LED Or Regular Christmas Lights?

[Jdawg84]

Looking like using LED's is going to cost double compared to the standard lights. Are LED's worth the added cost?

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Yes, much longer life span and better power saving. Check places like Big Lots for deals.

 

[Numenorean]

Wasn't there some problems with the LED lights? Or was it just the LED ones from China or something?

 

[Jdawg84]

Hmmm.. Big Lots

 

[Leros]

If you get LEDs, make sure you get the ones with full wave rectification. Otherwise, they blink at 60Hz which is noticeable.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Sears also had some LED net lights on sale recently, they were a little under 13 bucks a set. I am in one of those way over the top areas though that go nuts on Xmas. Snow making machines, LED goodness etc etc.

 

[tRaptor]

LED all the way. Just don't get them at walmart. This is one thing you gotta head over to the home improvement stores.

 

[Jdawg84]

LED all the way. Just don't get them at walmart. This is one thing you gotta head over to the home improvement stores.

Whats wrong with the ones at walmart? :biggrin:

 

[JS80]

I hear 3D is all the rage right now.

 

[tRaptor]

In my experience you get better quality for about the same price. Plus they usually have some good deals.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

In my experience you get better quality for about the same price. Plus they usually have some good deals.

The sales at Lowes etc have been pretty poor lately. The selection is also low. I guess last year they got stuck with a lot of inventory. Anyhow, ho, ho, ho.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLzMjB2splY

 

[LikeLinus]

We got LED lights from both Home Depot and Lowes last year and promptly return them. We all agreed that they looked like crap because they give off a bright white/blue color and look poor. You just can't beat the nice warm yellow glow of regular christmas lights.

We thought maybe it was the ones we got at Home Depot and went to Lowes to get some different ones...same outcome. They just look bad.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

We got LED lights from both Home Depot and Lowes last year and promptly return them. We all agreed that they looked like crap because they give off a bright white/blue color and look poor. You just can't beat the nice warm yellow glow of regular christmas lights.

Correct, they have LED's that do have a kind of blue look to them. I like blue LED's but only the ones that are suppose to be blue.

 

[mmntech]

LED are better. Besides the power savings and longer life, they store better. It's a major pain in the ass replacing shattered bulbs every year.

 

[sjwaste]

LED if the color looks ok to you. For one, you have less to worry about when stringing multiple lengths together. They use so little power that you just need fewer outlets.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

LED if the color looks ok to you. For one, you have less to worry about when stringing multiple lengths together. They use so little power that you just need fewer outlets.

Some LED strings will say to only use 3 sets max, so you have to make sure you get some that allow for more if you want to make long runs. I asked about what happens if you use more then 3 on those types and the person told me they start to get dimmer. Pretty much getting commercial ones avoids this issue, or just check the maximum connections on the box.

 

[rockyct]

Here's the deal about Christmas lights. I put about 30,000 of them on my house every year, so I know what I'm talking about.

LEDs by themselves last an incredibly long time. The problem is that most LED strings are very poorly made. They usually don't get the correct voltage and over driving them can burn them out in a few seasons. Almost all that you find in stores lack full wave rectifiers so there is a very annoying 60 Hz flicker. The colors can be very brilliant like the blues, but white is very harsh since it's really blue with a tinge of yellow. There are warm white strings but even they cannot match incandescent clear strings.

However, the absolute biggest problem is that they rust. If the LEDs are not sealed, they will rust and can in just a few weeks outside. The LED leads are made of metal that rusts and eventually will corrode. Do not buy any LED strands with replaceable bulbs. I've had good luck with sealed LED strands but most of the LED replaceable strands lose a couple LEDs a year to rust.

Also, a 100 count string of incandescent can be as cheap as $2-3. The lowest you'll find a 100 count LED string is around $12-15. Usually 50 count strings go for $10. If you buy cheap LED strings, they won't last much longer than an incandescent string and will not make up the difference in price by energy savings.

I love the look of the LED colors but you're going to have to spend $20 a string to get something of quality that will last a while.

 

[rockyct]

Some LED strings will say to only use 3 sets max, so you have to make sure you get some that allow for more if you want to make long runs. I asked about what happens if you use more then 3 on those types and the person told me they start to get dimmer. Pretty much getting commercial ones avoids this issue, or just check the maximum connections on the box.

The 3 set rule predated LEDs but companies were forced to keep the warning on the package until last year I think. You can put about 20 strings end to end just fine.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

The 3 set rule predated LEDs but companies were forced to keep the warning on the package until last year I think. You can put about 20 strings end to end just fine.

I didn't look at anything but net lights this year. But last year was when I spoke to someone about the more then 3 string deal. Some strings I have bought can go up to 45.

 

[lxskllr]

Go retro with candles. You can't beat the look.

 

[Squisher]

Until you spend an entire day every year going through strings replacing one bulb at a time trying to find the infamous one that is defective because 1/2, 1/3, or 1/4 of the string will not light you will never truly appreciate LEDs.

 

[Mojoed]

Here's the deal about Christmas lights. I put about 30,000 of them on my house every year, so I know what I'm talking about.

LEDs by themselves last an incredibly long time. The problem is that most LED strings are very poorly made. They usually don't get the correct voltage and over driving them can burn them out in a few seasons. Almost all that you find in stores lack full wave rectifiers so there is a very annoying 60 Hz flicker. The colors can be very brilliant like the blues, but white is very harsh since it's really blue with a tinge of yellow. There are warm white strings but even they cannot match incandescent clear strings.

However, the absolute biggest problem is that they rust. If the LEDs are not sealed, they will rust and can in just a few weeks outside. The LED leads are made of metal that rusts and eventually will corrode. Do not buy any LED strands with replaceable bulbs. I've had good luck with sealed LED strands but most of the LED replaceable strands lose a couple LEDs a year to rust.

Also, a 100 count string of incandescent can be as cheap as $2-3. The lowest you'll find a 100 count LED string is around $12-15. Usually 50 count strings go for $10. If you buy cheap LED strings, they won't last much longer than an incandescent string and will not make up the difference in price by energy savings.

I love the look of the LED colors but you're going to have to spend $20 a string to get something of quality that will last a while.

Sounds like you know what you're talking about. Got any links?

 

[lykaon78]

Gotta agree with rockyct. I put up maybe 3,000 lights and each year I put them out I end up running to the store to replace 4-5 strands that have a short or outright don't work.

For non-LED you can usual find 100ct strands around $5. So I end up replacing $20-25 worth of bulbs each year. Assuming that same problem occurs with LEDs your looking at roughly $12 a pop or $48-60 total. I've never done the math but I bet that extra 25 bucks is not covered by the electricity savings.

Plus, we use all white lights and non-LED lights are much warmer and have a better look than than the LED bulbs. I prefer the warm yellow white over the cool blue white of the LED bulbs.

 

[BoomerD]

I like the intensity of color in the LED colored sets, but not the "white" ones.
There's a house nearby that uses all "deep blue" bulbs. They do the outline of the house, roofline, windows, fences, everything...It's kind of striking...BUT, I'll stick with my incandescents for now.
(IIRC, the newest sets I have are 6-8 years old.)

 

[Jdawg84]

Until you spend an entire day every year going through strings replacing one bulb at a time trying to find the infamous one that is defective because 1/2, 1/3, or 1/4 of the string will not light you will never truly appreciate LEDs.

Anyone else thinking the exact same thing?