Weird LED Net light issue - Any suggestions on a fix?

[tlogan]

Last night I noticed a weird issue with one of my LED nets. It was new this year (scored it at Walmart BEOFRE Halloween!). Anyway, half the net lights up fine, then, about 3/4s of the other half are barley lit, then the final 1/4 of that half lights up fine. Last year I had an issue with  a dimly lit net light, but it was the entire net that was affected and it turned out to be a bad extension cord. Since most of this one is lit, I don't think it's the extension cord.

Any suggestions on something to try, or is it even worth it?

[TheDucks]

12 minutes ago, tlogan said:

Last night I noticed a weird issue with one of my LED nets. It was new this year (scored it at Walmart BEOFRE Halloween!). Anyway, half the net lights up fine, then, about 3/4s of the other half are barley lit, then the final 1/4 of that half lights up fine. Last year I had an issue with  a dimly lit net light, but it was the entire net that was affected and it turned out to be a bad extension cord. Since most of this one is lit, I don't think it's the extension cord.

Any suggestions on something to try, or is it even worth it?

Bad LED, in that string SECTION is running in Bypass mode (or just leakage current from a rusted LED socket). JUNK it if any rust, it just gets worse 😒 (A section is about 70 bulbs)

[tlogan]

Thanks. I guess I'll have to pull it down and take a closer look under better light. It's been pretty cloudy so the daylight is the greatest. SHOULDN'T be any rust yet, but we have had an early snow, so it's possible.

[DLH lites]

TL, a LED lite keeper is a good friend. I have fixed many led lite sets with one. you can test each led to find bad one .   Nets are a pain to fix , I just had one that was half out ,35 out of 70  tested every led all work fine but  for one blue one , replaced it back in business . for some reason the blue are the first to go.  Then I had one I spent about an hour or more on all leds worked but not the net saved the leds trashed the net it was 4 years old. I usually get stuff after Christmas on sale but here in fort lauderdale there is nothing left any where , Home depot has already put out all their spring and summer patio stuff where Christmas deco was.  I will keep an eye out at the thrift stores ,folks stayed home a did deco at home, next year its back to granny's for the holidays so I think sum of it will end up there.

David

[tlogan]

Thanks. I have an LED Keeper but have yet to successfully fix a single LED string using the supplied instructions. Guess I need to do some more research. I did pull the net down yesterday (before the rain and heavy winds we expect today...already been raining since 6:00am and wind is expected overnight...could gust to 50!). I took a pretty close look at the wiring from the point of failure to where it's working again but didn't see anything. Also swapped extension cords just in case. Didn't notice that any one led was totally out. Checked fuses, just in case, and they both checked out. I went ahead and put it back out. It's kind of in a spot that wraps around the bush so you see most of it from the front and there is some light on side of the bush and it's dark right at the corner...almost like I meant to do it that way.. If it bothers me enough I'll just fold it back over itself to cover the bad spot with the good spot.

Agreed,,, at least two weeks ago HD was TOTALLY out of lights and accessories. It's not like they condensed down to what was left....it was just ALL gone. And if it REALLY bother me, I have a couple of other color nets that I bought at Walmart before Halloween, so I could swap it out.

[jtomason]

Here’s my approach to use the LED Keeper for a string; a net is the same with more obtuse wiring patterns.  :)

 

Start at the point between where the lights work and don’t work properly.   LED Keeper gives you clips to mark this, put one there (I don’t even bother, I just put the “good part” to my left and keep the “bad part” at my left hand..)

 

Now go halfway through the bad part and stick the “main” lead in the jaws at the end of the LED Keeper and pull the trigger.   This should light LEDs towards the good side and none towards the other.    If they all light up on the “left (where I keep the good ones), great.    Move your marker to the spot the LED keeper is in and repeat this step, halving the string until lights to the “left” do NOT light up.   

Once you have lights to the “left” not lighting up, then go the other direction, halving the distance again and repeating the test.  Eventually you will come to the point where they all light up on the left until you move one bulb over.  That bulb is bad.  

Easy-easy once you get the hang of it.

Obviously this is more complicated with a net, but it’s still doable.    Good luck!