mrb627
Well-known member
I am interested in purchasing a new Xmas Tree this year. The pre-lit LED trees seem very popular. Anybody have one? Thoughts? Would you buy it again?
Malcolm
Malcolm
LED Xmas Trees
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jamman_98
Well-known member
LED Lights
I like the LED lights a lot. Got a great deal from Lowes with a $5.00 trade in for an old light set toward the purchase of new LEDs. I don't care for prelit trees because I like putting lights on the tree and having control. I have a friend with a prelit tree he's had for about 4 years and 80% of his lights are burned out and he can't take the string of lights off. But it's also the old mini lights too. LEDs might last longer. I'd do some more research.
Joe
jamman_98
I like the LED lights a lot. Got a great deal from Lowes with a $5.00 trade in for an old light set toward the purchase of new LEDs. I don't care for prelit trees because I like putting lights on the tree and having control. I have a friend with a prelit tree he's had for about 4 years and 80% of his lights are burned out and he can't take the string of lights off. But it's also the old mini lights too. LEDs might last longer. I'd do some more research.
Joe
jamman_98
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
I don't do the pre-lit trees, but I can speak for the LEDs. Great electricity savings! I replaced the 10 strings of C-9s we use on the outside of the house with LEDs a few years ago and I'd estimate it saves about $100 during the holiday season. I used to have the C-9s burning from about 4:30 (dusk) until midnight every day, but then scaled it back to about 5-9pm. With the LEDs I have them back on the old schedule.
I do like the older lights for the "homey" glow and we still use them inside, but they're really only on in force during parties.
Chuck
I do like the older lights for the "homey" glow and we still use them inside, but they're really only on in force during parties.
Chuck
In general, I find the new LED lights horribly tacky - overly bright, and not true to color. I would recommend to look for a "warm" white if you are doing the white light thing...or LEDs with multi facet covers of some sort of otherwise you'll get the 'spotlight' effect when looking at them.
hotpoint95622
Well-known member
hotpoint 95622
I don’t like LED Christmas lights, tacky and as danmantn points out you get that spotlight effect.
I like to spend hours replacing blown bulbs and twisting each light till you get them working on my vintage sets, it just would not be Christmas otherwise.
I don’t like LED Christmas lights, tacky and as danmantn points out you get that spotlight effect.
I like to spend hours replacing blown bulbs and twisting each light till you get them working on my vintage sets, it just would not be Christmas otherwise.
electron1100
Well-known member
LEDs are Shite 
"I don’t like LED Christmas lights, tacky and as danmantn points out you get that spotlight effect.
I like to spend hours replacing blown bulbs and twisting each light till you get them working on my vintage sets, it just would not be Christmas otherwise. "
I couldnt agree more Lee
"I don’t like LED Christmas lights, tacky and as danmantn points out you get that spotlight effect.
I like to spend hours replacing blown bulbs and twisting each light till you get them working on my vintage sets, it just would not be Christmas otherwise. "
I couldnt agree more Lee
The ugly truth about LED's
<span style="font-size: medium;">They don't last as long as you may think, they become noticeably dimmer as they age, And they will burn out and fail. You can't replace them since they are hard wired. If the manufacturer's are so confident on their longevity, why is the warranty on those sets not at LEAST 20 years? That "spotlight" effect you get is from a magnifying lens some manufacturers use to make them appear brighter I suspect. Same goes for those plastic "faceted" covers, another attempt to make them appear brighter. Those "C-9´s","C-7´s" and "C-6's" LED's sets are just marketing gimmicks. They are trying to make you believe these are true replacements for incandescents when they are in fact not. Place a true red transparent C-9 next to a typical red "C-9" LED. The incandescent is far brighter, with a richer hue than the LED. And lets face it, it looks "right". As for prelit trees, while a time saver, the dimness and the potencial for failure down the road is too great. I don't know about the rest of you, but seeing a failed bulb everyday day and not being able to replace it would drive me nuts. If you really have your heart set on LED's, don't get the prelit tree. Get the best LED's on the market, they are pricey, but they are just as bright and the bulbs are replaceable just like true incandescents. Note, not all LED's lights are created equal. The more LED's are in PER BULB, the brighter the "bulb" will be. The lights you get normally in the stores have just one LED per bulb. Heres a link:</span>
http://www.noveltylights.com/C7-LED-Replacement-Bulbs/?altpath=N
[this post was last edited: 11/10/2011-15:53]
<span style="font-size: medium;">They don't last as long as you may think, they become noticeably dimmer as they age, And they will burn out and fail. You can't replace them since they are hard wired. If the manufacturer's are so confident on their longevity, why is the warranty on those sets not at LEAST 20 years? That "spotlight" effect you get is from a magnifying lens some manufacturers use to make them appear brighter I suspect. Same goes for those plastic "faceted" covers, another attempt to make them appear brighter. Those "C-9´s","C-7´s" and "C-6's" LED's sets are just marketing gimmicks. They are trying to make you believe these are true replacements for incandescents when they are in fact not. Place a true red transparent C-9 next to a typical red "C-9" LED. The incandescent is far brighter, with a richer hue than the LED. And lets face it, it looks "right". As for prelit trees, while a time saver, the dimness and the potencial for failure down the road is too great. I don't know about the rest of you, but seeing a failed bulb everyday day and not being able to replace it would drive me nuts. If you really have your heart set on LED's, don't get the prelit tree. Get the best LED's on the market, they are pricey, but they are just as bright and the bulbs are replaceable just like true incandescents. Note, not all LED's lights are created equal. The more LED's are in PER BULB, the brighter the "bulb" will be. The lights you get normally in the stores have just one LED per bulb. Heres a link:</span>
http://www.noveltylights.com/C7-LED-Replacement-Bulbs/?altpath=N
[this post was last edited: 11/10/2011-15:53]
mrb627
Well-known member
Information
Thanks for the loads of information. My main reason for upgrading is the tree I have currently is just so large that I have to remove almost 1/3 of the furniture from the family room for it to fit just right. So, I started looking at the more narrow trees. Some pre-lit and some not.
Otherwise, there will be no tree in my household this year
Malcolm
Thanks for the loads of information. My main reason for upgrading is the tree I have currently is just so large that I have to remove almost 1/3 of the furniture from the family room for it to fit just right. So, I started looking at the more narrow trees. Some pre-lit and some not.
Otherwise, there will be no tree in my household this year
Malcolm
If the budget allows I'll try and go 50/50 on the big indoor tree this year. I put about 300 C7 lights on the 12' tree, and it does pull some current. I've added a handful of LED lights to the stings over the years and find that most resemble the clear colord bulbs I use mixed in with the standard solid color ones.
Last year when I checked the C7 replacement bulbs were still running well over $1.50 each, too much for the savings in electricity to justify.
Last year when I checked the C7 replacement bulbs were still running well over $1.50 each, too much for the savings in electricity to justify.
Nothing fake at our house,, it's the real aluminum tree and color wheel. How Christmas should be as in days of yore.
Chuck, what are electric rates in Mass.?
Around here they are about $.10/kwh so my payback on replacing half the light on my tree is way too long - if my math is correct...
300*7=2100w/1000=2.1kw*5 hours=10.5kwh*.10=1.05 day*20days=$21 season
Now, most of the C7's are 5 watts so the use is less.
300*5=1500w/1000=1.5kwh*5=7.5kwh*.10=.75 day*20=$15 season.
Around here they are about $.10/kwh so my payback on replacing half the light on my tree is way too long - if my math is correct...
300*7=2100w/1000=2.1kw*5 hours=10.5kwh*.10=1.05 day*20days=$21 season
Now, most of the C7's are 5 watts so the use is less.
300*5=1500w/1000=1.5kwh*5=7.5kwh*.10=.75 day*20=$15 season.
I am still a c-7 user. i did buy 4 sets of led lights a couple of years ago and i noticed last year that 2 of the sets half the lights were out. so those are going into the trash this year. I put outside about 50 sets of 25 lights per set on the bushes and around the doors. what i have done is to replace the plugs on most of the sets. i hate that damn fuse in the plug. i have been changing bulbs and have blow that fuse. everything is plugged into gfi outlets so i let them take care of shocks, so i just cut it off and replace with a regular plug plus now i can connect more than 2 or 3 sets and not blow the fuse. i know it was there for a reason but have had no problems. i never connect more than 4 sets together. i have been thinking it is time to get them out and go over wiring and bulbs to get them ready to put out before it gets too cold. Inside on the tree we use c-7's also, just reminds me of christmas when i was a child. only 6 weeks till christmas time to start decorating. the christmas ads are on full force on tv this week.
Jon
Jon
I tried two strings of the LED lights last year - on sale but more pricey than the standard bulbs. I put them on this little tree to put on the front porch. They were ghastly awful looking, gave a sick glow to the entire front of the house and "outshined" the wreath with the pretty c-7 bulbs entirely. I cannot recall what I did with the tree or the lights at the end of the season last year, it may be wrapped up in the attic but I will be changing the lights if they're still around.
I have seen some LED strings that I liked, a house near us has blue LED lights around the roof-line and it's very pretty. I guess it depends on many factors, but I'd want to test them before buying some again.
I have seen some LED strings that I liked, a house near us has blue LED lights around the roof-line and it's very pretty. I guess it depends on many factors, but I'd want to test them before buying some again.
I'm with PeteK on the aluminum christmas tree. I also put up a real christmas tree in the front window as well. But still use the old style lights. Not a big fan of the leds myself.
cfz2882
Well-known member
60HZ flicker
i saw some LED christmas lights at the store today-the ones i saw all had a nasty
60hz flicker-almost a strobe effect LOL.
And whats up with stores really trying to get buyers to trade in their old
inchandescent christmas light strings for $5 or more off the LED sets!?
i saw some LED christmas lights at the store today-the ones i saw all had a nasty
60hz flicker-almost a strobe effect LOL.
And whats up with stores really trying to get buyers to trade in their old
inchandescent christmas light strings for $5 or more off the LED sets!?
Some of the cheap, badly designed LED set will flicker, but there ae some decent ones out there too. Odds are they use a half wave rectifier.
Even though I can't say I'm a big fan of LED's either, I will say that really hate the colour temperature of the lights. I really dislike that bluish tinge they give off. I'm sure they'll eventually figure it out.
They kinda sorta work like a TV tube almost.. they give off an ultraviolet light which excites the phosphors painted on the inside of the bulb, which in turn makes it glow.. and that's why they're like that.
Then again, I look at it this way, a standard bulb gets hot and if it's not placed with care or the tree has dried out, it can present a fire hazard, whereas LED's run very cool.
So, bluish tinge or burnt down house... hard decision.
Personally, we don't even really bother with full sized tree anymore, we just have one of those "Tree in a box" jobbies we take out every year.
They kinda sorta work like a TV tube almost.. they give off an ultraviolet light which excites the phosphors painted on the inside of the bulb, which in turn makes it glow.. and that's why they're like that.
Then again, I look at it this way, a standard bulb gets hot and if it's not placed with care or the tree has dried out, it can present a fire hazard, whereas LED's run very cool.
So, bluish tinge or burnt down house... hard decision.
Personally, we don't even really bother with full sized tree anymore, we just have one of those "Tree in a box" jobbies we take out every year.
I took my childhood aluminum tree and color wheel this fall, from the folks old house. Is there a option for the spotlight that would be more energy friendly than the huge bulb that is in it? Malcolm we have a nice green tree, that came from Dillard's a few years back. When we lived in our townhouse we could have really tall but needed the small footprint, same situation as you described. alr
You actually have two options,
<span style="font-size: medium;">A CFL spotlight or a pricey LED spotlight. I'm not too sure if it's worth it for something you use for a month out of a year. </span>
<span style="font-size: medium;">A CFL spotlight or a pricey LED spotlight. I'm not too sure if it's worth it for something you use for a month out of a year. </span>
sudsmaster
Well-known member
they give off an ultraviolet light which excites the phospho
I believe you are describing a fluorescent light, not an LED or Light emitting diode.
LED's do not emit UV light. They emit visible light, and they do not require phosphors for that.
They often do tend to give off a bluish light. Some compensate for this by putting color filters on top of the light. Others naturally emit light in different wavelengths, like yellow, red, green, etc. The difficulty seems to be to get an LED light that emits "white" light in a even way over the entire visible spectrum.
I believe you are describing a fluorescent light, not an LED or Light emitting diode.
LED's do not emit UV light. They emit visible light, and they do not require phosphors for that.
They often do tend to give off a bluish light. Some compensate for this by putting color filters on top of the light. Others naturally emit light in different wavelengths, like yellow, red, green, etc. The difficulty seems to be to get an LED light that emits "white" light in a even way over the entire visible spectrum.
Ultra & Suds thank You both for the info. I am not concerned with the energy savings. I mainly try to be user friendly with the electrical system in this older (1950's) house. This will be the first Christmas we have celebrated at home in this house. We have never had a problem, i just do not want trouble, we will have a couple of other holiday lighting projects too. alr
We changed over to LED lights 2 years ago and they are now in some landfill. The colors were more than unreal. We thankfully saved our old c7's and c9's and went back traditionally last year and will this year. We actually took the LED's down on Christmas night. The colors were so untrue and just to bright. Just our opinion.
You're welcome alr.
<span style="font-size: medium;">I understand perfectly now. If power consumption is the issue, then an LED spotlight is the way to go. I suppose they are available in warm white. I have a similar problem, even though my building was built in the early 60's, the C-9´s I use in the balcony draws too much power. If the freezer and the microwave kick in, the circuit breaker trips. I'm actually (GASP) considering retro fitting the stringers with warm white LED bulbs. It's going to set me back a pretty penny, but it would solve this annoying problem. </span>
<span style="font-size: medium;">I understand perfectly now. If power consumption is the issue, then an LED spotlight is the way to go. I suppose they are available in warm white. I have a similar problem, even though my building was built in the early 60's, the C-9´s I use in the balcony draws too much power. If the freezer and the microwave kick in, the circuit breaker trips. I'm actually (GASP) considering retro fitting the stringers with warm white LED bulbs. It's going to set me back a pretty penny, but it would solve this annoying problem. </span>
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