Re: LED Xmas lights and X10.. the final solution...

I ran across the LED glow issue last year. I'm slowly changing outside
decorations to LEDs where possible. The $0 solution is to connect at least 1
miniature light set to each LED branch power feed. This not a problem since
I have an intermix of LED and miniature lights. This needs to done at the
controller end or before the LED strings. The pass-through power
(string-a-long) on the LED string is rectified voltage (about 100 volts DC).

My decoration theme is candy cane so most of the lighting is red and white
(clear or frosted). For years I'm made on own color schemes by
interchanging bulbs. However, this is not possible with LEDs. For one
decoration I interwove the red and white LED sets using tiewraps. My next
task is red/white LED icicles (sometimes called curtain lights). There are
a few on the market but are way, way, way too expensive. No easy solution
other than cut, splice, heat shrink, and keeping the polarity straight.

The colored LEDs are very bold in color. However, the white LEDs have a
slight cold blue color when viewed outside in the dark.

Mixmaster

"AZ Woody" <reply@here> wrote in message
news:47425b92$0$506$815e3792@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
OK.. After doing testing with 1-4 strings of LEDs and the X10 mods I had
on hand (modified and unmodifed) here's what I did... (none of the modules
would turn off the Leds all the way

- Home Depot - gray plastic box, outlet cover, and outlet - ~$2
- 2' power cord (salvaged from junk box)
- 110v AC relay (ratshack - $8, but I'm sure they can be found cheaper -
10amp contactsis what I got) Just make sure it will fit in the outlet
box, with the outlet

Basically, wired so that when power is a applied, relay closes and power
is applied to the outlet.. Using a std X10 appliance module all works! I
plug the relay into the module, the LED lights into the relay. It's less
visible than adding a incandescent light to the mix.. 2' cord is enough
to set the outlet box on the floor (containing the relay).

The relay is DPDT, but only switching hot, so I can easily use the other
side for dry contact at a later time. (3 screw terminals on the outside of
the box and wire to the relay is all it takes...)


.

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