LED OR Tradtional Lighting

[scooterbugs25]

Just wondering what you all like the best?

I like the tradtional mini lights, The LED lights dont look real and they hurt my eyes.

[Jinglebelle]

I've never tried the LED kind, and had never heard of them till Dominick told me about them...

I'm a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas. I doubt I'll try them...

[dominick]

I use both (not on the same tree, of course). I really like the few LED "spider" style motion sets that I have. They're a real pain to get to work with a rotating tree stand, though. They don't look right on larger trees, either.

I'm yet to try outdoor LED sets. I'll likely try to buy some at the end of this season for next year.

[WintersElf]

im a traditional gal....never tried the LED.. not sure i will....i like my old lights i have...what is the difference anyways in a nut shell...

[dominick]

Advantages of LED: Less power usage (lower operating cost) and longer life of the bulbs. Basically with a quality set, you'll get season after season with every "bulb" lighting every time. They don't really get hot like a traditional bulb, so fire hazards are lessened.

Disadvantages of LED: Bulky transformers and the look. Because LEDs use so little electricity (and current can only pass through a diode one way, but that's more than needs to be discussed), most if not all use a transformer to lower house current to an acceptable level. They take up room on a power strip, and they themselves can get hot with use. Aside from that, a lot of people just plain don't like the way they look. I am not one of those people.

[scooterbugs25]

I think that the Colored LED lights are pretty.. especialy the blue.

I dont like the looks of the "clear" or white lights..they hurt my eyes and dont look like a regular clear light bulb..

[Santa's Helper]

Most of the LED light displays I've seen, I don't like. BUT I've also thought those lights are better than NO lights! :D

I find them way too dull/soft looking.

[dominick]

Are you sure you were looking at an LED set? LEDs are notoriously bright and vivid to the point that some say they hurt their eyes.

[tank1976]

I seen some of the LED lights the other day. I kind of liked them.

[Santa's Helper]

Are you sure you were looking at an LED set? LEDs are notoriously bright and vivid to the point that some say they hurt their eyes.

I'm pretty sure they are :?: You can get them at Wal-Mart or Canadian Tire or Home Hardware out here, anyway...Not a smooth bulb, but sort of 'chipped' looking. The colours look (outside, anyway) like they are faded or something, but they do have a different glow to them than traditional ones.

They're the 'energy saving' type. Terribly dull looking in comparison with the regular ones, seriously. They sort of bug my eyes looking at them also but not because they're too bright. That's the reason we don't have them and some other people I've talked with, but so many neighbours seem to I guess especially with the price of hydro these days :D

[dominick]

All LEDs are energy saving. It's just a benefit of their use. An LED by nature requires far less energy to light than a traditional style bulb.

[Santa's Helper]

I'm sure they'd be the same ones I'm talking about then...for sure less energy would be a big benefit of using them. If I had to choose, I'd say the blue ones are probably the nicest in my opinion - a nice soft blue glow in the snow looks pretty.

[dominick]

Brightness is going to vary from set to set. LEDs can be very bright. There are a lot of traffic signals that use LEDs now, a lot of cars have LED tail lights, and LED flashlights are among the brightest on the market. I have one of my 3 D cell maglites converted to LED and it absolutely blows my other traditional one away while still using less power.

[Santa's Helper]

Really?! That sounds neat! :) I guess the average set we've seen around are the probably just the kind that are 'easily' available in our area then...to me, the brighter the better! LOL :lol:

[dominick]

Okay, I'm bored so I pulled out the tripod and took this picture. Two of the same model Maglites both with fresh batteries. The one on the right has a single LED in place of the bulb... no other changes of any sort.

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/8619/comparevd1.jpg

[Jinglebelle]

Wow! Led is brighter!! I need to get one for my mag lite!

[dominick]

They're kind of pricey... about $20 last time I checked. I probably wouldn't have bought one if I weren't so fascinated by LEDs and had I not had a Sears gift card at the time.

One downside to them is that the beam does not stay as "tight" as the regular bulb, but that doesn't come into play until about 125ft out. Other than that, it will stay much brighter, much longer with the same set of batteries. Even before it's about to die it's still brighter than the traditional bulb.

[Jinglebelle]

$20.oo???? That's about what I paid for the mag lite itself! I'll have to think about that.
I rarely use my mag lite... But I do keep it next to the bed incase the power goes out, or I need to clobber someone in the head with it! :lol:

[dominick]

I use mine all the time. Like you, both of mine are next to my bed when not in use, but I also have a belt holster for the LED one. I don't take it with me everywhere like some rent-a-cop, but I carry it more than any sane person should. It comes in really handy!

[Jinglebelle]

Dave's like that... he even got these little holder thingies that you screw to your dash or a wall that hold his mag lite... He always keeps his mounted in his big rig right by the door... as a weapon, just in case. He also uses it regularly for pre-trip inspections.

Mag lites, are the best heavy duty flash lites around. Mine is WAY old, and the inside reflector was missing, and the button to turn it on and off with had gotten away... I packaged it up and mailed it to a mag lite dealer, it was totally fixed and returned to me! At no cost... other than shipping it to them. They picked up the tab for the return shipping!

I'm sure I will keep it for decades to come...

[dominick]

Yep, hands down the best full size, heavy duty flashlight around. I tried one of the Craftsman Maglite imitators, and I was very disappointed. The thing is junk. Sure, they've replaced it for me at no charge, but they're just poorly constructed.

For small, intense beam flashlights, Surefire is a great way to go.

[Jinglebelle]

Never heard of surefire.... but I don't have some flashlight collection either.... :lol:

[dominick]

I do. :oops:

I am obsessed with lighting of all sorts, particularly LEDs. I have constructed my own lights before, including flashlights.

[Jinglebelle]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Obsession with lighting, never heard that one before... is there a word for it??

[dominick]

I believe if such a term exists, it would be a photophile. Photo being light in Greco terms.

[Jinglebelle]

http://www.jinglebelljunction.com/smilies/smilie020.gif Interesting....

[dominick]

I don't know how interesting it is, but I'm going to start using that to describe myself. :lol:

[Jinglebelle]

What term do you currently use to describe yourself??

[dominick]

Most people do the describing for me. :lol:

[Jinglebelle]

http://www.jinglebelljunction.com/smilies/smilie013.gif HA! That could be a bad thing... :lol:

[dominick]

It certainly can be.

[Marshmallow World]

I'm sure they'd be the same ones I'm talking about then...for sure less energy would be a big benefit of using them. If I had to choose, I'd say the blue ones are probably the nicest in my opinion - a nice soft blue glow in the snow looks pretty.

But we're lucky if we get snow that early. :cry: I thought that if I lived this far north, I'd always have a white Christmas!

[ElfinErv]

We are slowly converting to led. Likely we will be fully led in another year or two

[dominick]

I still want to make my own set. I'm slightly dissatisfied with the quality of most of the sets I'm finding in the way of wire and connections.

[ElfinErv]

I have been converting my ho train engines to led lights, not work I enjoy. for $8 and under I'll buy light sets

[dominick]

I don't mind it at all, except when I get burned.

[ElfinErv]

The kicker would to get burned and fall off a roof at the same time

[dominick]

No, to fall off a roof onto something burning.

[ElfinErv]

any idea how many watts a string of 100 traditional mini lights draws?

[dominick]

I could figure it out if you give me a few minutes.

[dominick]

If my math is correct, I'm getting somewhere around 50watts.

[ElfinErv]

cool, I'm trying to figure out how many more strings I can get on an extension cord

[dominick]

Manufacturer estimates are always conservative. A good heavy duty, outdoor cord should be able to support 500 easy. Any problem you experience is far more likely to occur within the strands themselves, as the gauge of wire is far smaller and generally of less quality.

[ElfinErv]

thats what I don't like about our prelit tree which has either 1200 or 1500 lights, the thin crappy wire

[dominick]

Don't get me started on prelit.

[ElfinErv]

My grandpa was an electrician by trade, his Christmas displays outdoors consisted of large quantities of c9 type lights, several blow molds, and he used cheap indoor extension cords with several multi outlet adapters. he never had any fires

[dominick]

Well like I said, the extension cords are generally better constructed than the lights themselves, and because you can't plug most C9s end to end like you can with mini lights, everything would be a big parallel circuit and the heaviest load would be on the cords, not the light strands. When you plug the light strands end to end, the first in series will have the heaviest load. Eventually it becomes a restriction and can get hot.

No one is saying that you WILL start a fire, just that it's probably better not to risk it.

[ElfinErv]

being 20° out will keep the cords cooled off :D

[dominick]

Unless it melts the snow and starts sparking. :shock:

[ElfinErv]

:lol:

[Saucy Little Elf]

Traditional lighting here.

[scooterbugs25]

I bought my first set of LED lights this year. They are the snow flake blue and clear ones from wally world. I like them mixed in with the other lights, not on alone. it looks weird to me.

[ElfinErv]

LED will become the traditional lighting. In 8 years all Christmas lights will be led. There will be the market on Ebay for the old stuff however

[dominick]

That's quite the bold prediction. I think LEDs are going to have to come way down in price before anything like that'll happen.

[ElfinErv]

Cities are already banning incandescent lighting. With energy prices soaring you'll see people migrate to them willingly. The electric company here hands out rebates on compact florescent lights making them essentially free. A couple major manufacturers building new plants to make cfls. The writing is on the wall and prices are coming down

[dominick]

What people aren't realizing is that the individual cost savings isn't really even noticeable.

[ElfinErv]

I converted my whole house to cfls and haven't noticed any drop in my light bill. It takes a village :?

[dominick]

The whole house? You should be saving at least a buck per bulb per month.

[ElfinErv]

Kim bought an electric eye lash curler :shock:

[dominick]

Well there go your savings. :lol:

[Jinglebelle]

Kim bought an electric eye lash curler :shock:

:lol: :roll: :lol:

[ElfinErv]

I recently converted my pc power supply and fans to energy efficient ones. Next summer I hope to install a high efficiency furnace and blow some more insulation into the attic, maybe break a wire in her eye lash curler :lol:

[dominick]

:lol:

[Jinglebelle]

That's quite an energy saving plan there, Erv... :lol:

[ElfinErv]

energy savings = more eggnog

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/Javern/misc/believe.gif

[Jinglebelle]

Dare I ask... do you make your own eggnog, Erv? Or do you have a favorite brand?

[ElfinErv]

I have made it before however I buy most of what I drink. A&E Dairy brand and also a local organic farm makes eggnog and other dairy products, Scotts Farms

[ElfinErv]

The energy bill Bush will sign Friday calls for incandescent bulbs to be eliminated by 2012



That's quite the bold prediction. I think LEDs are going to have to come way down in price before anything like that'll happen.

[dominick]

That's fantasy. Like so many other deadlines, I see this one getting pushed back a few times before anyone even thinks of implementing it.

[Jinglebelle]

That's fantasy. Like so many other deadlines, I see this one getting pushed back a few times before anyone even thinks of implementing it.

I agree...

[ElfinErv]

why a fantasy...CFL sales are skyrocketing and it isn't law yet. I see the required 35 mpg for cars more unrealistic by that date

[dominick]

why a fantasy...CFL sales are skyrocketing and it isn't law yet. I see the required 35 mpg for cars more unrealistic by that date

Just because it takes forever to implement anything. You can't just think about it from a consumer standpoint, either.

Don't even get me started on the manufacturer MPG requirements.

At any rate, LED bulbs are cooler. 8)

[ElfinErv]

I'm already converted :D

[dominick]

I have too many things on dimmers, and CFLs don't work well with dimmers. Even the ones rated for dimmer circuits have several drawbacks.

[ElfinErv]

yea all the ones I have say not to use dimmers. I'm sure they will develop some workaround for that. I do hear some people don;t like to read under cfl lights, that may be a problem. Otherwise Ebay will be a black market for incandescent light.....60 watt bulb for $500 anyone??

[dominick]

yea all the ones I have say not to use dimmers. I'm sure they will develop some workaround for that. I do hear some people don;t like to read under cfl lights, that may be a problem.

The drawback lies in the way fluorescent lighting works... not sure there's much they can do about that. I'm one of the people that has trouble reading under fluorscents... gives me headaches. That's also why I have most of my lights on dimmers; I get light triggered headaches.

I'm going to build a couple LED conversion bulbs if I ever get around to gather the parts.

[ElfinErv]

I have seen ads for the led light bulbs, not yet tried one though

[dominick]

Too expensive for me to want to buy right now. Besides, I missed out on all the great home-built electronic revolutions with stereos, ham radios, and computers. I have a constant urge to build things to connect with my brethren of generations past. :lol:

[ElfinErv]

I've lost that urge...though I build circuits for my train layout. Detection sensors, crossarm activators, etc. Easy stuff

[dominick]

It's all pretty easy now. There's not much you can do that hasn't been done already and outlined for you.

[ElfinErv]

How about a reliable tv remote, I go thru 2-3 a year

[dominick]

Hands down the best remote I've ever had, the Universal brand R5. It's not that old yet, but I drop it a lot onto hardwood (killed my v3xx :roll:) and there's no damage.

It's got some cool features including one with an IR receiver so that it can learn commands from other remotes. Very handy if you have some odd off-brand stuff that's not likely to have it's own code.

[ElfinErv]

Have to get me one of them

[Jinglebelle]

I just use the remotes that come with the electronics... all 15 of them work fine... but keeping up with them... now that's a different story.... :lol:

[ElfinErv]

u need one BIG one

[dominick]

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7263/rcalyra1gbmp3playerwithao6.jpg

[ElfinErv]

mm perfect! :D

[dominick]

I used to lose my remotes all the time, too. Then I started sticking them to the wall with Velcro tabs. Now as long as I don't fall asleep with it in my hand... :lol:

[ElfinErv]

Add some legs and that remote could double as a coffee table

[ElfinErv]

when the ball drops in Times Square this New Years Eve (for the 100th time) instead of burning 600 incandescent and halogen bulbs, the ball will hold 9,500 LEDs making it 98 percent more energy-efficient.

[dominick]

All the cool kids are using LEDs these days. 8) :lol:

[ElfinErv]

ever notice some are so bright they are kinda tough to look at, I've noticed this with some blue leds

[dominick]

Yeah, definitely. The color intensity on some of them is unreal.

[ElfinErv]

laser like :shock:

[ElfinErv]

This weekend ( Nov 8th & 9th ) you can take your old strands of lights ( working or not ) into Home Depot and get money off sets of led lights, $3 per set limit of 5 per customer

[scooterbugs25]

do they keep your old lights? I wonder what they will do with them?? MAybe they would like me to haul them off for them :) lol



This weekend ( Nov 8th & 9th ) you can take your old strands of lights ( working or not ) into Home Depot and get money off sets of led lights, $3 per set limit of 5 per customer

[dominick]

If I had to guess, I'd say they're going to strip them for the wire.

[ElfinErv]

recycle the wire into cheap electronic toys :D

[scooterbugs25]

Yeah, I would say you both are right!

[ElfinErv]

was quite a crowd there this morning but I didn't see anyone trading in lights

[ElfinErv]

I bought an x-10 automation system this year and I find the controllers don't work as well with led lights, had to put them on timers :roll:

[dominick]

What's not working properly?

[ElfinErv]

the AM466 modules don't work with led lights , their support told me is has to do with a current sensing circuit. I found a couple hacks online, I need to get at the circuit boards and do some snipping

[dominick]

Post video!

[ElfinErv]

LOL regular lamp modules work fine..bought a couple today. I may send you these others for you to play with in your laboratory



Post video!

[dominick]

If you insist. :D

[ElfinErv]

don't want you to run out of experiments

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/Javern/misc/snowtruck.gif

[ElfinErv]

saw these outdoor trees at Lowes today, I call them Easter egg trees :o

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/Javern/misc/1114081514.jpg

[scooterbugs25]

The Lowes here is sold out! They said they wont have any more in at all. We would have to buy online and ship it to this local store. I like them Easter egg trees!



saw these outdoor trees at Lowes today, I call them Easter egg trees :o

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/Javern/misc/1114081514.jpg

[ElfinErv]

what size are you ordering?



The Lowes here is sold out! They said they wont have any more in at all. We would have to buy online and ship it to this local store. I like them Easter egg trees!

[ElfinErv]

I was hoping for more improvement in a few of the led colors this year, looks the same as last year. What have the led scientists been doing all year ! :roll:


Just wondering what you all like the best?

I like the tradtional mini lights, The LED lights dont look real and they hurt my eyes.

[ElfinErv]

America is slated to phase out incandescent bulbs starting 2012. Wonder if this will apply to Christmas lights as well :?

[Christy Carol]

Oh I sure hope not!

[ElfinErv]

me either

[gottadance]

I bought my first LEDs this week - on sale at Menard's for $5 for 50-light string. I like the lights themselves, but I bought what looked like white - they called them "cool white" and unfortunately they have a bluish tinge to them. Maybe if I had all this type of light it would be fine, but I have mostly small white miniature lights which are a yellowish white, so it sort of looks weird. Two different whites - I don't know. But I was SO sick of those darn little white lights always burning out. I've spent more $ on those darn things. Well, I'd already put the LED lights on my shrubs and didn't feel like taking them off, so if my lights look weird this year, they look weird. It's a shame to spend so much for them, though and not be 100 percent happy - especially because they're going to last a lot longer than the other ones. Well, maybe I'll decide to take them back and get another brand and test the color before I put them on my shrubs. Rats.

[Number4son]

Do they have yellow to match my house? Or the streak running down my back?

[Christy Carol]

So, so bad this close to Christmas!!

I still prefer traditional but I do have LED's I'll put on my big tree. I bought them on a whem after Christmas in 2006 for dirt cheap but once I got them home I wasnt so crazy about them. But now I'm too cheap to go buy all new mini-lights that gotta dance is correct about, will just burn out to quickly anway.

[ElfinErv]

WalMart has all their led lights lit on display so you can get a good look at them before buying, I've found some I really like for outdoors and I'm nearly half converted to led. If there is a good sale after Christmas I may be fully converted to led for next season.

[Christy Carol]

Yeah, they didnt have that when I got these.

[ElfinErv]

may be some on sale Black Friday, I'm sending Kim up to get the newspaper in the morning, they are saying this will be the heaviest Thanksgiving edition ever, 6lbs. Stuffed with 80 fliers



Yeah, they didnt have that when I got these.

[Christy Carol]

We get ours delivered here at home. Our box may be leaning sideways then.

There is always one local store that sends outs brown paper bags each Thanksgiving. They let us fill it up for one price.

[ElfinErv]

liquor store?

[Christy Carol]

LMAO!! I wish!! Now that would be the deal of the weekend!

[ElfinErv]

the led lights I bought at Wal Mart, the led bulbs can be changed, not seen that before. If one does go out they pop out and the set came with two replacement leds

[Christy Carol]

I'm not sure if mine do. Let me look.

Yup, the do. But I wonder if one goes out if all the other stay lit? That I dont know.

[ElfinErv]

dunno...i hope so

[gottadance]

LED will become the traditional lighting. In 8 years all Christmas lights will be led. There will be the market on Ebay for the old stuff however

Wow - I think you've made a good prediction. Three years later and now in the stores half of what is offered is LED and the prices have come down to a certain extent.

[gottadance]

That's quite the bold prediction. I think LEDs are going to have to come way down in price before anything like that'll happen.

Dominick - sorry - you missed this one...:wink: