LED christmas lights

westbranch

Well that day is coming soon and I have the job today of putting up some exterior 120 v AC LEDs. Got me thinking since it was - 28 C ( - 34 with the windchill factor) this morning and I am in no rush to go out just yet...... are there any 12v Christmas LED's (strings) available out there for use at our cabin?
I know from the 12 v MR16 LED's we use at the cabin that they (LEDs) are indifferent to AC or DC voltage so the question is where can one get some at a reasonable cost?

I found this pricey site :

http://www.imaginarycolours.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=12vStrings
running at about $1 per led...

cheers,
Eric

Cariboocoot

Re: LED christmas lights

"Reasonable cost"?
Eric, you live in BC! NOTHING here meets that criterion!

RCinFLA

Re: LED christmas lights

You will likely be better off with the 120vac LED string. A 12 vdc LED string would only be efficient if it has a current sourcing switching power supply.

The 120vac strings usually just use a capacitor ballast, like an inductor ballast on older flourescent lights. You likely have enough inductive stuff (including inverter) that the capacitive power factor of the 120vac string will be washed out.

tmarch

Re: LED christmas lights

I'm looking at the strip lights they use for cars, lots of options for color etc.

techntrek

Re: LED christmas lights

If you are talking about electroluminescent lighting, I have some of that and it is really cool. Not cheap though. But it will run on DC since it has its own high-frequency power supply.

CDN_VT

Re: LED christmas lights

Mr Eric
Last year I purchased a few of these in different colours.
:http://www.dealextreme.com/p/30-led-2-mode-battery-powered-blue-string-light-3-aa-3-5m-length-46567

So when I finally got the tree up , I hung the led lights outside .. There quite bright..

westbranch

Re: LED christmas lights

I just searched at our C-Tire store and Santa must have kicked butt with the elves after he read that unanswered 2 year old posting of mine..
In Colours @$12 use 3 x AA batteries
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/ChristmasToys/2/LightsChristmas/LEDLightsChristmas/PRD~0512880P/Outdoor+Battery-Operated+25+Mini+LED+Lights%2C+Multi-Coloured.jsp?locale=en

and in White @ $15 use 9V battery
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/ChristmasToys/2/LightsChristmas/LEDLightsChristmas/PRD~0512881P/Outdoor+Battery-Operated+25+Mini+LED+Lights%2C+Warm+White.jsp?locale=en

Merry Christmas

RCinFLA

Re: LED christmas lights

westbranch wrote: »

I just searched at our C-Tire store and Santa must have kicked butt with the elves after he read that unanswered 2 year old posting of mine..
In Colours @$12 use 3 x AA batteries
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/ChristmasToys/2/LightsChristmas/LEDLightsChristmas/PRD~0512880P/Outdoor+Battery-Operated+25+Mini+LED+Lights%2C+Multi-Coloured.jsp?locale=en

and in White @ $15 use 9V battery
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/ChristmasToys/2/LightsChristmas/LEDLightsChristmas/PRD~0512881P/Outdoor+Battery-Operated+25+Mini+LED+Lights%2C+Warm+White.jsp?locale=en

Merry Christmas

Make sure you buy a ton of batteries. They will likely eat a set of batteries ever few hours, 9V battery model less time.

westbranch

Re: LED christmas lights

Good point RC, somewhere here I have a 12v 'cigarette plug-in' type of voltage reducer I will try with an old RV battery (that is dying) as an experiment... SWMBO - She who must be obeyed has a 'need' to light up the welcome sign in the front yard...

techntrek

Re: LED christmas lights

CDN_VT, I got a good laugh out of that picture.

Volvo Farmer

Re: LED christmas lights

CDN_VT wrote: »

Mr Eric
Last year I purchased a few of these in different colours.
:http://www.dealextreme.com/p/30-led-2-mode-battery-powered-blue-string-light-3-aa-3-5m-length-46567

If you look around on Deal Extreme, you'll also find solar powered LED string lights. We put several strings of white ones up as night lights. I extended the wire on one solar panel and put it outside, but on another one we just put the panel in a south facing window. They work well, and if the battery quits, it's replaceable with any 1.2V Nimh.