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Author Topic: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs  (Read 3850 times)

gkamieneski

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Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« on: November 30, 2018, 09:15:22 PM »

I am considering replacing my incandescent bulbs in my electric Christmas window candles with LED bulbs. I have these in mind, https://www.amazon.com/Emotionlite-Equivalent-Candelabra-Nightlight-Replacement/dp/B077GQTWZT/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Currently I automate these window candles with a mix of appliance and lamp modules, but given the trouble I went through when I went to LED coach lights (required going the the newer relay wall switches), I wonder if I will have problems with the lamp and/or appliance modules.

Trying to avoid the situation where the LED candle bulbs stay on somewhat or flicker, even when the X10 module is off.
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HA Dave

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2018, 10:18:52 PM »

I am considering replacing my incandescent bulbs in my electric Christmas window candles with LED bulbs...….
…..Trying to avoid the situation where the LED candle bulbs stay on somewhat or flicker, even when the X10 module is off.

I think many of my conversions to LED lights... will never re-coop cost of switching to LED. However.... if you're very, very, young... your experience may be different.

I connected my interior Christmas LED and other lights using appliance modules. and I stringed as many lights as I could to each appliance module. Mine worked out fine. However.... I have also used Socketrockets with adapters to convert them to accept a 2-prong plug... which can control very light loads.

Which brings up a point: Why turn OFF a 0.7 watt lamp? Six of these bulbs wouldn't even use one watt. Which is just about as much as a appliance module uses just listening for a PLC command.
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dhouston

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2018, 06:11:18 AM »

Which brings up a point: Why turn OFF a 0.7 watt lamp? Six of these bulbs wouldn't even use one watt. Which is just about as much as a appliance module uses just listening for a PLC command.

6x0.7=4.2
AM486 uses 0.4W as measured with a Kill-A-Watt.
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dave w

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2018, 10:15:55 AM »

Trying to avoid the situation where the LED candle bulbs stay on somewhat or flicker, even when the X10 module is off.
At only 0.7 watt per bulb, I don't think a dark bulb is gonna happen if driven by a X10 module.

Maybe the new "CFL friendly" Appliance Modules, but I think even their local control leakage (load sensing) current would light the LED candle bulbs.

I agree with HA Dave, why turn them off? I guess if you have them in the bedroom, that might be a bother. If you use one module to turn on several candles in the bedroom you could always keep one incandescent in the string.
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dave w

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2018, 10:21:01 AM »

AM486 uses 0.4W as measured with a Kill-A-Watt.
Dave, was that the newer SMD style module? I'm wondering only because I remember it being higher. But that was the old module. 
Does that change if there is a load, or is that with the load?
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gkamieneski

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2018, 10:28:15 AM »

Thanks, everyone.

I had thought the candles were actually using 7w bulbs, not .7 watts. My current incandescent candles work perfectly with Activehome and the WiFi module controlling the Christmas lighting scenes. My only reasons for considering the LEDs are that the incandescent bulbs seem to fail quite often (increased by the cat knocking over the candles in the windows) and also because I would feel better with less heat coming from them (should they contact a curtain or window shade).
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Brian H

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2018, 10:31:30 AM »

Do you know if the appliance module is the older hardware with Local Control Sensing or the latest CFL friendly ones?
The CFL Friendly appliance module when I tested one. Did not trigger back on when the lamps local switch was toggled.
It still has the low On/Off sensing current. So a real low LED load may still glow. I tried a single LED night Light bulb and it glowed dimly when the appliance module was off. An older appliance module with Local Control Sensing makes the same test bulb glow brighter.
« Last Edit: December 01, 2018, 11:05:31 AM by Brian H »
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dhouston

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2018, 11:54:10 AM »

AM486 uses 0.4W as measured with a Kill-A-Watt.
Dave, was that the newer SMD style module? I'm wondering only because I remember it being higher. But that was the old module. 
Does that change if there is a load, or is that with the load?

Since it was many years ago (shortly after the Kill-A-Watt came along) I'm sure it was the older, TH style. Since Kill-A-Watt measurements are made with the module plugged into the Kill-A-Watt,  measuring with a load would give the sum of the module plus the load.
BTW, the Amazon listing says 0.6W in one place and 0.7W in another.
« Last Edit: December 01, 2018, 11:58:06 AM by dhouston »
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HA Dave

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #8 on: December 01, 2018, 02:56:24 PM »

Which brings up a point: Why turn OFF a 0.7 watt lamp? Six of these bulbs wouldn't even use one watt. Which is just about as much as a appliance module uses just listening for a PLC command.

6x0.7=4.2
AM486 uses 0.4W as measured with a Kill-A-Watt.

You math is impeccable.... I was mistaken. Plus... I don't own a kill-a-watt and was remembering a post here from years ago... and honestly thought appliance modules used more power than that. 
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HA Dave

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #9 on: December 01, 2018, 03:01:23 PM »

I had thought the candles were actually using 7w bulbs, not .7 watts.

I have an LED bulb (.5 watt) that burns 24/7. It was simpler (for me) to just let it burn than try to control it. But it is amazing to think about that those old little (7 watt) night lights... used as much electric as does many full sized room lighting 7 watt LED's use now-a-days.
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dhouston

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #10 on: December 01, 2018, 03:21:50 PM »

I don't own a kill-a-watt and was remembering a post here from years ago... and honestly thought appliance modules used more power than that.
I used the Kill-A-Watt to measure the power used by various X-10 modules when idle. See...
https://www.laser.com/dhouston/x10-sig.html
Scroll to the bottom of that page.
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HA Dave

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #11 on: December 01, 2018, 03:43:23 PM »

I used the Kill-A-Watt to measure the power used by various X-10 modules when idle. See...
https://www.laser.com/dhouston/x10-sig.html

Great research and information (well organized too). Thanks for sharing that. That should be something I remember.
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dave w

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2018, 03:40:17 PM »


Since Kill-A-Watt measurements are made with the module plugged into the Kill-A-Watt,  measuring with a load would give the sum of the module plus the load.
Yeah, sorry I was not clear. What I was wondering is: with AM in the off state, is there any difference in stand-by current with a load plugged in and nothing plugged in. But I (now thinking about it) think it would be so minuscule as to be un-measurable by the K-A-W.
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dhouston

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #13 on: December 02, 2018, 04:18:56 PM »

What I was wondering is: with AM in the off state, is there any difference in stand-by current with a load plugged in and nothing plugged in. But I (now thinking about it) think it would be so minuscule as to be un-measurable by the K-A-W.
I think you are right that the difference would be minuscule but I might make some quick tests if I can remember when I'm next at my workbench.
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dave w

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Re: Christmas Window Candles, replacing with LED bulbs
« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2018, 09:41:56 PM »

I think you are right that the difference would be minuscule but I might make some quick tests if I can remember when I'm next at my workbench.
Don't bother. Not worth the effort, Dave. I don't even know why I was curious, now.
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