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[dave w]

I found some listed for 120V but also found some on the HomeDepot website that have 5V bulbs.

It is still a 120V rope. A 120V buss runs the length of the rope. Short lengths of bulbs are wired in series to add up to line voltage and those short series strings are tied across the 120V buss. So the rope can be cut at intervals at the short length sections (usually 18" or 36" depending on the individual bulbs voltage). LED strings are basically the same only a diode is usually in the line cord that connects to the rope and the connectors are polarized. I have seen other variations but that is the 10K foot view.
As far as pfeffer, I'm WAGing a leak to ground somewhere on the rope, especially if he DIMs the Lamp Module. What he is seeing is close to my experience at a previous home.

[pfeffer]

Here is another FWIW to pfeffer:
Back in the 90's when rope lights were insanely expensive, I made my own by threading minature Christmas lights in a vinyl tube. I drove the 100 foot, home made rope with a Lamp Module. One night I noticed the rope doing an erratic glimmer (not quite a flicker). We had had very heavy rains and several feet of the non waterproof rope was submerged in puddles. (No GFI on that circuit).

Commercial rope should be waterproof, but you don't have any couplings under water, do you?

These are commercial rope. They are well above any water; they are lighting for a gazebo.

[pfeffer]

I did a check of some vendors. They do make 120 volt incandescent rope lights.
These are 4 watts per foot and a 150 foot roll. That is 600 watts.
http://www.1000bulbs.com/product/86543/NEO-033-CL.html

Thanks for your research. I do buy the rope in 150 foot lengths which are cuttable every 18". I believe I am using about 60'.

[dave w]

These are commercial rope. They are well above any water; they are lighting for a gazebo.

You said after you switched switches the rope begin to flicker again after a few days, correct? Have you tried putting the switch you changed out on a load to see if it still flickers?