New Wu Technicolor pixels

I think there's definitely multiple failure mechanisms, but in my case it was the vertical orientation and the bulb covers that did mine in. Other orientations might induce failure between the wires and the body...

Louie
 
I bought the newer (I think) SMD 5050 technicolor pixel strings (http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/50nodes-C7-DC5V-5050-SMD-WS2811-LED-technicolor-pixel-waterproof-RGB-full-color-in-BLACK-color/701799_1704995268.html). I liked them - look nice and plenty of light. Today we had freezing rain and 3/8 of the lights are now out. Could be a water intrusion into a pixel that took it and everything after it down. To be confirmed.

I had trouble fitting the bulb covers on. The collars weren't made well. They had plastic excess around the neck and were to narrow to accept the bulb. Ray sent me a replacement set which were much better, but I still had to trim excess plastic on a lot of them to get them to fit the bulb. This time though once the trimming was done the bulbs did fit.

And fitting the collar on the bulb and then onto the pixel housing can make your hands and fingers quite sore after a while.

Bob
 
The collar rings go on a lot easier if you warm them up a little bit. I have done around 1000 this year and got it down to about 150 per hour. Still a pain - especially considering that it does not prevent water from getting into the pixels. I am completely done with Technicolor pixels and have written off a pretty significant investment I made last year. They will all get replaced with better quality.
 
After mine failed the first year, I ended up asking Ray if I could PAY him and his crew to attach them, which they did. I think it was a couple cents per bulb, maybe $30-50 USD for 1000, which was well worth the head (and finger) ache...

Louie
 
As Viennaxmas said, I ran a heat gun and just put the plastic collar in front of it for about 5 seconds and everything went together like butter.. My Technicolors are still doing great even after getting 6" of rain this month with a noreaster.. I have them mounted horizontally and they are semi protected as they are on poles that hold up the porch.. Not completely protected though..
 
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