i know its off topic but has anyone found a way to make strings of christmas lights last longer? im thinking that if a diode was put in series or something to cut down the power they would last more then one year!

You can just use a standard SCR lamp dimmer on them. If you Google "voltage effect on incandescent lamp life" you will find links explaining how lamp voltage, light output, and lamp life are related.

At a low enough voltage, an incandescent lamp will last indefinitely, although its light output might not be very useful. When I visited Edison's lab in New Jersey back in the late 70's they had on display an early Edison incandescent bulb that had been burning more or less continuously for (at the time) around 75 years. However, it was being operated at a fraction of its rated voltage and it produced very little useful light, just an orange glow.

One thing about Xmas lights is that if you reduce the voltage too much, the flasher unit probably won't work, or might work erratically.

At one time, I read that the life of an incandescent lamp was inversely proportional to something like the 10th power of the applied voltage. Don't hold me to that exact figure, but it was a stunning factor. Heaters in vacuum tubes are surely governed similarly.

Add a few more light bulbs from an old string. The bulbs are is series the more you add the less light but longer life.

:Add a few more light bulbs from an old string. The bulbs are is series the more you add the less light but longer life.
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I have to agree with Warren. Just a small decrease in brightness will add a lot to the life of a bulb.
Lewis

I have done this when I wanted to add more lights to the string, and, of course, it made the string last longer. I took perhaps 5 sockets from a junk string and strung the end wires through a bulb base and plugged this into an empty socket on the working string. Saves splicing, though you can take that route, too.

Hi

A diode in series with the light string will increase life but lose some brightness. Might consider a newer string of LED's? They should last nearly forever.

Norm

:i know its off topic but has anyone found a way to make strings of christmas lights last longer? im thinking that if a diode was put in series or something to cut down the power they would last more then one year!
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No body has mentioned the tech solution of choice - Plug the string into a variac. Bring the voltage up slowly. Stop at 90 volts. Enjoy. Get back to tinkering with a radio. Happy Xmas...:>)

:Hi
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: A diode in series with the light string will increase life but lose some brightness. Might consider a newer string of LED's? They should last nearly forever.
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:Norm
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::i know its off topic but has anyone found a way to make strings of christmas lights last longer? im thinking that if a diode was put in series or something to cut down the power they would last more then one year!
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:i know its off topic but has anyone found a way to make strings of christmas lights last longer? im thinking that if a diode was put in series or something to cut down the power they would last more then one year!
:
A lot of strings fail when initially turned on due to inrush current and the cold filaments. Perhaps you can try to "soft start" your lights by putting a CL90 type device with the correct current rating at the front of the string. Maybe make a duplex box controlled by a dimmer like a Lutron that ramps up the power on turn on to ease the lights on and minimize the inrush.

Maybe a dimmer switch. Run it at about 80% brightness. Diodes may help too.

:i know its off topic but has anyone found a way to make strings of christmas lights last longer? im thinking that if a diode was put in series or something to cut down the power they would last more then one year!
:

:i know its off topic but has anyone found a way to make strings of christmas lights last longer? im thinking that if a diode was put in series or something to cut down the power they would last more then one year!
:
Will they run on dc?