Strange Christmas Lights

[AndrewSchofield]

Weve put the Christmas tree up in the office this week and adorned it with some beautiful lights. They have the now obligatory flashing function and look great. However, during the day the flashing of the lights gets gradually more rapid until around lunchtime when they are just fully on, and because they flash intermitently, this means half the bulbs are lit and half are off. Turn them back on the next morning and they flash again but by lunchtime we have the same problem!

Can anyone suggest what may cause this and more importantly, is it likely to be safe.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I assume the person who bought the lights sought out the highest quality he could find, paying particular attention to buying a known make from a reputable supplier, and making sure that there were no obvious problems with build or component quality?

 

[tim west]

Unless its a function of the lights themselves it sounds like a timing critical component is changing value over the period its switched on for possibly through heat and altering the timing cycle of the flash or chase.

Check the controller isnt situated close to a heat source, though it may just be a case its duff.

 

[AndrewSchofield]

B-A-S - Can't comment on the quality or the person who bought them as they were given to us by someone who moved house into a smaller house and could no longer fit in an 8ft christmas tree. She gaves us the tree and loads of decorations for it, including said lights.

Wondered if heat might be the problem, it isn't near a heat source though (our office is so well insulated that the only heating we have is the lights on the ceiling and the heat given out by computers etc...). I've had a look at the wires and there doesn't seem to be any damage to the insulation or any loose wires and the control box (althought doesn't do anything when i press the button) is warm but not hot so guess they've either outlived there life expectancy or just had a fault from day one.

 

[Steve]

I assume the person who bought the lights sought out the highest quality he could find, paying particular attention to buying a known make from a reputable supplier, and making sure that there were no obvious problems with build or component quality?

behave ban. Name a reputable supplier of Christmas lights. Then tell me a high street store where I can purchase their products.


As a side note, I have been wholly disappointed with this years selection of lights at my local "the range" store. Or maybe its because they have sold most of them already?

 

[rebuke]

I bought a set of Christmas lights at (heaven forbid) Argos last night. Put them on my tree, and within an hour some of them had gone out (they're the fixed bulb type, so I can't even just try changing bulbs). Fortunately I hadn't decorated the tree so it was easy enuogh to take them off again - they're giong straight back this evening...

 

[Pensdown]

I assume the person who bought the lights sought out the highest quality he could find, paying particular attention to buying a known make from a reputable supplier, and making sure that there were no obvious problems with build or component quality?

behave ban. Name a reputable supplier of Christmas lights.

They also offer personal delivery....

Untitled

• Pensdown
• 12 Dec 2008
• 1

 

[stargazer]

That wiring is clearly unsafe.
Please remove it immediately, and re-post the picture to demonstrate you have done this.