MAKE TEH LIGHTS BRIGHTER! project (An in-depth look on Christmas lights.)

[IDSkot]

Well, Mini-lights. Many people have a lot, and, well... here's the basic info on them.

Each mini-light is a small 2.5v incandescent bulb (aka light runs through a small piece of metal (Tungsten), metal gets hot, lights up. Since they don't have any sort of AC-to-DC (due to cost to effectiveness ratio), they decided to put them in a series connection (you might remember this in a car audio set-up.

Here's a diagram I pulled off the web for viewing purposes.

http://www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk/static/clipart/uk/dk/science/image_science012.jpg

By doing this, each voltage drop is added up. It would take (on an average 120v A/C current) 48 2.5v bulbs in order to rack up to 120v. Most manufacturers rounded it up to 50 bulbs. So each bulb is getting 2.4v instead of 2.5v.

In this project / experiment, I will take a picture of the strip, and then one by one take off one (while putting in another piece of metal to complete the circuit) to see how many volts the bulbs can take, and the maximum brightness they'll go.
I don't have any specialized equipment. So I'm just gunna go by eye. I waited until 10:30 to start my test, to make sure any chance of the sun interfering would be out. I'm gunna turn off all of my lights, take a picture from a spot, and post (also post how many lights and the amount of volts each will get. THEORETICALLY, they should get brighter as I take each bulb out.

Now, if these lights do get brighter, then they will also have a much shorter life span (seeing how they'll be hotter than normal.) And is a fire risk... =|


AND HEAR ARE TEH PIX!

[Jamesypoo]

How the fuck am I suppose to hear a lightbulb

[IDSkot]

50 lights @ 2.4 volts

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0277.jpg

49 lights @ 2.44 volts

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0278.jpg

48 lights @ 2.5 volts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0279.jpg

47 lights @ 2.55 volts

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0280.jpg

46 lights @ 2.6 volts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0281.jpg

45 lights @ 2.66 volts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0282.jpg

44 lights @ 2.72 volts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0283.jpg

43 lights @ 2.79 volts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0284.jpg

42 lights @ 2.86 volts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0285.jpg

41 lights @ 2.93 volts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0287.jpg

40 lights @ 3.0 volts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0288.jpg



Sorry for the iPhone pictures. My camera's AWOL.


As you can tell, the lights get noticeably brighter when pushed to 3.0 volts (20% more than what they're rated.)
They've been running for a while now, almost an hour and they're not too hot. About the same temperature @ 2.4 volts.

[IDSkot]

How the fuck am I suppose to hear a lightbulb

If you close your eyes really tight, and wish really hard. Maybe someone will drop a brick on your head, and you can finally hear light.

[Jamesypoo]

AND HEAR ARE TEH PIX!

You are a retard

[IDSkot]

You are a retard

It was a joke, dumb ass. It was an intentional typo. Get off my nuts. You're starting to chaff them.

[Volpone]

So what exactly is the point of slightly increasing the lumens cast while greatly increasing the fire hazard?

[IDSkot]

So what exactly is the point of slightly increasing the lumens cast while greatly increasing the fire hazard?

Boredom, mainly.

[Pop Da Hatch]

http://img.chan4chan.com/img/2009-04-10/1239364246498.jpg

[brynm]

The fuck is joo doing with Christmas lights? silly jew

[IDSkot]

The fuck is joo doing with Christmas lights? silly jew

Haha. I was waiting for someone to point that out.
That was the main reason I even posted this. :hilarious:

[CRAVINGBASS123]

someone has too much time on their hands

[pl8er]

Do you have a DMM? I'd be interested to know what the difference in temperature is on these after say 5 minutes of use at standard voltage, then again at the maximum voltage. Also, somewhere in the middle.

[wasted ink]

Someone has the brightest Menora on the block.

[IamDeMan]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/TwistedShot/Mini-light%20Expirement/IMG_0288.jpg



Sorry for the iPhone pictures. My camera's AWOL.


As you can tell, the lights get noticeably brighter when pushed to 3.0 volts (20% more than what they're rated.)
They've been running for a while now, almost an hour and they're not too hot. About the same temperature @ 2.4 volts.


Don't do picture experiments if you don't have a proper camera, ass.
This was gay.
50 bulbs is plenty bright for a fucking tree.
This was gay.
Anyone not using LED is a nobody.
This is gay.
I hope you burn your house down.

[hoss]

You could use the string of lights to tie a beautiful glowing noose to put around your neck. Get a friend to take pics.

[hoss]

With a proper camera :fyi:

[IDSkot]

Do you have a DMM? I'd be interested to know what the difference in temperature is on these after say 5 minutes of use at standard voltage, then again at the maximum voltage. Also, somewhere in the middle.

I have a DMM, but it doesn't take temperatures.

And I haven't actually tested maximum voltage. I had them on for a good hour and a half last night, I turned them on an hour ago... and they're still cool to the touch. If I had to guess, I'd say around 75-80*F. Not noticeably hotter than at normal voltage.

Someone has the brightest Menora on the block.

f'sho.


Don't do picture experiments if you don't have a proper camera, ass.
This was gay.
50 bulbs is plenty bright for a fucking tree.
This was gay.
Anyone not using LED is a nobody.
This is gay.
I hope you burn your house down.


So much love. Sooo much love.



BTW: I wanted to see how bright I could get them because I wanted to do lunar lights for my brother's tank, but he claimed that the 50 light chain wasn't bright enough, and was too long. So, I figured if I can both shorten the chain AND make it brighter, it was a win win.

[IamDeMan]

I wish there was a way to make you brighter, dumbass.

[IDSkot]

I wish there was a way to make you brighter, dumbass.

:hilarious: