Christmas Lights That last

[PopcornSutton]

Is it just me that has problems with strings of Xmas lights? Not just interior that always a section goes dark. Replacing bulbs does nothing.
But exterior has turned out the same way. I bought 3 strings a few years ago, advertised about replaceable bulbs, had nice size globes of different colors. The second year, on string died completely. Last year, one section of one string quit. Changing bulbs did nothing, has to be in the wiring. Why is there 3 or 4 wires running the whole length? One pair going from bulb to bulb parallel seems too easy.
So is there a brand that will last? I usually run close to a hundred feet of lights.

 

[Burt Shaver]

It’s not just you, I have been trying to diligent about keeping my receipts because about half of my lights don’t work every year.

 

[zendriver]

They sell in an actual brand name?

I've probably used the same 40 feet total for at least 8 years now.

Stock up when they are on sale?

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Upgrade to commercial lights…….. There is a difference! www.christmaslightsetc.com

 

[mervyn]

I'm lucky to get two (2) years out of a string of lights.

 

[K13]

Never have had a section go bad. I think the set I have now are 10 yrs old. The ones before that were probably the same with no issues but the wife wanted to switch things up. Figured I got my moneys worth out of both sets.

 

[sgrammel]

Clark W. Griswold can help..sort of

 

[Jgaz]

I’ve been running the same two LED strings for the last nine seasons. I might have replace a couple bulbs in that time.

Christmas Light Source - Making Celebrations Brighter since 2005

Shop for LED and glass string lights, C7 C9 bulbs/cords, nets, icicles, rope, hardware, and more.

www.christmas-light-source.com

Great company to deal with

 

[Dagny]

My wife and I put up 500 plus feet of lights. I have tried many brands think they are all made in the same chicom factory. Take them down and throw them in the garbage. Next year use the new ones you bought after Christmas last year for 1/2 price. If you have time they can be repaired you will make about 20 cents an hour.

 

[sgrammel]

My wife and I put up 500 plus feet of lights. I have tried many brands think they are all made in the same chicom factory. Take them down and throw them in the garbage. Next year use the new ones you bought after Christmas last year for 1/2 price. If you have time they can be repaired you will make about 20 cents an hour.

or better yet..recycle the old ones..

 

[rjacobs]

We bought lights from this place last year. They are semi local to us.

Christmas Lights | LED Lights, Trees, & Decor | Christmas Designers

Shop Christmas lights and decor designed for professional-grade home and commercial designs. LED, C7/C9s, and more. Creating Christmas magic for 45+ years.

www.christmasdesigners.com

500ft string of commercial C9 bulb bases with 6" spacing. Then we bought C9 LED retrofit bulbs(white, red and green). Made 3 custom strings for the house. Attached to shingles/gutters using Flex Tuff clips.

Then I bought like 25 or so strings of commercial mini LED's that are red, white and green and have a cannon plug on each end so they are water sealed. Get whatever connectors you need to hook everything up. These go on our 250ish feet of fence.

RY Coaxial Connect | Wide Angle Conical LED Christmas Lights

RY Coaxial connect Pro Christmas 5mm Conical Lights offer superior connectivity, water resistance and will not unplug, even in the harshest weather.

www.christmasdesigners.com

Great setup that should last for a long time and is custom to our house.

 

[Al G]

I bought several sets of LED lights from Ace Hardware 5 years ago. Not a single failure yet. Ace calls them commercial grade.

 

[Russell_Reid]

Alot of Christmas light longevity is how you treat the lights. Loose coils for storage, don't smash into a box, don't step or drag them when installing removing. Storage in a hot attic or shed takes a toll on wire and leds. I have my eave lights zip tied into a string. A color string along the length with icicles hanging below. This string hangs on pre installed hooks on my gutters. Every year I pull it out, check it, and hang it using a pole. 125 linear feet in two sections. Been using the same strings for 10 years. Once in a while I have a section of the icicles go out but it only takes 15 minutes to sub in a known good led into each socket until I find the bad one. Replace and I am good to go. The wiring depends on what type of lights are used. Usually incan bulbs are 1.5 volts each. Divide 120 by 1.5 and you get the number of lights in a series. Longer strings require more series sections. LEDs are a bit more complicated depending on if they have a controller or are just rectified. Regardless every burnt out bulb/led can increase the voltage on the others and reduce their life until the voltage gets high enough to blow the whole string. You either commit to maintenance or commit to throwaways and buy new at the beginning or end of the season, if any are any left at the end.

 

[niget2002]

Most of my neighbors just pay a company to come put lights up for them.

Some neighbors have switched to the permanent lights like govee or jellyfish.

I haven't bought a string of lights in over 7 years. Walmart had a huge clearance sale one year at 75% off and I bought a ton of them.

 

[PopcornSutton]

I have looked at the links provided here, they sure look like better lights than Walmart stuff. Most say they are wired parellel so if one goes out, the whole string doesn't, but then a couple indicated they were permanent bulbs and not replaceable. What good is that?

 

[reader2580]

If the "bulbs" are LED they should last for many years. The connection between the bulbs and the socket is often an issue so eliminating that connection should make the lights more reliable. I have LED Christmas lights with replaceable LED bulbs, but I have never had to replace any. The string came with a few extra LED bulbs.

 

[rjacobs]

a couple indicated they were permanent bulbs and not replaceable. What good is that?

I read the explanation last year or the year before... the biggest killer of christmas lights is water getting in the socket and causing damage... no water can get in, no damage/corrosion can occur. Made sense to me.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Upgrade to commercial lights…….. There is a difference! www.christmaslightsetc.com

True, but the COST !

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

True, but the COST !

You get what you pay for!………. Don’t be a "baller on a budget"

 

[Codyboy]

Check the fuses. Normally they're under a little slide door in the plug.

I read the explanation last year or the year before... the biggest killer of christmas lights is water getting in the socket and causing damage... no water can get in, no damage/corrosion can occur. Made sense to me.

 

[rjacobs]

Check the fuses. Normally they're under a little slide door in the plug.

confused...

what does that have to do with why commercial lights are generally not removable from the socket???

 

[Jay H 237]

I'm mostly back to using the older C7 and C9 strings. Much heavier wiring, the smaller wires don't hold up well where I am on top of a hill and get heavy winds at times. They get broken wires or pulled apart when the branches of the shrubs move. Some of the 7 and 9 sets are going on 15 years now where some of the others didn't survive a single season.

 

[Codyboy]

confused...

what does that have to do with why commercial lights are generally not removable from the socket???

I think that was a fat thumb error.
My reply was to the op and to check the fuses on a string of lights that aren't working.
No idea how a quote gor in there.

 

[ddurrett896]

I swear by 1000bulbs.com. Commercial stringers that use LED bulbs that you can thread in to replace. They come in certain lengths or you can cut to fit.

Christmas String Lights, Spools, Sockets - C7 & C9 | 1000Bulbs.com

Create your own custom light strings this holiday season using Christmas stringers and spools. Find more holiday accessories now at 1000Bulbs.com!

www.1000bulbs.com

 

[theoldwizard1]

We have all seen "icicle lights". Several years ago I bought some GE ones from Costco. I like them because the LEDs are in plastic "iclcle" so they look nice during the day.

The problem is, the 2 halves of the plastic icicle are held together by tiny screws that strip out. Plain "scotch tape" won't hold up to the weather, but white electrical tape does !

 

[duneslider]

I’ve been running the same two LED strings for the last nine seasons. I might have replace a couple bulbs in that time.

Christmas Light Source - Making Celebrations Brighter since 2005

Shop for LED and glass string lights, C7 C9 bulbs/cords, nets, icicles, rope, hardware, and more.

www.christmas-light-source.com

Great company to deal with

I also used this place for mine. Current house the lights are going on the 6th year. Previous house they were 15 years old and I left them. They were/are cut to length for each of my eaves, I leave the shingle/gutter/magnet clips on them. I can put up all my lights in almost no time. Previous house lights were incandescent and I would have to replace a handful a year, new house I did the led bulbs and have only had to replace 1-2 in 5 years. I cut them to length the first year, labelled them to where they go and can get them put up super fast.