DiyLightAnimation

Fun => The Porch => Topic started by: CB on March 31, 2011,

Title: another light/addiction source
Post by: CB on March 31, 2011,
I just located another Xmas light source that is not only as cost effective but also as reliable as CDI.  Please forgive me because I am in a hurry to share this so I am doing so from my phone and cannot properly add a hyperlink. 
www.christmaslightsdirect.net
The only pain is that you have to sign up and then 3 days later you will get approved and be able to view pricing.  They sell incans and LEDs, not quite the same amount of selection as CDI but cheaper of some things.  I just received a large order of incans and LEDs and they are all quality (so far).

Happy shopping DLAers,

Corey
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on March 31, 2011,
 I seen this site before but tne company thing kinda spooked me. I am  interested in the prices if you would'nt mind sharing..
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: CB on March 31, 2011,
I will post more tomorrow from my computer but just from memory: incans 100 ct are $4.20 ea and come in cases of 12, 50 ct are $4.70 ea in cases of 24; LEDs were just a touch under CDI prices at 70 ct but are cheaper at 100 ct from CDI.  I want to say average 70 ct LEDs were $160 for a case of 12.
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on March 31, 2011,
Not bad at all. I'm gonna sign up and see what they have..thanks much.
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on April 01, 2011,
they want a company website address, a resale tax number, and a company name. I dont have any of the three..
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on April 01, 2011,
have you seen this site? http://www.aachristmas.com/vpasp/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=520   the prices seem pretty good..
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on April 01, 2011,
http://www.aachristmas.com/  thats the home page..
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: cubbieco on April 02, 2011,
Those incandescents are 6.1 cents per bulb which is good but not great.  Unfortunately no word on power consumption.  For incandescents look at the philips from target (mostly out of stock but still represented online).  http://www.target.com/s?keywords=christmas+lights&searchNodeID=1038576|1287991011&ref=sr_bx_1_1&x=0&y=0  I'm hoping they will be back next year.

The 400 heavy duty string is 24 watts per hundred and only costs 5.5 cents per bulb with a nifty scroll.  The single color strings from target were 4.49 per hundred or 4.49 cents per bulb.  These ones were 19.2 watts per string.  Not as good as the 4-5 watts for LEDs but much better than the 40 watts from cheapie strings.  No word on quality yet since this year will be my first show but I don't know if I trust the quality from a generic web site either.

I can't afford LEDs yet but I'm using the Philips heavy duty lights.  A string of 100 is only 24 watts of power instead of 40 from most regular strings.  The last web site it is hard to say but I bet it is the 40 watts.  If I were to buy 40 watt strings I would just get the cheapies from Walmart.

For LEDs the best price I've seen (posted here in another thread) is here:  http://www.holiday-light-express.com/ .  It varies on color but without having to buy bulk the 70 strings are $9 - $10 or 13 to 15 cents per bulb which is great for LEDs.  Haven't seen better anywhere.

Since LEDs are out of my price range personally I'll finish buying my lights as soon as the box stores put them out in November making sure to buy the energy efficient light strings instead of the regular ones unless I find a better deal online (which I haven't so far).
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on April 02, 2011,
well, the 400 count strings are not good for me with multi channels. I like 100 count strings and for 5.9 cents per bulb, I cant complain.. like you I cant afford led's this year... <pop..
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: CB on April 02, 2011,
I will run some tests on the lights I received last week and see but so far I am impressed.  I didn't enter a business I'd for signing up nor placing my order so ether I slipped through a crack or that text is meant to thwart off non-business owners due to arrangements they have with their vendors.  I bought LEDs and incans both and like I said they seem like quality pieces.  However I am still a fan on the LEDs from CDI but that is solely because of the packaging (or lack there of).
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on April 02, 2011,

Well CB, I don't know how you got thru that crack but at that price, I need to butter my big head and slip thru there too.
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on April 05, 2011,
CB, have you tested the lights?
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: chrisatpsu on April 05, 2011,
i can't go full led this year, but i plan on not doing anymore incan purchases...

i'll have more up front cost in the strings, but...

I'll save money on electricity once the show is running and I wont need to worry about getting large amounts of current (multiple circuits) into the yard saving me on buying sunpanels, etc...
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on April 05, 2011,
Its that time of the year that I try not to worry about what the electric bill is. Albeit I don't want a $400 bill either. Its good to say what the heck sometimes.
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: CB on April 05, 2011,
Yes, I finally got to test them lastnight.  The 50 light strands that are noted as being 15' are actually 16'-3" long with the female and male end whips, use 20.4 Watts or 0.17 amps per set, the spacing is 3" between the lights.  Plus I verified they still work if a bulb is burned out or missing.

The bulbs are bright yet remained relatively cool to the touch after burning nonstop for over an hour. 

The 100 count strings are essentially just under double what I stated above.

The LEDs are as follows:
70 count strings that are 24' long with 4" spacing
4.8 Watts per string
They are full wave (no flicker)

I am not the biggest fan of incans but for some of my decor elements they work well because they are on so intermittently that the draw and consumption is not as big concern to me.  Eventually I will replace them with LEDs but for now the money tree is still growing so it only spits out $1 at a time and not yet up to $20/50 bills.
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on April 05, 2011,
That's great. I just got the price sheet from them as well. Leds are sold out. The incans are priced great. Thanks for the bench info CB
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: CB on April 05, 2011,
Anytime buddy that is what this is all for.  Also, keep in mind that CDI has some pretty decent pricing on incans as a back-up (however you have to buy 50 ea of the 50ct or 25 ea of the 100ct).

I only know because I noticed them during my splurge LED shopping on Sunday to fill the shed.
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on April 06, 2011,
CB, did you actually talk to anyone at the wholesale light place? They just emailed me and said only if I have a business can they sell them to me and wants a phone call first to assure them.
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: CB on April 06, 2011,
I never actually talked with anyone there directly on the phone, just ordered through e-mail and that was all.
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on April 06, 2011,
Maybe my order was to big..
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: CB on April 06, 2011,
My order was pretty large as well, with 5 cases of 50ct incans, 1 case of 100ct incans and 6 cases of LEDs.  I guess I got lucky.  Like I said though CDI has some decent pricing on incans too.
Title: Re: another light/addiction source
Post by: sirloinofbeef001 on April 06, 2011,
I tried to order 28000 lights. Must have set off a bell.