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Fun => The Porch => Topic started by: sirwesley on September 30, 2009,

Title: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: sirwesley on September 30, 2009,
Suggestions on where to get LED Lights?  Should I get C9's C7's, 5mm?

I'm looking at http://www.environmentallights.com (http://www.environmentallights.com) right now.

Will these lights go on sale after Christmas, so I can stock up for next year?

Thanx,
Wesley
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: REM on September 30, 2009,
Its hard to beat Wal-Mart's after Christmas sale.  When regular minis hit about .60 cents that's the bottom I think. Also dont assume since the store or two closest to you is wiped out that other stores are too.  It's all about the neighborhood.  My 2 closest stores were dry but another 20 minutes away they had a goldmine leftover.

Ron
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: sirwesley on September 30, 2009,
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When regular minis hit about .60 cents that's the bottom I think.
.60 cents for LED mini's?!?
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: WWNF911 on September 30, 2009,
That would be for regular minis.

The LED's went after Christmas for somewhere between 4 and 8 bucks.

Leon
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: lortiz on September 30, 2009,
I bought blue and white 70 count LED minis at $1.20 in my nearby K-Mart stores during after Christmas sales.

Of course I emptied 2 stores  ::)

Leo
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: WWNF911 on September 30, 2009,
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I bought blue and white 70 count LED minis at $1.20 in my nearby K-Mart stores during after Christmas sales.

Of course I emptied 2 stores  ::)

Leo



Ahhh but those are likely half wave. Not really noticable until you dim them (They'll flicker)

Nice find though :)

Leon
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: prattdady08 on September 30, 2009,
How can you tell if they are half wave or not? I had seen some at target this past week that were 6 bucks for 60ct mini led's but was hesitant to pick any up for the fact that they don't dim well.
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: sirwesley on September 30, 2009,
Look for Rectified (flicker-free) lights: http://www.ledchristmaslights.com/red-5mm-flex-change (http://www.ledchristmaslights.com/red-5mm-flex-change)
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: sirwesley on September 30, 2009,
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How can you tell if they are half wave or not? I had seen some at target this past week that were 6 bucks for 60ct mini led's but was hesitant to pick any up for the fact that they don't dim well.
This article might help:  http://www.ledchristmaslights.com/all-led-christmas-lights-are-not-created-equal (http://www.ledchristmaslights.com/all-led-christmas-lights-are-not-created-equal)
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: BryanV on September 30, 2009,
what is the current prices for 100 count regular mini's like in the US.  Here in Canada I can't find 100 regular mini's for under 9.00.  I think I need to make a trip down to Bellingham and find a Target or Walmart.  Could anybody in the Washington area let me know how prices are doing and if any stores are currently stocking lights.
Thanks
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: jnealand on September 30, 2009,
The target by my house in the Atlanta area has the 100 minis for $2.49 in target brand or $4.49 in Phillips brand.
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: sirwesley on October 01, 2009,
Just found that Lowe's is selling 100ct wide angle LEDs (half-wave) for 10.47 and each purchase of these lights come with a 10-OFF-50 Coupon. So I can essentially walk out of the door at Lowe's with 500ct LED lights for around 46 bucks (including tax).
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: BryanV on October 01, 2009,
can you let us in on the secret of finding the coupon
Thanks ;)
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: sirwesley on October 01, 2009,
I just walked in. Found these lights and there was a Coupon inside of the box.  They were advertising it.  Almost as if they want to get rid of the Flicker (half-wave) LEDs
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: sirwesley on October 01, 2009,
Sadly they don't have solid colors though.  I'm manually going through strand by strand and converting them all to one color. 
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: joshuashu on October 01, 2009,
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Sadly they don't have solid colors though.  I'm manually going through strand by strand and converting them all to one color. 

ever notice how their is like 2 orange for every 1 blue. makes it hard to make a blue strand.
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: solidmodeler on October 01, 2009,
Might have to watch doing the one color strings from multi's. The colors use different voltages and you could end up with a brighter string compared to the other. Can't remember the exact voltages but usually blue has higher voltage requirements when in series.
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: tbone321 on October 01, 2009,
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Sadly they don't have solid colors though.  I'm manually going through strand by strand and converting them all to one color. 

ever notice how their is like 2 orange for every 1 blue. makes it hard to make a blue strand.

They do that because certian colors are harder and cost more money to make.
Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: sirwesley on October 01, 2009,
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Might have to watch doing the one color strings from multi's. The colors use different voltages and you could end up with a brighter string compared to the other. Can't remember the exact voltages but usually blue has higher voltage requirements when in series.

Yeah I've noticed that.  Also, there are two types of bulbs in these strands.  One bulb with a longer stem, and one with a shorter stubby stem. The longer one is the one used primarily throughout the strand, but right before the rectifier, they use the short one.  You can swap out the LEDs inside of them, but the LED's themselves are very different.  I have really only noticed a difference in brightness however, on the "converted" orange strands (which I don't intend on using anyways, except for Halloween)

But my Reds, Greens, and Blues are plenty bright  8)

These sets come with two replacement bulbs, however they are always "long" blue and "long" red, no short ones :( 

Title: Re: Where to get LED lights? What Type?
Post by: sirwesley on October 01, 2009,
With all these Lowes coupons I've been getting, I've decided to go door to door in my neighborhood and pass them out along with a strand of my unopened "classic" mini's to encourage them to decorate for the Holidays.  My street is always very dark, except for my house of course  :P  Hopefully I can change that this year, with a little Christmas cheer   :)