This video is about repairing the very common low voltage (3 to 12V) LED strings based on insulated copper wire with LEDs soldered across them and dipped in resin. The guide is not suitable for traditional mains voltage LED strings.
I like the copper-wire LED strings. It's a simple parallel circuit of voltage matched LEDs that are quite rugged and water resistant by virtue of the LED and wire connection points being dipped in resin forming a strong bead on the wire. It is possible to snap the wire though, and I often get asked if it's possible to repair or shorten them.
The simple two wire parallel strings are also ideal for chopping into shorter sections for other applications.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
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.
I like the copper-wire LED strings. It's a simple parallel circuit of voltage matched LEDs that are quite rugged and water resistant by virtue of the LED and wire connection points being dipped in resin forming a strong bead on the wire. It is possible to snap the wire though, and I often get asked if it's possible to repair or shorten them.
The simple two wire parallel strings are also ideal for chopping into shorter sections for other applications.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
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.
This video was very helpful. We have an outdoor (plug in not USB or battery operated) cone shaped tree for Christmas with 18 strands of two wired lights that all connect somewhere somehow and we already put it up, but had not lit it up yet. Well an animal had chewed on the wires. We thought we were going to have to throw the whole thing away. I cut the bad ends that were chewed on and sanded the ends and connected them and got them working. We thought for a better connection we would try to solder the wires, but it didn't work well as the wires are so thin. Somewhere as I was working on the wires there was a bad connection in another part of the wires near one of the lights. I ended up cutting the wires off right up next to the lights and got them working again. We fed about a foot of the end of the wires through some clear tubing so the animals can't chew on them again. Still feel a little uneasy to put the tree back outside till we know it is going to stay lit and not cause any electrical issues as shorting out and causing a fire. As of right now we have it plugged in indoors (it is for indoor or outdoor use) and it is working well.
Just fixed my $15 string. Tha k you so much.
Thank you is not enough for you MISTER. you make this video 5 years ago and stil this video is helping. Thank you thank you Very much. You make me happy with this. 😊
you saved the day for my daughter. I was helping her with this little toy project she bought and I accidentally shorted the 3 led-bulb string that came with the toy kit. Luckily I know it was identical to one of those fairy light string, and was able to find some on amazon. However, I need to modify the one purchased on amazon with the original toy kit. I cutted the Amazon light I bought but I couldn't figure why I cannot get the light to lit. After watching your technique I was able to re-wire the connection. Now I'm super dad
Ahhh, I just broke one by stapling and I was wondering why/how these things work by not shorting out the bare wires. Not bare wires, brilliant, lacquer coating, ahhhh.
It worked, thanks
You are a lifesaver. I JUST finished hanging a bunch of these in my room and the second I was finished they all went dim. Your tutorial worked like a charm!!!
Thanks a lot. It helped me out today, getting a very good understanding of these fairy wiring techniques. 😅 It has enabled me to fix the damaged wiring.
Thanks so much for this video. I just finished doing a pretty complicated wall display using the 3-wire variety and when finished hot gluing the last led in place, I cut the wire and everything went dark. I was at a complete loss, but with your help, I got everything working again,
Haha I stopped at the using sandpaper part on the small gauge battery powered set (which I was looking to fix) and still had the light stuttering probably because there was a small amount of clear coating here and here and thought "it's only a small amount of lacquer, I'll just burn it off" and voila! Then I continued the vid and 5 seconds later you said "or you can burn it off" GMTA 😜
Great tutorial!
Thank you!!!!! 💡
I feel like an electrician 🫡
Thank you! Just saved my new lights that I managed to break 😍
Keep it up it was very helpful
The dude who installed my underglow leds, the wire snapped, he reconnected them and now their dim and they won’t change colors now. Thinking if I should jus rip em off, over $200 down the drain smh
Perfect thanks 👍🏻 just broke my beloved copper wire lights and couldnt work out why criss crossing the wire didnt work, now i understand there is a lacquer coating on them. Will try filing then twisting 👍🏻
I wonder how that bottom part circuit works because diode only passes the current on one direction? The diodes (in alternate) won't light up if the power source is DC.
Thanks. Your explanation makes things clearer and easier