LED Christmas lights are an ideal choice for decorating your home, office, or business. They’re energy-efficient, long-lasting, and safe to use in practically any environment. Here’s what you need to know about LED safety.
These lights are complex electronic devices. LED stands for light-emitting diode. Diodes allow electricity to flow in one direction only, so they control the flow of electricity in an LED fixture.
Thus, it is impossible for an LED to short-circuit and cause a fire. Incandescent bulbs, on the other hand, can short out and cause a fire. Additionally, LEDs don’t get nearly as hot as incandescent bulbs do, so the risk of them igniting anything is extremely low.
LED Christmas lights are also cool to the touch because their power consumption is so low. Incandescent bulbs convert approximately 80% of their energy into heat rather than light.
Since LEDs only convert about 20% of their energy into heat, they’re safe to handle even after using them for hours. The low temperature of LED lighting makes it the best choice for the Christmas season.
Are LED Christmas Lights A Fire Hazard?
The number one concern in holiday lighting is the risk of fire. Most people don’t realize that regular Christmas lights can get hot and can be a fire hazard if left on for too long.
LEDs are much safer because they only generate a small amount of heat, making them cool to the touch. If you’re concerned about your Christmas lights overheating and potentially causing a fire, you should switch to LED lights.
In addition to being safer than traditional Christmas lights, LEDs are also more durable. They have a longer lifespan, and they’re less prone to breakage.
While traditional Christmas lights are made of glass and filaments, LED bulbs consist of plastic and diodes; this means they won’t break easily and would not stop working if one bulb burns out.
This is especially helpful if you’re planning on putting up your holiday decorations early in the season (LEDs will last longer).
Are LED Christmas Lights Dimmable?
I’ve always believed that it’s important to control your lighting, especially at Christmas. The older models of Christmas lights are difficult to dim.
However, these days manufacturers are producing dimmable Christmas lights. Take, for example, the Brizled Christmas Lights they feature four levels of brightness and eleven lighting modes. Besides these fixtures, there are hundreds of different brands of dimming holiday lights.
LED Christmas lights have been around for years. So it’s no surprise that they’ve been available in the dimming department as well—more and more companies are producing Christmas lights with this feature so we can use them during the holiday season while giving us the option to use them year-round.
There are different ways these lights can dim, too—some offer an analog dimming switch like an old-fashioned light bulb, while others have a setting on their remote control. Some even use special sensors that sense how bright the room is and then automatically
themselves accordingly.
Why are my LED Christmas Lights Blinking?
A Bad Bulb
When working with LED light strings, it is essential to understand their wiring. If your Christmas Lights have a series circuit they may blink before completely shutting off.
A series circuit comprises a single pathway each diode travels through. When there is a break in the path, the entire circuit shuts off, and the lights will blink.
When a bulb goes out, this creates an open circuit and prevents current from flowing normally. Furthermore, you can fix this interruption by replacing the strand or finding the faulty bulb and replacing it.
Low-Voltage Drop
If you’re seeing dimming or color changes in your Holiday lights; it could be a low-voltage drop. The wire gauge between the power supply and the first bulb may be too small for the number of bulbs you have connected.
For every 100 bulbs, move up to at least the next wire gauge size. So if you’re using 150 bulbs, you should use at least 18 gauge wire (the smaller the number, the larger the wire). If that doesn’t resolve it, try using a high-quality power supply.
Loose Bulb
The most common reason for blinking Christmas lights is one or more bulbs are loose in their sockets, or the bulbs are not screwed in all the way. This problem is an easy fix: tighten the loose bulb.
How To Stop Christmas Lights From Blinking?
Blinking occurs when an animated effect is created by flashing a series of bulbs on and off in rapid succession. This effect creates an illusion that causes the eye to perceive a single bulb flashing on and off.
A small device causes this blinking effect called a “flasher” near the male end of the light strand. The flasher contains a high-speed switch that controls the current flow inside the circuit.
Similarly, the flasher can be adjusted to slow down or speed up the blinking effect, depending on your needs. In most cases, this change is made by turning a screw located somewhere on the flasher itself. Some flashers can loosen over time because of vibrations or bumps from handling.
To stop Christmas lights from blinking, switch out the blinker bulb to a non-blinking bulb. For multi-functional lights, turn the dial until the bulbs stop blinking.
