especially when they drop prices to 50-75% off AFTER the holidays. Think ahead for next year, you don’t need to know exactly what you are doing with the lights, but buy a bunch and think in groups of 4. I think I added about 60-80 light strands, good quality extension cords (probably 20), 2 inflatables, led 2 foot tall ornaments.....all for about $200 after Christmas. They will make up my leaping arches this year and other options. 

I also got a 15 foot tall family of three polar bears from sams for about $40....down from $200. No clue where that’s going!  Need to cut down some bushes!

Oh i never really know what i am going to do with the ones I buy....just buy everything I can and figure out later...