I was searching TH-cam for the same diy project, watched your video, read the comments, I have yet to try it myself, just want to praise you because you took time to reply most of the questions with detail answers. 👍🏼
But I see what you mean about the LEDs burning brighter and giving them a shorter lifetime. Without that load resistor, we only got two weeks out of the lights :(
Thanks Craig - I used your video to replace the batteries in some outdoor lights. Now they're much more convenient, longer lasting, and for some reason (more consistent current?) there isn't the "jittering" or "sawtooth" quality to the pulse or fade mode that there was while battery-powered. The only drawback is that I can't leave them outside - but then I suspect they weren't really good enough quality for that anyway!
I have just converted my static set to USB following this video, i have meant to do it for ages but wasn't sure if you had to drop the voltage some how and how to calculate and what components but it was (disappointingly) too easy but a nice easy job to do.
Wow! you sir are a pioneer and we all thank you for teaching us. i used to think it was soooooo hard to do anything with a circuit board but you inspired me to start learning engineering!!!! i cant wait to watch your other videos!
You have to be careful with the battery packs you use. Most shut off and do not output power when the output current is too low. I have a set of leds that pull only 50mA and of the 4 different battery packs I have (li-ion and lipo) only one will stay on and power the leds. Another note is you can use a diode in series with the battery to reduce the voltage from 5v to 4.3 or 4.7 is using a Schottky type and the controller will be happier.
Just wondering....l have a fairy light string similar to this but has a USB connection so l use a power point instead of batteries. However the cable provided with the fairy light string is short and doesn't reach a power point without wasting the fairy lights on "floor lighting" and then is too short for the object l'm lighting up. Is there an extension cord that can be purchased to go further? Thank you in advance.
Hi. I bought smaller version which is 3v AA battery (1.5 metre longs) i am using them to a project can i link 4 packs (4 × 1.5m longs ) same model together by cutting them and link them? Is it possible to use same way you did to put used them with USB power bank
Hi Craig I found your channel while looking to upgrade some basic copper pin lights from ALDI. They don’t have a sequencer just basic on and off. Could a simple Arduino be used to create sequences as well as removing the need for Batteries ? I’m in Sydney Australia but I am originally from Port Glasgow, or as the Greenockians say “the dirty wee port’.
Hi Ewen, you'll be glad to you're in OZ as it's freezing here now! You can add an arduino to control the lights but it's likely the set is just one string of LEDs in parallel, your options would be limited to flashing on and off or dimming them using pulse width modulation. You could add a second or third set to create some effects, you could wrap them together to create a chasing effect. If you are going to do this just remember to use transistors or opto isolators, the current required to drive each set of LEDs is more than the pin on an arduino can support. P.S. 'The Port' is an up and coming area now, it has a big-ish retail park near the waterfront, changed days for Inverclyde :-)
Thanks Craig. It’s probably best if I return them and spend a little bit more on a better set. It sounds as if you know a bit about Arduino’s maybe you could do a few videos upgrading basic/cheap leds to home automated systems ? Your reply was much appreciated.
You can if you like, however unless you can find an outdoor USB power source you are limited to using them indoors once converted. Hope this makes sense.
Super video! I'm wondering if you can by pass and remove the battery pack entirely? I don't need the functionality. I just need to be able to turn the lights on when I plug in. Also...love your accent
Hello great video.. Thinking about buying these for my daughters room once you charge them up and plug them into a charger can you detach the USB port and then the lights or strained by themselves and I can put them in objects or do the lights have to stay plugged in to a USB port to work? Thank you so much
Hi there, You need to leave them plugged into a 5v power source, this can be a USB power bank (that's what I use), that way they are portable and don't need to be plugged into the wall socket all the time. Hope this helps :-)
Hi Criag, how many hours light time do you reakon you get from the powerbank shown in this video, for example in comparison to the original batteries? Thanks, WIll
Hi Will, The power bank shown in the video is from Poundland, they clain 2000mAh (that is what is printed on the cell to be fair) however the reality is that it will deliver around 1200mAh from the USB port, part of the difference is loss due to the 5v boost process. The LEDs pull c.170mA in full lit mode (mode 8 I think), this is the 50 LED string version (the 100 LED string pulls 330mA). In this mode the LEDs will run for approx 7 hours on one charge. I tend to use larger power banks rated 10,000mAh, using this as a power source should give over 50 hours of use per charge. The things to remember are that the power bank option is much better for the environment, it is more cost effective and the LEDs will run at full brightness until the charge runs out unlike batteries which cause dimming as they run out. Hope this helps C :-)
@@childscraig thanks for this. I've now rigged mine up which is I think 20 led (they look very similar bulbs with copper wire, but no control circuit). In the battery container there appears to be a resistor, I ended up adding a 47ohm resistor in addition between the positive lead of usb cable to positive terminal in battery housing to tone down the lights slightly. Like you say, much better than AA batteries especially as I tended to use alkaline and forgot to turn them off at nighttime. Thanks again for video
Great vid. I'm trying to do this with some lights similar, one set worked and the other went pop! I think you might have pointed me in the right direction. Couple of questions. 1. Could you package a rechargeable battery inside the box space (with a charging module) 2. How much life so you get out of that small charger - I assume its an 18650? Anyway, love these kind of videos. Subscribed!
Hi Simon, You could add a cell but you would slso need to add the circuit to charge and protect the cell, but yes it is possible. Just bear in mind that charging then becomes less convenient as you can't just swap in a fresh power bank. The power banks are 18650 based, the type I use come from Poundland (£1 each in the UK), unmodified they give 4-7 hours per charge but I change the cell inside for a higher capacity cell, the runtime depends on how much you want to spend! The set beside my bed use a 10,000mAh power bank, used for about 1-2 hrs per night it is at least couple of weeks between charges. Hope this helps, Craig.
They actually don't produce any more heat when using 5v, I can only guess that the controller chip is 5v tolerant, no way to tell for sure as there are no markings, as usual!
Hi there, I think it would be very difficult to 'move' the led chips on this type of string. You could cut and resolve the wires but you would need to remove the lacquered surface which would leave an insulated wire, this would need re-lacquered and might not look very pretty when it is finished. Good luck!
H Jin, sorry I didn't reply before, the comments section has changed and I seem to be missing stuff. The unit doesn't heat up at all, it uses PWM for dimming so there is no heat converted by a resistor. Hope this helps, Craig.
Hi Julia, Cutting the string of LEDs would likely cause an over-current failure of the LEDs left on the string, the current is limited by the controller or a resistor in the battery pack. If you do want to cut them short you would have to calculate the current consumption and add a resistor of the correct value to limit the current and protect the remaining LEDs. The alternative if to just wrap the wire around something to make it appear shorter. Can I ask what you are trying to do, there may be another option? Craig.
Hi thelre, If you are using the exact method in this video with the LEDs shown there is no need for resistors. If you are using any other hardware or method this advice doesn't apply. Hope this helps!
Need Pro reply😁: Isn't it better to add a 10-ohm resistor to each line from the board to the lights to ensure a safer current when going from AA 4.5v to USB 5v 1A cable?
Hi, the IC on these boards is 5v tollerant, there are versions of the board with 3 x AA batteries as the power source. Of course this only applies to this particular product.
Hi Dustin, Any USB cable should be fine, inside you will find either 2 or 4 cores, 2 of these are power and 2 are data. The power cores are often red and black but to confirm this you would use a multimeter to check for 5v. If you don't have a multimeter you can use an LED and a 150(ish) ohm resistor, if you have the correct cores and the right way round the LED will light up. The data cores should be cut away in a way they cannot short circuit to prevent damage to your power source. Hope this helps, Craig.
I recently bought a remote control solar Christmas light diy module, and i accidentally Connected the battery in LED + - can this ruin my module? Because after a connected all its not working anymore, its similar to that board you are holding
Hi, yes it is likely that feeding the source power into the output has damaged the module, all the current regulation components are on the input side, it's quite likely to have killed a solid state component or two 😞
Hi Priyesh, I don't have a link however if you search Amazon for Kohree fairy lights they come up first. The power bank is from a UK retailer called Poundland, you might be able to find the same item on Ebay if you are not in the UK, they are made in China so are likely to be available in lots of countries under different brand names. Thanks for the comments! C :-)
Hi Craig, I have a battery powered puck lighting system that I want to convert to a wired system. there are 8 lights that take 3 AAA batteries each. I want to wire all 8 lights together. what I want to know is what kind of a converter or power supply will i need? I have a power supply that says on the label, input: 100-240v-50/60Hz 50mA. Output: 5.0v - 180mA. will that power my lights? if not what do I need?
Hi Keli, It depends on tbe wattage of the lamps, you need to know this before you can use your power supply, if you overload it you will likely fry it! There are a number of ways to work this out, the easiest is with a multimeter, do you have one of these? If so you can measure the current in milliamps for one then multiply it by 6 for your full set. If the total load is less than or equal to the capacity of your power supply you are good to go. Hope this helps, let me know how you get on :-)
Hello, I was just wandering if you already have a video or maybe you could potentially make one, on how to convert your fairy lights so that they can use a single button cell battery as opposed to aa batteries?
Hi Julia thanks for the suggestion, there are lots of button cell lights on the market already, in fact since making this video there are now lots more USB powered lights out there too! The drawbacks of having to step the voltage up from a button cell and the very limited capacity of these cells would outweigh the advantages I think, but if you think I'm missing something please tell me! If there's a reason you asked (i.e. you have a project in mind), let me know and I'll see if I can help. Craig :-)
Craig Childs thank you for replying! I wanted to put a fairy light in a gin bottle, and wanted to have the power inside the cap, so the power source is invisible. My boyfriend also wanted to tech it up by making the switch Bluetooth controlled so you can turn the lights on and off from your phone ☺️☺️☺️
@@juliahstewartlighting the gin bottle with a cr2032 button cell is easy, these are available online already and are small, they only have a simple on/off switch for control. Bluetooth switching is another challenge, not only will this involve a larger module but will also drain the battery quickly. This is why the type in the video has an IR remote, the IR sensor doesn't use any power when not in use. Have you considered using a glass drill to put a hole in the bottom of an empty bottle and feeding the wire in there? Then you can hide the control module and a bigger battery under a shelf or similar? C.
Not for this set, you would have to either find a set which runs on c.9v or reduce the voltage, either using a regulator or a buck converter. The USB option is easier for this particular set of LEDs.
Hello, I want them on a smart plug, so it wil on and off automatically. It already has a usb plug, BUT when I turn off the smartplug and turn it back on, the lights wouldn't go on, because you have to click the button ON the ubs plug. I have the same remote, but the button on the usb plug will "click off, when power cut off. Is it possible to remove the button on the usb plug so when the smart plug go on, the button don't need to click to turn on?
Hi Vera, With this set the power on behaviour is to start program 1, this is not changeable (at least not easily). The only way you could achieve the effect you are looking for is to leave the control box powered up all the time but use a relay connected to a smart device to cut inline power to the chain of LEDs. To be honest by the time you do all this you would be better and probably cheaper just buying a new set which doesn't flash and plugging those in to a smart USB outlet like the Sonoff micro. Hope this helps!
Well, I tried to replace batteries with wall transformer (here in US from 110 to 4.5 DC) it fried the chip ! connected directly to string of LED's and only half lighted up ! anyone know how to make all of them light by wall adapter ?
Hi Byrod1, Was your charger definitely DC? If so it's likely to be outputting much more than 4.5v, unless it says 'regulated' the voltage (off load) will float quite high and is likely what killed your IC. You need a controller to light both sets of leds, the controller changes the polarity back and forth rapidly giving the effect that both sets are lit. I'm adraid you'll need to buy a new set and use a more suited power supply, there are sets on Ebay/Amazon etc which are already supplied with a mains adapter, safer to use these if you don't want to use USB power banks. Hope this helps. Craig.
Hi Aqeel, It is unlikely you would be able to do this if the set are designed to run on 110 or 230v,. If it has a transformer inline the label will tell you the output voltage, if it has this it might be possible but more info is needed. Hope this helps, C.
@@childscraig No problem Craig, I sometimes don't get notifications too. Yes I still have a query but I made a mistake. Instead of 3 AAA batteries in each candle, it's actually 2 AA batteries. So I don't think its possible to hook up 2 AA batteries to USB cause that's just 3 volts, right? Whereas USB is 5 volt. If the candles had had 3 AAA like I originally thought, then I think I couldve got away with a USB connection cause the voltage is 4.5. Any ideas?
@@rory9174 Happy new year! Having only 2 AA doesn't necessarily mean that you can't convert it to USB, it just means you need to work out whether the item can tolerate a higher voltage or if you need to reduce the voltage. If you look at the video you have commented on I start with a unit which takes 2 x C cell batteries, therefore the starting voltage is 3v. Some devices with these little control modules have a wide tolerance for input voltage, this one happily runs on 3v-5v, there are no markings on the chips but I have bought the same kit from the same supplier and some have 2 x C cells and others have 3 x AA cells, I think the chip has been designed with integrated voltage regulation. Can you tell me a bit more about the candles you have? If possible post a link to where you bought them, otherwise describe how many LEDs are on each one, what functions it has etc. C :)
Just to let you know Craig I connected one of the candles to a 5volt 1A phone charger. It worked perfectly. So then I daisy chained the other 2 candles and theyre all working beautifully. I must say though, they look a little brighter compared to the batteries. I'm not sure if this will shorten the life of the LEDs.
Hi Mehdi, The easiest and safest way to do this is buy a cheap USB adapter, plug the USB plug into this, you then have the option to unplug them and use a power bank if you like. There are other ways to use mains power but I won't go into these as there is really no point, none of the other options are as cheap, safe or easy as using a plug in USB adapter. Hope this helps, Craig :-)
@@childscraig Hi.. Is it safe to plug it in directly to a wall socket using USB adapter? I watched another video where he connected a resistor first. Is that a requirement? I saw your video but you did not add any resistor but still worked fine. I am planning to plug it in directly to the wall socket using a USB adapter. I am really new to this whole thing and I don't even have soldering iron and other stuff yet but...tinkering is my thing.. LOL
@@janbetan12n Hi janbetan12n, This particular model is fine to plug into any USB port, including wall adapters. The reason is the circuit on the board limits the current to the LEDs using PWM (pulse width modulation). This method switches the LEDs on and off rapidly to limit the current, this gives the impression that they are being dimmed but they are just never on long enough to reach full brightness. I have another video where I show you how to convert a 30 string of LEDs using a resistor, that method uses the resistor to limit the current and stops the LEDs burning out quickly. It all just depends on the type of LED kit you have available. Hope this helps, Craig.
@@childscraig Oh... I have the non blinking type... No PWM as you call it... It is just a simple off and on. So that means the resistor only helps to prolong the LED life (regulates the brightness/volt/wattage) because it prevents overheating?
Hi Goblin tails, sorry I missed your comment, not sure why that happened. If you mean a 'candle' type light which flickers lots of yellow LEDs then yes you can, I have done this with a couple from Ebay. The candle lamps I bought have a transformer inside to take mains voltage down to 5v, in that case you are replacing that transformer with the 5v power bank via a USB lead. Just be careful and make sure you don't play around with live mains voltage, the end product should have no way to connect to the mains to ensure safety! Hope this helps and sorry again for the missed comment. Craig 🙂
Hi Clark, the board in this kit isn't using resistors, it's a micro controller, if you remove that the lights won't work. On any project involving LEDs some form of current limiting is required, if you connect an LED to a power supply (i.e. USB source) the LED will burn out after a second or so, resistors or a current limited supply (i.e. an LED driver) are essential for LEDs. Hope this helps
Hi there, Often when you open a USB cable the positive will be red and the negative black, but not always. The easiest way is to check with a multimeter. If you don't have one of these you can use an LED and a 220ohm resistor, the LED will only light when power is applied in the correct polarity. The resistor is there to limit the current, if you put 5v onto the LED without running it through the resistor first the LED will burn out straight away! Hope this helps.
@@childscraig Still something: how can you define the needed resistor? Just because I have a pure led string withoout the electronics part and I would like to use it…
Hi Nifemi, do you mean the battery connection springs? If so a quick fix is to use a little ball of cooking foil (aluminium foil), put that in at the end of the battery to make contact with the plate. Hope this helps, Craig.
my battery leaked acid onto the board and messed it up is there anyway to wire it directly I wonder maybe connect the wires to a battery some way just to get the lights to come on
Hi Bryan, Unfortunately you need the board to control the LEDs, if you use a battery and a resistor (to limit the current) only half of the LEDs would light, this is due to the way they are wired. Hope this helps.
How about the lifespan of the new setup? I mean, feeding 5 Volts to something that is designed to run at 3 Volts (3.2 V max, with fresh batteries) is quite harmful.
Hi Horatiu, The set of lights in the video are on in my hallway right now, they have been running 24 hours a day for 4 years, so far they have no issues. Hope this helps!
Hi Melanie, This type of LED string uses s processor to pulse and control the current, if you connected it direct half the LEDS would burn out straight away and the other half would not attempt to light. This video is very old, since then there are lots of USB powered LED lights readily available, it's easier just to buy a set of these nowadays. Hope this helps, Craig.
I'm have no experience to be honest but I'm trying to do the same thing with the insides of flashlights and mount them into the bottom my desk and at night I can have them light the floor So I don't get blinded every night got any tips
Hi Travis, Use flashlights which take 3 or 4 x AA or AAA batteries, the voltage from a power bank is 5v, you want to use flashlights which are as close to this as possible. If you need to use lower voltage flashlights then you will need to use a something to step the voltage down, either connect 2 flashlights in series to the same power bank or use a buck converter to get the right voltage. Hope this helps.
So a 3 x AAA unit runs at 4.5v at full charge, you should be OK at 5v but the lamps will run fairly bright. You could use a resistor inline to dim them a bit, just have a play with different values until you find one which suits you best. The disadvantage of resistors is that some of the power is lost as heat. If you want more control you can use a buck converter, these are really cheap on Ebay or Amazon, you can drop the voltage to a precise level without wasting power, it is a little more work and more expense but it will make your power bank charge last longer and you will learn a bit more in the process!
Hi there, I'm working on a project where I would like to attach a string of Led lights much like the colored lights you have.BUT I don't like that the battery pack is big. I happen to have a pair of plastic glasses with small flashing lights which happens to use tiny disk like batteries. can I exchange the battery pack? do I need to adjust how many batteries it will need ? will this affect how bright the lights are? if my description is confusing , I don't mind making a small video of my supplies and linking it here. or if anyone has seen tutorials on what I'm trying to do can you comment the link below. Thanks to any who will answer :)
Hi there, the battery box doesn't mstter, I have some I have taken the pcb out of the box and wrapped in kapton tape, then plugged a usb power bank to power them. You can use button cells, the combined voltage will need to be 4-5v, they will be just as bright but the run time will be greatly reduced. Hope this helps.
Hi there, This is a very old video, you can now buy USB plug in versions for the same price as the battery type. I purchased these from Amazon in the UK, Deal: [2 Pack] Fairy String Lights, 120LED 12M/40Ft 8 Modes USB Plug in Powered Lights Waterproof Outdoor/Indoor Copper String Lights with Remote Timer for Bedroom, Party, Wedding, Christmas (Warm White) amzn.eu/d/ggFX2Xu Hope this helps.
Hi, your meter should have red and black probes, when you put the red to the positive and black to negative it should read 5v, when you put it the other way round it should read -5v. Hope this makes sense!
Lovely wonderful Craig! If I wanted to attach 4, 2m strings of these little copper lights to the same battery pack and switch, in parallel so 4 string light strands coming from the chip, would that work? It it just a matter of the battery will run out faster, or are there other things I need to take into consideration? I will happily PayPal you beer money for any advice!
Hi Leighbee13, I know from experience that you can put 2 strings on the same controller, not tried 4 yet. There are other considerations, mostly the current capability of the transistors used to switch the lights on and off, these dim the lights and create the flashing effects. If you overload these they will fail. You could try looking up the data sheets for these online, you would need to know how much current the lights were drawing, this can be done with a good multimeter if you have one or a USB tester will also give an approximate value. You could use 2 controllers to run 4 sets of lights to spread the load, just means you would have 2 boxes instead of 1. It depends on your level of experience really, you could replace the transistors with higher current value versions, this is not really a DIY hack though as it involves soldering surface mount parts. What I would do if it was me is try it, worst case is you will blow one board and be left with 3, you could then use 2 of these to run 2 pairs. You can also run more than 1 controller from one USB power source, you can connect the USB power lines in parallel to share the power to more than one board. One last thing to consider is the output capacity of your power bank, a lot of cheaper units will only output 1A, I haven't measured the output on these but you might push past 1A with 4 sets. If I get time tomorrow I will measure the loads on the lights I have. Hope this helps. P.S. thanks for the offer of payment but I only do this for the fun, appreciated anyway 😁
Leighbee13, I measured the current consumed by one of my sets, this is a 6M set with 60 LEDs, they use 220mA at full brightness. If your sets are only 2M they must be different and have a different control board, I have ordered some 2M sets and will have a look when they arrive.
Craig Childs what a wonderfully comprehensive response! Thank you so much. The sets I’m planning on getting don’t have any flashing functions, can I assume that won’t have a controller board and therefore no transistors to overload? The ones I’m looking at online are 20 bulbs on 2m of wire and just switch on and off. I have a simple set of 40 at home so I cracked it open and on inspection it’s just a switch and 24 ohm resistor inside though due to a lot of hot glue I can’t see in what order! So if it is similar to that can I just connect multiple lights to the switch? Or do I need to mess with the resistor value? I have a pack of different resistors but not sure how I’d calculate that out. I can’t have 2 switches and 2 battery packs is the problem. It’s for a performance costume, its supposed to be a reveal halfway through a dance, so I need a slim profile battery and a single switch to switch it all on. Thank you so much again for your help!
@@leighbee13 It sounds like you have the simple sets using CR2032 batteries? If that is the case I have some of these coming in a day or two, can you wait until later in the week and I can work out the best way to approach this for you? If you are using them in a costume you need to ensure that the resistors won't get hot, I will check this out. Obviously the batteries will last only a quarter of the normal runtime but if you only need them on for a short time this should be fine, you can use fresh batteries each time you use them.
Pleeeeease help ! I have 2 identical same brand LED fairy lights (3 wires) that I want to connect together to make it longer and being able to use only one plug for it. How can I do that ??? I would love if there is a tutorial on it. Please help, I really wanna get it ready for my Christmas decorations :)
Hi Kyle, It depends on the circuit inside the mask, the short answer is yes it should be possible but you may need to add some extra hardware to prevent damage. If it is just LEDs there are two easy'ish' ways to do this, 1) add a buck converter to drop the 5v of the USB to 3v, 2) change the resistors on the LEDs to manage the current flow at each LED. Of course this is all easier said than done, it will depend on the design of the mask which is the best option. Hope this helps, C.
I would have Graham but this makes it more difficult to charge once you put the lights into a vase or wrap them round a bed frame, plugging a fresh power bank in is easy to do in these cases. Your idea would work well if the lights are easy to move and plug in, might give this a go next time, thanks.
Hi Craig, I am a complete novice when it comes to electronics. It was taught so badly at University that it almost put me off. I do however, like your videos and it has prompted me to experiment. I have a string of 10 multicoloured LED lights, but they are in a simple on-off arrangement, so there is no controller to make them flash. I'd like to convert them to USB (they are currently 3xAA powered). I know that the output of USB is 5V but I am hearing conflicting information as to whether it is OK to just solder the terminals of the USB and the lights together and forget about the "extra" 0.5V. My guess is its not OK to do this, but others say it is. Do you have an opinion on this? Best wishes, mate!
Hi Paul, The extra voltage is likely not a huge issue, what it will do is make the LEDs run brighter, more light = more heat, more heat = shorter lifespan of the LEDs. An easy way to resolve this is to add a resistor, you can calculate the size you need or you can just experiment if you have a kit with lots of different value resistors. The other thing you could do is add a buck converter to drop the voltage to 4.5v but this is a bit bigger and costs a bit more. Good luck with your experiment and remember that a burnt out LED isn't a failure, it's a result of learning something and therefore a success! C :-)
@@childscraig thanks my friend. Electronics scares the crap out of me which is a shame as I am fascinated by it. I said the same thing about computers and now I work in the industry (and that was taught very badly at University too!)
@@WhizzBangWhoopee buy cheap components on Ebay, Aliexpress, Gearbest or Amazon, get a cheap soldering iron, some wire and just experiment with it. Watch TH-cam vids and see where you get to. Electronics is a broad field, it can be simple fun or can be a complex career, if you don't take it too seriously you can have fun and get creative at the same time. A good start is to buy a cheap Arduino Uno kit and explore with that, again if you destroy it you won't have spent a lot but will have learned something. Good thing about Arduino is you can buy 'shields' and breadboards so you can experiment without soldering if that is too big a step at first.
Hi Queen Beulah, If you connected the cable the correct way round, your power supply is working and the connections are good you might find that when the original cable broke it short circuited and caused some damage to the controller. All I can suggest is double check your connections and make sure your USB power source is working, unfortunately you may be looking at replacing your lights otherwise. Hope this helps, C :-)
I have a special project I need help with involving connecting strings of fairy lights together at a meeting point to a rechargeable power source … would u be willing to help?
Hi Craig. I have this photos.app.goo.gl/yuYPBT3LKVf7wYcK7 which I believe is 4.5 V. Can I add a usb cable to this setup or do I need to buy a resistor? Thank you!!
Hi there, It is likely you have a different type of light set, one without the IC control. This method will only work with the type shown in the video. You can use a 5v source for 3v lights which don't use the controller but you would have to use resistors to limit the current and prevent the LEDs from burning out, one of my other videos covers this. Hope this helps.
Hi, The original battery voltage is 3v, the USB 'battery' voltage is 5v. This unit is very tollerant to both voltages, the samd board is used in a 4.5v version with no changes. Hope this helps, Craig.
Hi Niva, how long it lasts depends on the power bank you use, I have some cheap ones which last barely 3 hours and some good ones which last for days, probably 20-30 hours run per charge. The version of lights in the video does have a remote, you can dim the lights, select modes and turn on/off. There was a video big clive posted this morning you may want to watch, he converted a candle effect mains light to USB power, I have ordered a couple to do myself. All the best :-)
Hi there, sorry I didn't see your comment sooner. It would not be easy to add a motion sensor to this particular set of lights, because it has a processor it switches on in flashing mode by default. It would be much easier to add a sensor to static lights but if you are going to do that you would probably be better just buying a set with a sensor already, they are not expensive these days. Hope this helps :)
The energy density of lithium cells is much higher, it's more convenient as you get longer between charges, it also means you can plug them in to a wall adapter to leave on all the time. Hope this helps
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New LED video, check it out here th-cam.com/video/z-yCa8zPayg/w-d-xo.html
I was searching TH-cam for the same diy project, watched your video, read the comments, I have yet to try it myself, just want to praise you because you took time to reply most of the questions with detail answers. 👍🏼
I finally plucked up the courage to try this - and it works! Thank you Craig!
But I see what you mean about the LEDs burning brighter and giving them a shorter lifetime. Without that load resistor, we only got two weeks out of the lights :(
Just finished my 1st one -worked perfectly! Thank you for this video.
Great video and narration Craig. Been meaning to try something like this. Thanks for taking the time to film and share.
Thanks Craig - I used your video to replace the batteries in some outdoor lights. Now they're much more convenient, longer lasting, and for some reason (more consistent current?) there isn't the "jittering" or "sawtooth" quality to the pulse or fade mode that there was while battery-powered. The only drawback is that I can't leave them outside - but then I suspect they weren't really good enough quality for that anyway!
I have just converted my static set to USB following this video, i have meant to do it for ages but wasn't sure if you had to drop the voltage some how and how to calculate and what components but it was (disappointingly) too easy but a nice easy job to do.
Wow! you sir are a pioneer and we all thank you for teaching us. i used to think it was soooooo hard to do anything with a circuit board but you inspired me to start learning engineering!!!! i cant wait to watch your other videos!
Thank you for posting this. Great video, helped a lot.
You have to be careful with the battery packs you use. Most shut off and do not output power when the output current is too low. I have a set of leds that pull only 50mA and of the 4 different battery packs I have (li-ion and lipo) only one will stay on and power the leds. Another note is you can use a diode in series with the battery to reduce the voltage from 5v to 4.3 or 4.7 is using a Schottky type and the controller will be happier.
How do you know which side of the board is positive and which is negative!
Just wondering....l have a fairy light string similar to this but has a USB connection so l use a power point instead of batteries. However the cable provided with the fairy light string is short and doesn't reach a power point without wasting the fairy lights on "floor lighting" and then is too short for the object l'm lighting up. Is there an extension cord that can be purchased to go further? Thank you in advance.
Hi.
I bought smaller version which is 3v AA battery (1.5 metre longs) i am using them to a project can i link 4 packs (4 × 1.5m longs ) same model together by cutting them and link them? Is it possible to use same way you did to put used them with USB power bank
Hi Craig
I found your channel while looking to upgrade some basic copper pin lights from ALDI. They don’t have a sequencer just basic on and off. Could a simple Arduino be used to create sequences as well as removing the need for Batteries ?
I’m in Sydney Australia but I am originally from Port Glasgow, or as the Greenockians say “the dirty wee port’.
Hi Ewen, you'll be glad to you're in OZ as it's freezing here now!
You can add an arduino to control the lights but it's likely the set is just one string of LEDs in parallel, your options would be limited to flashing on and off or dimming them using pulse width modulation.
You could add a second or third set to create some effects, you could wrap them together to create a chasing effect.
If you are going to do this just remember to use transistors or opto isolators, the current required to drive each set of LEDs is more than the pin on an arduino can support.
P.S. 'The Port' is an up and coming area now, it has a big-ish retail park near the waterfront, changed days for Inverclyde :-)
Thanks Craig. It’s probably best if I return them and spend a little bit more on a better set. It sounds as if you know a bit about Arduino’s maybe you could do a few videos upgrading basic/cheap leds to home automated systems ? Your reply was much appreciated.
Just one question. Once we connect them do we recoat with laquer/clear nail polish. I have the low voltage 2 strand solar lights.
You can if you like, however unless you can find an outdoor USB power source you are limited to using them indoors once converted.
Hope this makes sense.
Super video! I'm wondering if you can by pass and remove the battery pack entirely? I don't need the functionality. I just need to be able to turn the lights on when I plug in. Also...love your accent
Hello great video.. Thinking about buying these for my daughters room once you charge them up and plug them into a charger can you detach the USB port and then the lights or strained by themselves and I can put them in objects or do the lights have to stay plugged in to a USB port to work? Thank you so much
Hi there,
You need to leave them plugged into a 5v power source, this can be a USB power bank (that's what I use), that way they are portable and don't need to be plugged into the wall socket all the time.
Hope this helps :-)
Hi Criag, how many hours light time do you reakon you get from the powerbank shown in this video, for example in comparison to the original batteries? Thanks, WIll
Hi Will,
The power bank shown in the video is from Poundland, they clain 2000mAh (that is what is printed on the cell to be fair) however the reality is that it will deliver around 1200mAh from the USB port, part of the difference is loss due to the 5v boost process.
The LEDs pull c.170mA in full lit mode (mode 8 I think), this is the 50 LED string version (the 100 LED string pulls 330mA). In this mode the LEDs will run for approx 7 hours on one charge.
I tend to use larger power banks rated 10,000mAh, using this as a power source should give over 50 hours of use per charge.
The things to remember are that the power bank option is much better for the environment, it is more cost effective and the LEDs will run at full brightness until the charge runs out unlike batteries which cause dimming as they run out.
Hope this helps
C :-)
@@childscraig thanks for this. I've now rigged mine up which is I think 20 led (they look very similar bulbs with copper wire, but no control circuit). In the battery container there appears to be a resistor, I ended up adding a 47ohm resistor in addition between the positive lead of usb cable to positive terminal in battery housing to tone down the lights slightly. Like you say, much better than AA batteries especially as I tended to use alkaline and forgot to turn them off at nighttime. Thanks again for video
Great vid. I'm trying to do this with some lights similar, one set worked and the other went pop!
I think you might have pointed me in the right direction. Couple of questions.
1. Could you package a rechargeable battery inside the box space (with a charging module)
2. How much life so you get out of that small charger - I assume its an 18650?
Anyway, love these kind of videos. Subscribed!
Hi Simon,
You could add a cell but you would slso need to add the circuit to charge and protect the cell, but yes it is possible. Just bear in mind that charging then becomes less convenient as you can't just swap in a fresh power bank.
The power banks are 18650 based, the type I use come from Poundland (£1 each in the UK), unmodified they give 4-7 hours per charge but I change the cell inside for a higher capacity cell, the runtime depends on how much you want to spend!
The set beside my bed use a 10,000mAh power bank, used for about 1-2 hrs per night it is at least couple of weeks between charges.
Hope this helps,
Craig.
Pretty slick. Don't they run a tad hot? Going from 3(1.2) battery V to 5.2~ Guess you could stick in a resistor?
They actually don't produce any more heat when using 5v, I can only guess that the controller chip is 5v tolerant, no way to tell for sure as there are no markings, as usual!
Is it possible to combine fairy lights? Like, turn 2 strands into 1 long one with only 1 plug?
I'm also wondering
I have the same fairy lights with me. I want to put more lights in between to make the wire shorter. Can I move the light bulb from the back?
Hi there,
I think it would be very difficult to 'move' the led chips on this type of string.
You could cut and resolve the wires but you would need to remove the lacquered surface which would leave an insulated wire, this would need re-lacquered and might not look very pretty when it is finished.
Good luck!
Does it heat up when you let it on for a long time? Is it ok if you didn't use 1/4w 100 ohm resistor?
H Jin, sorry I didn't reply before, the comments section has changed and I seem to be missing stuff.
The unit doesn't heat up at all, it uses PWM for dimming so there is no heat converted by a resistor.
Hope this helps,
Craig.
Hi, I don't know if this was asked already, but can you clip the strand shorter and it will still work?
Hi Julia,
Cutting the string of LEDs would likely cause an over-current failure of the LEDs left on the string, the current is limited by the controller or a resistor in the battery pack.
If you do want to cut them short you would have to calculate the current consumption and add a resistor of the correct value to limit the current and protect the remaining LEDs.
The alternative if to just wrap the wire around something to make it appear shorter.
Can I ask what you are trying to do, there may be another option?
Craig.
@@childscraig Thank you for the information! I guess I had a different kind because I cut them and they still work so good to know! 👍👍
I have 5v 2amp adapter can I connect it directly or have to use some resistors??
Hi thelre,
If you are using the exact method in this video with the LEDs shown there is no need for resistors.
If you are using any other hardware or method this advice doesn't apply.
Hope this helps!
Hello! I would like to know if its possible to use this technique to replace coin batteries (LR44 batteries) to usb?
I haven't converted that type but if the voltage driving the unit is 4-6 volts then it should work
Need Pro reply😁: Isn't it better to add a 10-ohm resistor to each line from the board to the lights to ensure a safer current when going from AA 4.5v to USB 5v 1A cable?
Hi, the IC on these boards is 5v tollerant, there are versions of the board with 3 x AA batteries as the power source. Of course this only applies to this particular product.
Do I need to find a USB cable with only two wires? Without cutting cables, how will I know if it's the right USB cable.
Hi Dustin,
Any USB cable should be fine, inside you will find either 2 or 4 cores, 2 of these are power and 2 are data.
The power cores are often red and black but to confirm this you would use a multimeter to check for 5v.
If you don't have a multimeter you can use an LED and a 150(ish) ohm resistor, if you have the correct cores and the right way round the LED will light up.
The data cores should be cut away in a way they cannot short circuit to prevent damage to your power source.
Hope this helps,
Craig.
Could I just solder the wires from the USB cable onto the battery springs?
Hi there
Not on this model, it needs the control PCB to run the sequence and limit the current, your lights would fail instantly.
Hope this helps.
I recently bought a remote control solar Christmas light diy module, and i accidentally Connected the battery in LED + - can this ruin my module? Because after a connected all its not working anymore, its similar to that board you are holding
Hi, yes it is likely that feeding the source power into the output has damaged the module, all the current regulation components are on the input side, it's quite likely to have killed a solid state component or two 😞
Plz share the link of these lights and the cool power bank you have...
Hi Priyesh,
I don't have a link however if you search Amazon for Kohree fairy lights they come up first.
The power bank is from a UK retailer called Poundland, you might be able to find the same item on Ebay if you are not in the UK, they are made in China so are likely to be available in lots of countries under different brand names.
Thanks for the comments!
C :-)
Hi Craig, I have a battery powered puck lighting system that I want to convert to a wired system. there are 8 lights that take 3 AAA batteries each. I want to wire all 8 lights together. what I want to know is what kind of a converter or power supply will i need? I have a power supply that says on the label, input: 100-240v-50/60Hz 50mA. Output: 5.0v - 180mA. will that power my lights? if not what do I need?
Thanks for the help!
Hi Keli,
It depends on tbe wattage of the lamps, you need to know this before you can use your power supply, if you overload it you will likely fry it!
There are a number of ways to work this out, the easiest is with a multimeter, do you have one of these? If so you can measure the current in milliamps for one then multiply it by 6 for your full set. If the total load is less than or equal to the capacity of your power supply you are good to go.
Hope this helps, let me know how you get on :-)
depends on how much current each fairly light takes....total the current for each and add 25% safety factor
Hello, I was just wandering if you already have a video or maybe you could potentially make one, on how to convert your fairy lights so that they can use a single button cell battery as opposed to aa batteries?
Hi Julia thanks for the suggestion, there are lots of button cell lights on the market already, in fact since making this video there are now lots more USB powered lights out there too!
The drawbacks of having to step the voltage up from a button cell and the very limited capacity of these cells would outweigh the advantages I think, but if you think I'm missing something please tell me!
If there's a reason you asked (i.e. you have a project in mind), let me know and I'll see if I can help.
Craig :-)
Craig Childs thank you for replying! I wanted to put a fairy light in a gin bottle, and wanted to have the power inside the cap, so the power source is invisible. My boyfriend also wanted to tech it up by making the switch Bluetooth controlled so you can turn the lights on and off from your phone ☺️☺️☺️
@@juliahstewartlighting the gin bottle with a cr2032 button cell is easy, these are available online already and are small, they only have a simple on/off switch for control.
Bluetooth switching is another challenge, not only will this involve a larger module but will also drain the battery quickly. This is why the type in the video has an IR remote, the IR sensor doesn't use any power when not in use.
Have you considered using a glass drill to put a hole in the bottom of an empty bottle and feeding the wire in there? Then you can hide the control module and a bigger battery under a shelf or similar?
C.
Can we use only a 9v battery with its jack n solder it directly to the ends of fairly lights?
Not for this set, you would have to either find a set which runs on c.9v or reduce the voltage, either using a regulator or a buck converter.
The USB option is easier for this particular set of LEDs.
What about 3 aaa battery light.... which component exactly i need to add
It's exactly the same, a 3 x aaa or aa pack works on 4.5v so you can follow this video as it is.
Hope this helps
Anyone know how you would chain multiple of these lights together to run off the mains?
That's not possible with this type of LED, there are many you can use, go to BigClive's TH-cam channel, he has loads of mains LED build videos.
Craig Childs will do, thank you for your reply
Hello, I want them on a smart plug, so it wil on and off automatically. It already has a usb plug, BUT when I turn off the smartplug and turn it back on, the lights wouldn't go on, because you have to click the button ON the ubs plug. I have the same remote, but the button on the usb plug will "click off, when power cut off. Is it possible to remove the button on the usb plug so when the smart plug go on, the button don't need to click to turn on?
Hi Vera,
With this set the power on behaviour is to start program 1, this is not changeable (at least not easily).
The only way you could achieve the effect you are looking for is to leave the control box powered up all the time but use a relay connected to a smart device to cut inline power to the chain of LEDs.
To be honest by the time you do all this you would be better and probably cheaper just buying a new set which doesn't flash and plugging those in to a smart USB outlet like the Sonoff micro.
Hope this helps!
i was looking for this exact video i was wondering can i use a 4.5v power adapter instead of a powerbank?
Hi,
Yes you can, as long as it is DC and can deliver around 500ma it should be fine.
Hope this helps
Well, I tried to replace batteries with wall transformer (here in US from 110 to 4.5 DC) it fried the chip ! connected directly to string of LED's and only half lighted up ! anyone know how to make all of them light by wall adapter ?
Hi Byrod1,
Was your charger definitely DC? If so it's likely to be outputting much more than 4.5v, unless it says 'regulated' the voltage (off load) will float quite high and is likely what killed your IC.
You need a controller to light both sets of leds, the controller changes the polarity back and forth rapidly giving the effect that both sets are lit.
I'm adraid you'll need to buy a new set and use a more suited power supply, there are sets on Ebay/Amazon etc which are already supplied with a mains adapter, safer to use these if you don't want to use USB power banks.
Hope this helps.
Craig.
I have a string of led lights that uses a two pin plug , can I convert that to USB ?
Hi Aqeel,
It is unlikely you would be able to do this if the set are designed to run on 110 or 230v,.
If it has a transformer inline the label will tell you the output voltage, if it has this it might be possible but more info is needed.
Hope this helps,
C.
Hi Craig. I have 3 led candles. Each takes 3 AAA batteries. Could I daisy chain all 3 candles to one USB plug or do I need a USB plug for each candle?
Hi Rory,
I'm really sorry for not replying, my notifications have stopped for some reason.
Are you still looking for help with this?
Craig.
@@childscraig No problem Craig, I sometimes don't get notifications too. Yes I still have a query but I made a mistake. Instead of 3 AAA batteries in each candle, it's actually 2 AA batteries. So I don't think its possible to hook up 2 AA batteries to USB cause that's just 3 volts, right? Whereas USB is 5 volt. If the candles had had 3 AAA like I originally thought, then I think I couldve got away with a USB connection cause the voltage is 4.5. Any ideas?
@@rory9174
Happy new year!
Having only 2 AA doesn't necessarily mean that you can't convert it to USB, it just means you need to work out whether the item can tolerate a higher voltage or if you need to reduce the voltage.
If you look at the video you have commented on I start with a unit which takes 2 x C cell batteries, therefore the starting voltage is 3v.
Some devices with these little control modules have a wide tolerance for input voltage, this one happily runs on 3v-5v, there are no markings on the chips but I have bought the same kit from the same supplier and some have 2 x C cells and others have 3 x AA cells, I think the chip has been designed with integrated voltage regulation.
Can you tell me a bit more about the candles you have? If possible post a link to where you bought them, otherwise describe how many LEDs are on each one, what functions it has etc.
C :)
@@childscraig Happy new year Craig. I can't copy the link from Aliexpress but here's a video th-cam.com/video/bQy5bogaJwU/w-d-xo.html
Just to let you know Craig I connected one of the candles to a 5volt 1A phone charger. It worked perfectly. So then I daisy chained the other 2 candles and theyre all working beautifully. I must say though, they look a little brighter compared to the batteries. I'm not sure if this will shorten the life of the LEDs.
Hi Craig,
Is it possible to convert them to be able to plug them into the wall socket directly?
Hi Mehdi,
The easiest and safest way to do this is buy a cheap USB adapter, plug the USB plug into this, you then have the option to unplug them and use a power bank if you like.
There are other ways to use mains power but I won't go into these as there is really no point, none of the other options are as cheap, safe or easy as using a plug in USB adapter.
Hope this helps,
Craig :-)
@@childscraig it does. You're so great!
@@childscraig Hi.. Is it safe to plug it in directly to a wall socket using USB adapter? I watched another video where he connected a resistor first. Is that a requirement? I saw your video but you did not add any resistor but still worked fine. I am planning to plug it in directly to the wall socket using a USB adapter. I am really new to this whole thing and I don't even have soldering iron and other stuff yet but...tinkering is my thing.. LOL
@@janbetan12n Hi janbetan12n,
This particular model is fine to plug into any USB port, including wall adapters.
The reason is the circuit on the board limits the current to the LEDs using PWM (pulse width modulation). This method switches the LEDs on and off rapidly to limit the current, this gives the impression that they are being dimmed but they are just never on long enough to reach full brightness.
I have another video where I show you how to convert a 30 string of LEDs using a resistor, that method uses the resistor to limit the current and stops the LEDs burning out quickly.
It all just depends on the type of LED kit you have available.
Hope this helps,
Craig.
@@childscraig Oh... I have the non blinking type... No PWM as you call it... It is just a simple off and on. So that means the resistor only helps to prolong the LED life (regulates the brightness/volt/wattage) because it prevents overheating?
Would you be able to hook up a flicker light to something like this?
Hi Goblin tails, sorry I missed your comment, not sure why that happened.
If you mean a 'candle' type light which flickers lots of yellow LEDs then yes you can, I have done this with a couple from Ebay.
The candle lamps I bought have a transformer inside to take mains voltage down to 5v, in that case you are replacing that transformer with the 5v power bank via a USB lead.
Just be careful and make sure you don't play around with live mains voltage, the end product should have no way to connect to the mains to ensure safety!
Hope this helps and sorry again for the missed comment.
Craig 🙂
@@childscraig No worries man! that actually helped a lot, i have a few projects that need a flame like light and have been searching everywhere
Hi! Can I connect directly the cables without resistors? I will use USB power bank. Is it going to work?
Hi Clark, the board in this kit isn't using resistors, it's a micro controller, if you remove that the lights won't work.
On any project involving LEDs some form of current limiting is required, if you connect an LED to a power supply (i.e. USB source) the LED will burn out after a second or so, resistors or a current limited supply (i.e. an LED driver) are essential for LEDs.
Hope this helps
@@childscraig thank you so much for your help!
From where do you know which is the positive and the negative cable of the USB cable?
Hi there,
Often when you open a USB cable the positive will be red and the negative black, but not always.
The easiest way is to check with a multimeter.
If you don't have one of these you can use an LED and a 220ohm resistor, the LED will only light when power is applied in the correct polarity.
The resistor is there to limit the current, if you put 5v onto the LED without running it through the resistor first the LED will burn out straight away!
Hope this helps.
@@childscraig Thank you very much for the explanation!
@@childscraig Still something: how can you define the needed resistor? Just because I have a pure led string withoout the electronics part and I would like to use it…
@@horvathgabor5485 Hi again, I talk about this in this video: th-cam.com/video/3UvQb-jXNVo/w-d-xo.html
My question is,if on to springs on my fair light battery trays comes off,how do I make them work again?
Omg yes that's exactly what happened to me
Hi Nifemi, do you mean the battery connection springs? If so a quick fix is to use a little ball of cooking foil (aluminium foil), put that in at the end of the battery to make contact with the plate.
Hope this helps,
Craig.
Craig Childs thanks sooo much
my battery leaked acid onto the board and messed it up is there anyway to wire it directly I wonder maybe connect the wires to a battery some way just to get the lights to come on
Hi Bryan,
Unfortunately you need the board to control the LEDs, if you use a battery and a resistor (to limit the current) only half of the LEDs would light, this is due to the way they are wired.
Hope this helps.
How about the lifespan of the new setup? I mean, feeding 5 Volts to something that is designed to run at 3 Volts (3.2 V max, with fresh batteries) is quite harmful.
Hi Horatiu,
The set of lights in the video are on in my hallway right now, they have been running 24 hours a day for 4 years, so far they have no issues.
Hope this helps!
@@childscraig, thanks. Good to know.
For me the bulbs are getting hot is it harmful?
Why can’t I just connect the 2 wires from the fairy lights to the 2 wires from the usb cord?
Hi Melanie,
This type of LED string uses s processor to pulse and control the current, if you connected it direct half the LEDS would burn out straight away and the other half would not attempt to light.
This video is very old, since then there are lots of USB powered LED lights readily available, it's easier just to buy a set of these nowadays.
Hope this helps,
Craig.
thanks for video
I'm have no experience to be honest but I'm trying to do the same thing with the insides of flashlights and mount them into the bottom my desk and at night I can have them light the floor So I don't get blinded every night got any tips
Hi Travis,
Use flashlights which take 3 or 4 x AA or AAA batteries, the voltage from a power bank is 5v, you want to use flashlights which are as close to this as possible. If you need to use lower voltage flashlights then you will need to use a something to step the voltage down, either connect 2 flashlights in series to the same power bank or use a buck converter to get the right voltage.
Hope this helps.
Craig Childs each flash light takes 3 aaa
So a 3 x AAA unit runs at 4.5v at full charge, you should be OK at 5v but the lamps will run fairly bright. You could use a resistor inline to dim them a bit, just have a play with different values until you find one which suits you best. The disadvantage of resistors is that some of the power is lost as heat.
If you want more control you can use a buck converter, these are really cheap on Ebay or Amazon, you can drop the voltage to a precise level without wasting power, it is a little more work and more expense but it will make your power bank charge last longer and you will learn a bit more in the process!
Hi there, I'm working on a project where I would like to attach a string of Led lights much like the colored lights you have.BUT I don't like that the battery pack is big. I happen to have a pair of plastic glasses with small flashing lights which happens to use tiny disk like batteries. can I exchange the battery pack? do I need to adjust how many batteries it will need ? will this affect how bright the lights are? if my description is confusing , I don't mind making a small video of my supplies and linking it here. or if anyone has seen tutorials on what I'm trying to do can you comment the link below. Thanks to any who will answer :)
Hi there, the battery box doesn't mstter, I have some I have taken the pcb out of the box and wrapped in kapton tape, then plugged a usb power bank to power them.
You can use button cells, the combined voltage will need to be 4-5v, they will be just as bright but the run time will be greatly reduced.
Hope this helps.
Craig Childs yes, thank you!!!!
How to make this string lights switch
This video help a lot💕💕💕
Can you tell me where I can get this garland?
Hi there,
This is a very old video, you can now buy USB plug in versions for the same price as the battery type.
I purchased these from Amazon in the UK, Deal: [2 Pack] Fairy String Lights, 120LED 12M/40Ft 8 Modes USB Plug in Powered Lights Waterproof Outdoor/Indoor Copper String Lights with Remote Timer for Bedroom, Party, Wedding, Christmas (Warm White) amzn.eu/d/ggFX2Xu
Hope this helps.
Hej how did you recognise the + and - on the usb connector using the meter ? how do i know which is which ? Thanx
Hi, your meter should have red and black probes, when you put the red to the positive and black to negative it should read 5v, when you put it the other way round it should read -5v.
Hope this makes sense!
@@childscraignice Scots?
Lovely wonderful Craig! If I wanted to attach 4, 2m strings of these little copper lights to the same battery pack and switch, in parallel so 4 string light strands coming from the chip, would that work? It it just a matter of the battery will run out faster, or are there other things I need to take into consideration? I will happily PayPal you beer money for any advice!
Hi Leighbee13, I know from experience that you can put 2 strings on the same controller, not tried 4 yet.
There are other considerations, mostly the current capability of the transistors used to switch the lights on and off, these dim the lights and create the flashing effects. If you overload these they will fail. You could try looking up the data sheets for these online, you would need to know how much current the lights were drawing, this can be done with a good multimeter if you have one or a USB tester will also give an approximate value.
You could use 2 controllers to run 4 sets of lights to spread the load, just means you would have 2 boxes instead of 1.
It depends on your level of experience really, you could replace the transistors with higher current value versions, this is not really a DIY hack though as it involves soldering surface mount parts.
What I would do if it was me is try it, worst case is you will blow one board and be left with 3, you could then use 2 of these to run 2 pairs.
You can also run more than 1 controller from one USB power source, you can connect the USB power lines in parallel to share the power to more than one board.
One last thing to consider is the output capacity of your power bank, a lot of cheaper units will only output 1A, I haven't measured the output on these but you might push past 1A with 4 sets. If I get time tomorrow I will measure the loads on the lights I have.
Hope this helps.
P.S. thanks for the offer of payment but I only do this for the fun, appreciated anyway 😁
Can you send me a pic of the lights you have? 2m seems a bit short, might be a different version?
Leighbee13, I measured the current consumed by one of my sets, this is a 6M set with 60 LEDs, they use 220mA at full brightness. If your sets are only 2M they must be different and have a different control board, I have ordered some 2M sets and will have a look when they arrive.
Craig Childs what a wonderfully comprehensive response! Thank you so much. The sets I’m planning on getting don’t have any flashing functions, can I assume that won’t have a controller board and therefore no transistors to overload? The ones I’m looking at online are 20 bulbs on 2m of wire and just switch on and off. I have a simple set of 40 at home so I cracked it open and on inspection it’s just a switch and 24 ohm resistor inside though due to a lot of hot glue I can’t see in what order! So if it is similar to that can I just connect multiple lights to the switch? Or do I need to mess with the resistor value? I have a pack of different resistors but not sure how I’d calculate that out. I can’t have 2 switches and 2 battery packs is the problem. It’s for a performance costume, its supposed to be a reveal halfway through a dance, so I need a slim profile battery and a single switch to switch it all on. Thank you so much again for your help!
@@leighbee13 It sounds like you have the simple sets using CR2032 batteries?
If that is the case I have some of these coming in a day or two, can you wait until later in the week and I can work out the best way to approach this for you?
If you are using them in a costume you need to ensure that the resistors won't get hot, I will check this out.
Obviously the batteries will last only a quarter of the normal runtime but if you only need them on for a short time this should be fine, you can use fresh batteries each time you use them.
Pleeeeease help ! I have 2 identical same brand LED fairy lights (3 wires) that I want to connect together to make it longer and being able to use only one plug for it. How can I do that ??? I would love if there is a tutorial on it. Please help, I really wanna get it ready for my Christmas decorations :)
Hi there,
I would love to be able to tell you that but without knowing the units I would be guessing whether it is even possible.
Sorry!
@@childscraig I figured it might be a bit complicated. Thanks for replying !
one more qstn when I did it worked bt didn't respond change over.... nt blinking jst straightly lightened up
You might have a slightly different model to those shown
Is it possible to connect two of those together ? So it becomes longer and what not.
It is but your battery will last half the time!
@@childscraig yea but I connected it to a USB wire
Hi! Can I convert a two AA battery powered LED Mask to USB?
Hi Kyle,
It depends on the circuit inside the mask, the short answer is yes it should be possible but you may need to add some extra hardware to prevent damage.
If it is just LEDs there are two easy'ish' ways to do this, 1) add a buck converter to drop the 5v of the USB to 3v, 2) change the resistors on the LEDs to manage the current flow at each LED.
Of course this is all easier said than done, it will depend on the design of the mask which is the best option.
Hope this helps,
C.
@@childscraig Thankyou so much! This is very helpful. Please upload more videos and godbless!
To sum up from a layman's perspective, you've unsoldered the +ve and -ve battery wires and soldered the usb cable wires onto the board, right sir?
Yes, this is correct
instead of a power bank, if i connect it to a USB power adaptor will it work?
thanks, BW
Hi Bruce,
Yes this will work fine,
Craig.
It didn't work for me with a power adapter 5v - 1.5a, at first the lights worked fine but after some time the lights went off.
Do they still work if you use a power bank?
I think I would have put the contents of the powerbank inside the battery case, but good vid none the less.
I would have Graham but this makes it more difficult to charge once you put the lights into a vase or wrap them round a bed frame, plugging a fresh power bank in is easy to do in these cases.
Your idea would work well if the lights are easy to move and plug in, might give this a go next time, thanks.
Yes your right, I didn't think of that.
Hi Craig, I am a complete novice when it comes to electronics. It was taught so badly at University that it almost put me off. I do however, like your videos and it has prompted me to experiment.
I have a string of 10 multicoloured LED lights, but they are in a simple on-off arrangement, so there is no controller to make them flash. I'd like to convert them to USB (they are currently 3xAA powered). I know that the output of USB is 5V but I am hearing conflicting information as to whether it is OK to just solder the terminals of the USB and the lights together and forget about the "extra" 0.5V. My guess is its not OK to do this, but others say it is. Do you have an opinion on this? Best wishes, mate!
Hi Paul,
The extra voltage is likely not a huge issue, what it will do is make the LEDs run brighter, more light = more heat, more heat = shorter lifespan of the LEDs.
An easy way to resolve this is to add a resistor, you can calculate the size you need or you can just experiment if you have a kit with lots of different value resistors.
The other thing you could do is add a buck converter to drop the voltage to 4.5v but this is a bit bigger and costs a bit more.
Good luck with your experiment and remember that a burnt out LED isn't a failure, it's a result of learning something and therefore a success!
C :-)
@@childscraig thanks my friend. Electronics scares the crap out of me which is a shame as I am fascinated by it. I said the same thing about computers and now I work in the industry (and that was taught very badly at University too!)
@@WhizzBangWhoopee buy cheap components on Ebay, Aliexpress, Gearbest or Amazon, get a cheap soldering iron, some wire and just experiment with it. Watch TH-cam vids and see where you get to.
Electronics is a broad field, it can be simple fun or can be a complex career, if you don't take it too seriously you can have fun and get creative at the same time.
A good start is to buy a cheap Arduino Uno kit and explore with that, again if you destroy it you won't have spent a lot but will have learned something. Good thing about Arduino is you can buy 'shields' and breadboards so you can experiment without soldering if that is too big a step at first.
Hi,,Good work thanks,
Can i ask who we can contact 100 solar Lights to you usb??
Thank you.
Hi Ahmad, I'm not sure what you mean, are you looking for someone to convert these for you? If so I don't know who would do that.
I broke my usb cable and connected a new one to the copper wires but there's no light. Any ideas???😭😭
Hi Queen Beulah,
If you connected the cable the correct way round, your power supply is working and the connections are good you might find that when the original cable broke it short circuited and caused some damage to the controller.
All I can suggest is double check your connections and make sure your USB power source is working, unfortunately you may be looking at replacing your lights otherwise.
Hope this helps,
C :-)
so its ok to go from 3v to 5v?
In this case it is, the chip used in this kit is also used in 5v kits, it just has a high input tollerance, this might not be the same for other kits.
@@childscraig i see thank you
I have a special project I need help with involving connecting strings of fairy lights together at a meeting point to a rechargeable power source … would u be willing to help?
Hi, for some reason this comment didn't show in my notifications, sorry for not replying sooner
Hello, excuse me, can you show us if you know how to do the reverse, like converting the USP power to batteries please 🥺?
Hi there,
You can buy a 3xAA battery box with USB out for very little money, here in the UK you can buy them from £1.
Hope this helps.
C.
Hi Craig. I have this photos.app.goo.gl/yuYPBT3LKVf7wYcK7 which I believe is 4.5 V. Can I add a usb cable to this setup or do I need to buy a resistor? Thank you!!
Hi mld,
That looks to be the same as one of the units I have, fairly sure it will tolerate 5v without having to add a resistor.
C.
Did what you said . The lights are extremely hottttttt
Hi there,
It is likely you have a different type of light set, one without the IC control. This method will only work with the type shown in the video.
You can use a 5v source for 3v lights which don't use the controller but you would have to use resistors to limit the current and prevent the LEDs from burning out, one of my other videos covers this.
Hope this helps.
hi, what the battery voltage?
Hi,
The original battery voltage is 3v, the USB 'battery' voltage is 5v.
This unit is very tollerant to both voltages, the samd board is used in a 4.5v version with no changes.
Hope this helps,
Craig.
@@childscraig hi,what the base resistor calculation formula for c9013 and BD139 transistor?
@@tupai62 Well you need more information to do the calculation but the formula is Ohms law, R=V/I
thank you , love the idea , how long does it last ,meaning lit up, and can you turn it off with a remote? if so does it have a timer?
Hi Niva, how long it lasts depends on the power bank you use, I have some cheap ones which last barely 3 hours and some good ones which last for days, probably 20-30 hours run per charge.
The version of lights in the video does have a remote, you can dim the lights, select modes and turn on/off.
There was a video big clive posted this morning you may want to watch, he converted a candle effect mains light to USB power, I have ordered a couple to do myself.
All the best :-)
Oh, and yes it has a 4 hour timer, 4 on 20 off!
That’s the first D cell case I’ve seen…🤔
Those actually looks like c cells D cells are much larger
I would like to install also a movement sensor? Can you help me?
Hi there, sorry I didn't see your comment sooner.
It would not be easy to add a motion sensor to this particular set of lights, because it has a processor it switches on in flashing mode by default.
It would be much easier to add a sensor to static lights but if you are going to do that you would probably be better just buying a set with a sensor already, they are not expensive these days.
Hope this helps :)
why not just use rechargeable batteries?
The energy density of lithium cells is much higher, it's more convenient as you get longer between charges, it also means you can plug them in to a wall adapter to leave on all the time.
Hope this helps
@@childscraig thanks so much this makes a lot of sense. can't believe you're still answering questions on a soon to be 4 year old video
Me too!
Too hot too quick .
Hindi ko gets😭😭😭
Pasensya na pakinggan yan 🙁
5 Volts replacement for 3 Volts battery powered device 🤔 no thank you.
Just do it get to the point don’t take forever to explain
Hi Fred,
Most people appreciate the explanation, I guess you don't.
C.
Horrible on the sound quality!!