240V LED Rope Light with MFC Dead :(

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CunnazZ

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Joined
Nov 26, 2012
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Hi Guys, sorry if this is in the wrong area, but I'm new here ;)

A few years ago I bought a 100m LED multifunction rope light, and until this year I have never used it. I checked that it worked when I first got it(it did), and again before I set it up (again still worked) but after I had laid it out where I wanted it, it was dead ??? ? It has a MFC almost the same as this one

wiki-asset

View: https://auschristmaslighting.com/wiki/File:Controller_bypass2_top-jpg

As it doesn't have a transformer, is there anyway to wire up the lights always on ??? ?? or does anybody have any suggestions for a way to fix the MFC, or what I should be looking for in the MFC that is likely to be the cause of the dead lights ???

A completely Gutted Christmas light tragic

Nathan
 
CunnazZ said:
Hi Guys, sorry if this is in the wrong area, but I'm new here ;)

A few years ago I bought a 100m LED multifunction rope light, and until this year I have never used it. I checked that it worked when I first got it(it did), and again before I set it up (again still worked) but after I had laid it out where I wanted it, it was dead ??? ? It has a MFC almost the same as this one

wiki-asset

View: https://auschristmaslighting.com/wiki/File:Controller_bypass2_top-jpg

As it doesn't have a transformer, is there anyway to wire up the lights always on ??? ?? or does anybody have any suggestions for a way to fix the MFC, or what I should be looking for in the MFC that is likely to be the cause of the dead lights ???

A completely Gutted Christmas light tragic

Nathan
Click to expand...

If its a 240v rope light then its just a matter of cutting off the controller and reconnecting the plug and that will make the light always on.

Is it LED or is it incandescent. Looking at the controller it may be an incandescent rope light as there is no evidence of a rectifier in the controller, if it is incandescent then it will work fine without the controller. If its LED then you will see a slight flicker at 50Hz due to the fact that LEDs only conduct electricity one way as you would then need a rectifier to turn the voltage to a DC signal.
 
I missed the bit "As it doesn't have a transformer" at first read.

If it is indeed 240V, save yourself some heartache and bin it now. :D

Almost all of the 240V strings are dangerous pieces of junk IMO.
 
David_AVD said:
I missed the bit "As it doesn't have a transformer" at first read.

If it is indeed 240V, save yourself some heartache and bin it now. :D

Almost all of the 240V strings are dangerous pieces of junk IMO.
Click to expand...

I wont argue there :D
 
Hi Guys, thanks for the fast responses :)

Yes it appears to be a 240v LED Rope light with multi function controller.

The picture I used was just one I stole of the Internet, but mine is almost exactly the same.

I really don't want to bin it as it's 100m long and cost me a fair bit when I got it, why do you say they are dangerous pieces of junk? ??? It will be mounted on my roof, is it likely to catch fire or something ??? ??

Cheers for your replies
Nathan
 
Realistically you will be playing with 240V connections. If you are competent and/or trained to do that then it should be ok. If not then yes it can be dangerous
 
Yeah the 240v thing doesn't bother me too much, I am well aware of the risk with that, but if it's likely to catch fire then that is a big no no.

I have heaps of incandescent rope lights, that are 240v, is it just because they are LED that the problem is caused ????
 
if something shorts out at 240 volts, there's more than just a burn here or there like what happens with low voltage. That's why ppl use low voltage due to the bad things that happen at high voltages.

I wired my 120v circuit breakers hot in a 240v panel the other day, so I'm not scared, but having a fire on your roof isn't a good thing in my book...
 
I too have 240v lights (icicles).

We're home every night, generally watching the lights, if something catches fire we have a fire extinguisher handy :)
 
One issue with low voltage is the high current - just as good at starting fires. Most of our 240V gear draws an amp or two, but I have some display items that are drawing 70 A at 5V - I know which is more dangerous in terms of a fire!
 
So these are the pics of my controler, what is inside, and what is on the back.

I'm not that worried about shorts, as all the power in my house is RCD'd at the main board and I also use extension cords with RCD's built in as well ;) :) :) :)
 

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If they are 240v incand ropelight then just cut the controller off and reconnect the plug straight on.

You will find that depending on the circuits that you may have 3 or 4 wires. One will be neatral with the others being active. Its important to get the neuatral wire correct or else not all lights will work or you may end up with dull lights. So you should have 1 neutral wire and then a wire for each circuit of the rope light which you would just connect together to end up with a rope light that is always on.
 
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