Over 8 years ago I fitted some outdoor plastic planters with strings of Chinese sign pixels (single colour LED studs) and a small solar panel. It looked great, but the solar panel assemblies turned out to be far less reliable than the LEDs.
This video shows a section of the LEDs after over 8 years of continuous exposure to sun, rain and frost.
Here's a typical listing on eBay:-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283318211497
Typical keywords are:- 50pcs led sign pixels 5v
Target price around £$€ 6.
There are two types. 5V and 12V. Both will be the same intensity and draw the same current, but the 12V version will effectively use over twice as much power.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
https://www.patreon.com/bigclive (extra streams and channel interaction)
Or alternatively:-
http://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
#ElectronicsCreators

12 thoughts on “8-year test result of outdoor sign pixel leds”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars shauns auto repairs says:

    when most people like me cant get a set of lights to last a year yours are pushing 8yrs… what kind of trickery is this i wonder

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars tmastersat says:

    Let's are now failing everywhere…we were lied to about the life of these units

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Edward Evans says:

    SEVERAL LED LIGHT SETS, THE BLUE LEDs FAIL FIRST, EVERY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Creative indonesia says:

    2013 Christmas Led Light

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Ed19601 says:

    Leave it to Clive to run 50 led's off of a small solar unit that is barely enough for 1 led

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Tamm Macdonald says:

    May I ask a question Clive, do LED have a photovoltaic effect? I’m trying to investigate but can’t find anything. Thanks

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Richard Hathaway says:

    Hi Clive. I would like to ask your advice really. I have got an old but decorative centre light fitting that has twenty of those little capsule bulbs in it which are driven by a ruddy great transformer in the centre rose. I would like to convert it to LED. I have managed to confuse myself completely trying to work out the necessary power supply, resistors etc. to drive twenty 10mm ultra bright, White LED's. I have a spare LED driver module which is rated at 8-12W, DC24-40V 300mA. Could I use that somehow? All the bulb socket wires end up at the centre with plenty of room once the old transformer is gone so the LED's can be wired series, parallel or a combination of both. Any ideas?

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Fizzy Plazmuh says:

    I recently had to sort out my family's stored property in an East Texas metal shed that had roasted in the sun and humidity for 15 years. I thought I was pretty savvy about my chemistry and deterioration processes but I was surprised at the level of decay. Some plastics are VERY stable long term and others not at all. Certain rubberized grips turned to gooey tar and all plastic that could oxidize and yellow or brown did so thouroughly and without sun or U.V. And the adhesives and plastics in many types of running shoes just plain gave up. Very sobering view of how weak the human legacy will be after we are gone.

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Thomas Baldwin says:

    BigClive. Thank You For All Your Help Aid And Assistants With My Understanding Of The LED World. Please Keep Your Videos Coming. I've Already Made Several Of Your Projects. My Wife Is Making A Christmas Tree For Her First Project. She's Smarter Than Most "Men" I Know. She's Different. Wants To Know How Everything Works. She Can Type Out A Legal Document Or Change Your Brakes Plus Like Me She Wants To Learn About Everything. So Again Thank You So Very Much. Have A Great Day And A Better Tomorrow.
    T.J. And Tammy.

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Václav Trpišovský says:

    NOT PIXELS unless they can be individually controlled. You can use them to form a picture, sure, but the whole image is effectively just 1 pixel.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Mike H says:

    … So we know how they react to water, but how about carbonated water? :p

    Nice video. I really appreciate the explanation of everyday tech and your diagrams are consistently excellent. 🙂

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars ats89117 says:

    Rather than adding a diode drop in line with the USB supply, why not modify the supply to put out a lower voltage?

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