Xmas tree lights - LED or bulbs?

[d000hg]

Seems like nearly every LED set is also listed as waterproof as well - the lights themselves anyway.

[vetran]

LED- cheap to run, safer low voltage (many of the lights are at mains voltage with naff cable).

Not having to play hunt the bulb every year!

we switched years ago and never looked back.

Same with lights, the kitchen has 55watts of lighting instead of 550watts. We leave 2 on 24*7 and it costs ~7.5p / a day. You don't have to change Gu10 halogens every month or after any serious power spike on teh mains.

[Cliphead]

I bought a tree with LED's fitted, the disclaimer stated that when one LED died the rest would and couldn't be replaced. It lasted seven years before the lights went out and was replaced by similar, not bad for a £15 tree that looked better than many three times the price. The configurable controller did some really nice sequencing too.

[northernladuk]

No, I want to know the answer to my question Will breaking one bulb ruin the set?

They don't blow as there is no filament and they are bloody hard to break as they are encased in solid plastic. They will however start to be less bright after about 50,000 hours.

We have had an outdoor LED string on the gutter of the house and there are a couple of LED's out but I suspect the wiring is failing first being coiled and uncoiled for years.

If you are talking about the strings where you can replace each LED 'bulb' rather than the permanent ones then as long as the bulb is in place the rest should stay lit. They will have some kind of shunt in that allows the chain to work even if one bulbs doesn't illuminate. Not so sure about what happens if you remove the bulb though. Some sites say a good quality string will stay lit, others say maybe not.

[d000hg]

No, I want to know the answer to my question Will breaking one bulb ruin the set?

[yasockie]

I guess you're looking for excuses to be non-conformist, in this case , however, the case is very clear cut, just buy LED - you're a contractor, you can afford it

[d000hg]

Presumably if a LED bulb does fail though, you can't replace it on most sets... will one broken bulb make them all go out or not (say if it gets trodden on or something like that)?

[russell]

Some will say LED's are too expensive, but you have to take into account the lifespan which makes it a no brainer, that with the lower power consumption and coolness.

[Support Monkey]

the only cons to led is the price. If you can afford it, go ahead with led.
Led use less power, therefore cooler, less risk of fire, more options, longevity less maintenance etc

same here, go LED i brought some LED christmas lights a few years back and never had a problem, no blown bulbs and better light, I changed 22 spot light bulbs in my house for LED yes they were £6 each but they don't give off the heat and potentially they should last considerably longer than halogen, although I have had to turn up the heat in the kitchen now

[yasockie]

the only cons to led is the price. If you can afford it, go ahead with led.
Led use less power, therefore cooler, less risk of fire, more options, longevity less maintenance etc

[d000hg]

I haven't bought any for ages and I thought LED had taken over, but clearly not as both types are out there, LEDs and the little bulbs you have to keep replacing.

What are the pros and cons of each... there must be cons to LEDs?