Although the cheap strings of 100 (10M) LED lights are often advertised as being suitable for outdoor use, they really aren't. Not only from an electrical safety perspective (inadequate insulation and strain relief) but also because they have no sealing, and water will wick into the sleeving round the LEDs and result in rapid DC accelerated corrosion of the steel LED leads.
This set were out for only around three weeks and in that time they were exposed to a modest amount of rain. you can see that corrosion has already started, particularly where contaminated water has penetrated. (Dirty water is more conductive than clean water.) I'm tempted to put these lights back outside to see how long they last.
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This set were out for only around three weeks and in that time they were exposed to a modest amount of rain. you can see that corrosion has already started, particularly where contaminated water has penetrated. (Dirty water is more conductive than clean water.) I'm tempted to put these lights back outside to see how long they last.
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
I was thinking of getting a 500led /50 meters string light like this and turn into a flag pole light, I've had 100 led versions of this before and I know that the sealing isn't great for outdoors use (I live in Sweden btw) so I was thinking, would it be possible to tape each individual led with transparent tape to weather seal it more you think? Or will it still corrode due to dampness and moist? I will keep the controller and plug indoors and just have the led lights outside.
Pls show us your Xmas display next year!
Its a shame that, cos it did look good. there has to be a way to better water proof these piggin lights so we dont have to keep buying new ones. I have a £12 wilko solar 'rope' light I had outside, within a few weeks the glob at the end pushed its self out (pressure build up?)and the leds inside had started to 'pull out' with it. The whole 'rope' had water inside but still worked. I think because the leds are on that coated copper wire and the leds are those tiny resin blob ones. Anyway I bought it in, cleared the rust out the solar/battery end, dried it out and shoved the gubbins back in the rope and have it in my house until I find a better way to weather proof it. I think a small water tight box on both ends should do it with the rope pulled taught between them and a slight drop in the middle for water run off??
Should that white cable not be arctic grade with it being used outdoors ? Maybe even SY ?
In my local sainsbo's they have a recycle box for Xmas LED lights, so they are obviously now a disposable commodity. Wave a magnet near them, the legs are steel stampings. When I was a kid, etc…
I bought some outside/inside LED lights with the 6/12hr timer. Whilst the two AA batteries kept it going for about a month, by the end of the month, around 1/3 of the LEDs were not lighting (which I guess means that maybe 3 or 4 LEDs were dead)… Whilst there was corrosion, haven't really had a chance to work out exactly what the failure was. But they were under a tenner…
you did a great job.
discovered your videos by chance when looking into led floods. retired electrical engineer, security eng myself and radio ham. so have a quest for me knowledge. thanks for the videos, been very interesting. repaired an led flood and acquired some high voltage for to experiment with.
Happy birthday.
You should look at getting some of the Phillips Hue lights and open them to see how they work on the inside.
Might need a bit of hot glue on the wire output of each LED 🙂
"Residue" lol
Just store it and use it again next year. Too nice to tear apart.
We have used the same blue net (2M x 2M) lights for the past five years, and although they were £10.99 B&Q lights they are still working. However this year they are starting to show signs of corosion and i noticed 1 led has failed. I think the next set will be indoor use only from now on. Its funny that for a few pounds more the difference in quality can make a difference.