Christmas Lights

[The Fisher Account]

Had these for about a month. Multiple issues with the controller, app is buggy, absolutely no customer support. Would not recommend.

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Just an FYI on Watts.

Had these for about a month. Multiple issues with the controller, app is buggy, absolutely no customer support. Would not recommend.

Do you know what the brand your controller is? There might be a way to change your software to WLED which is basic software that is open source.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

Do you know what the brand your controller is? There might be a way to change your software to WLED which is basic software that is open source.

This sounds nerdy and possibly handy in the event that support ends and/or a company folds.

I have Gemstones, and I don't think that they're going anywhere, but I have wondered about what would happen in 5-10 years when/if they stop supporting stuff but the lights still work fine.

Do you happen to know what type of controller Gemstones uses and if it is compatible with WLED?

[Northendzone]

anyone ever have success trouble shooting strings of those mini LED lithgs.

I have three tstrings of lights that i am sure worked last year when i took them down. Plugged them in this year and the lights do not work; however, electricty runs thru the cord from one end to the other as i plugged one set into an outlet (no lights came on), and i plugged a random device in the other end of the string and the device worked.

i have swapped out the fuses in the string and then looked at all bulbs to ensure they were seated securely and i pulled out many bulbs to ensure the contacts were good.
Also inspected the bulbs at the start and end of the string, including those bulbs with three wires going into the socket.

i'd say the sockets are too small to get a multi-meter in as i think the probes would be toughing each other.

seems so odd that all three strings would do the exact smae thing

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

anyone ever have success trouble shooting strings of those mini LED lithgs.

I have three tstrings of lights that i am sure worked last year when i took them down. Plugged them in this year and the lights do not work; however, electricty runs thru the cord from one end to the other as i plugged one set into an outlet (no lights came on), and i plugged a random device in the other end of the string and the device worked.

i have swapped out the fuses in the string and then looked at all bulbs to ensure they were seated securely and i pulled out many bulbs to ensure the contacts were good.
Also inspected the bulbs at the start and end of the string, including those bulbs with three wires going into the socket.

i'd say the sockets are too small to get a multi-meter in as i think the probes would be toughing each other.

seems so odd that all three strings would do the exact smae thing

Sure, ya, just take them here:

https://www.barewirerecycling.ca/

Then take that cash to fund buying some that aren't the cheapest available.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

anyone ever have success trouble shooting strings of those mini LED lithgs.

I have three tstrings of lights that i am sure worked last year when i took them down. Plugged them in this year and the lights do not work; however, electricty runs thru the cord from one end to the other as i plugged one set into an outlet (no lights came on), and i plugged a random device in the other end of the string and the device worked.

i have swapped out the fuses in the string and then looked at all bulbs to ensure they were seated securely and i pulled out many bulbs to ensure the contacts were good.
Also inspected the bulbs at the start and end of the string, including those bulbs with three wires going into the socket.

i'd say the sockets are too small to get a multi-meter in as i think the probes would be toughing each other.

seems so odd that all three strings would do the exact smae thing

Troubleshooting mini lights is a time consuming exercise. It just isn't worth it.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Sure, ya, just take them here:

https://www.barewirerecycling.ca/

Then take that cash to fund buying some that aren't the cheapest available.

thanks - this is good as i hated the thought of just tossing them in my black bin

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

thanks - this is good as i hated the thought of just tossing them in my black bin

I've had good experiences taking them all sorts of wire and metal, and get more back than I expect. I hate throwing stuff out. Smells a lot better than a bottle depot, too!

[Aleks]

Anyone with Gemstone lights that can maybe answer a question for me......

We have 2 devices controlling the lights, mine and my wifes phone. She can't see the zones I've made, or any of my custom patterns, she can only see the timer. This leads me to believe that that information is stored locally on the phone, not on the controller (and the timer is on the controller, because it obviously operates independently)

I just want to make sure I'm not doing something wrong, so anyone else with them have the same behaviour?

Thanks

[Slava]

I think that’s how ours are, or at least that’s how we do things.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Aleks

Anyone with Gemstone lights that can maybe answer a question for me......

We have 2 devices controlling the lights, mine and my wifes phone. She can't see the zones I've made, or any of my custom patterns, she can only see the timer. This leads me to believe that that information is stored locally on the phone, not on the controller (and the timer is on the controller, because it obviously operates independently)

I just want to make sure I'm not doing something wrong, so anyone else with them have the same behaviour?

Thanks

You are correct. Apparently they are working on iCloud sync/backup of patterns, but currently everything is local except for the timers.