power for Big W lights

cleevesinoz

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I was looking at the following power supply for my Big W Lights

[font=tahoma, sans-serif][/size]http://www.aliexpress.com/item/AC-DC-Switching-Power-Supply-with-85-to-265V-Input-Voltage-27V-350W-output-CE-approved/431656111.html[/font]

[font=tahoma, sans-serif]
I would like to know if this would work and if so how many sets should I wire into it as I am bit of a novice when it comes to this.[/font]

[font=tahoma, sans-serif]
Thanks
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AAH

I love blinky lights :)
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That looks like it's the usual voltage for Big W sets. Without knowing the specs on the lights I would assume they are 5 to 6W each and therefore if you really pushed the friendship you could get 60-70 off the 1 power supply. Relisitically I wouldn't recommend going over 80% load so 50 strings is about all I'd put on 1.
 

penguineer

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Looks like the same PSU I'm using. I've got 80 sets of bigw lights and six LOR DC controllers running at 30v on two power supplies quite happily.

Most load on one supply is three controllers and 46 strings....

Cheers!
 

gerry

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I ve got the same one for my BigW lights and they work well. I have only connected a few this year , but will have lots more next year on the same PSU.
 

cleevesinoz

newbie here
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so if I understand it you just wire them into the v+ and v- on the PSU and As i only want to wire in maybe 10 sets of lights to it there will be no problem.
How do I work out which one of the 2 wires on the Big w lights is the + and -


Sorry if i sound stupid.
 

AAH

I love blinky lights :)
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I think that most Big W sets have been 3 wire as they are 2 channel. Connecting them up is the easiest way. If they are connected the right way then they will light up. If they are connected backwards then no damage will be done and they won't light up.
 

Pircy

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Hi Cleeves

I worked extensively with Big W lights this year. I drew up a bit of a "How To" based on my own experiences. I hope it helps.
 

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Eastwood16G

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I'm not sure the previous post is correct for all Big W strings. I have chopped up a lot of Big W strings this year, strings bought over many years. Not all Big W strings are the same but I have found most are 2 channel 3 wire, each channel is in groups of ten lamps, so every twenty LEDs the strings goes from 4 wires to 3 wires. Cut at the three wires. Pump 27v-30v dc into each channel of 10 LEDs and you should be good. R
 

penguineer

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Hmmmm...you said "directly to the PSU"....

Just want to clarify - are you running the lights directly(chopping off the Mfc) and having them always on, looking at getting rid of the wall plug(and using the mfc) or running the lights through a controller?

Edit: Just reread - sounds like you're working on eliminating the mountain of plug packs....slightly different to the advice above....most peoples here cut off the Mfc and wire the lights to different controller channels(hence reference to 3 wires, not 2).

Anyone remember is the output of the plug pack AC or DC?

Cheers!
 

David_AVD

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penguineer said:
Anyone remember is the output of the plug pack AC or DC?

I thought the really old Big W plugpacks were 24V AC, but don't have one handy to check.

The 2011 - 2012 Big W plugpacks were 22V AC 10W and still the old heavy transformer type.

The ones from 2013 (and 2014 I expect) use a switch-mode power supply rated at 30V DC 13W.

The MFC on the newer ones is quite different electrically to the old ones (DC vs AC).

Some people used the bypass the old MFCs and seemed to get away with dimming them. Do not try this on the new type with the switch-mode power supply. Dimming or rapid switching can see them fail in spectacular ways.
 

Eastwood16G

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I would defer to my esteemed colleagues PenQuineer. No doubt he is an expert. I have a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in London. A good college by any account.. There is a lot about digital electronics that I am not up to date on. But my lights work. Last time I looked nobody has challenged Ohms law. I'm not interested in debating pseudo-science. If I get the science wrong you can lord it over me and I will accept that with my customary bad grace.

If your question is a thoughtless quip that's OK. I like a joke.

If it is serious then I can assure you I have been chopping up strings from many sources this year and I am totally across the science of LEDs. I have more current limiting resisters than you have had hot dinners. OK you have probably had more than 500 hot dinners! I have countless 1k and 2.2K resistors. I have learned more about LEDs this year than any rational person should!.

The BigW lights have been consistent over many years. I concur with David except on his last point. I have run several new strings this year. They are electrically indistinguishable from the strings of yesteryear, the lenses are passively brighter, but not optically. Perhaps I have not stressed them.

'The ones from 2013 (and 2014 I expect) use a switch-mode power supply rated at 30V DC 13W'.
I have a handful here - they don't seem to be as described. Whith is why I raised the question mark. Lets keep the forum objective.

If we could start a forum on Big W strings the essential point is that they are three wire, two channel wired in sections of 20 lamps. They are wired straight through so you can chop off and add sections as you please. UNLIKE MOST OTHER suppliers strings. The PSU and MFCs are unimportant. We throw them away. What is important is the lamps and how they are wired. I think we should ensure that BigW don't compromise the strings.

I really don't care too much about promoting BigW lights. I was trained to solder to military standards so I can turn Kmart strings into something that never fails. I don't have a lot of lamps (as few thousand) but none of them failed.

I may not have a kick-HoHoHo display but I'm going to get very cross if you challenge me on basic 101 electrical engineering. I have a lot of BigW plug packs here. I am prepared to test and document. It seems to me a totally pointless waste of time, since we throw them away. If you understand the basics of electrical circuits and LEDs, you know that at low voltage AC or DC does not matter, really we are dealing with diodes.
 

David_AVD

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The observations in my previous post were from actual sets of lights purchased in 2013 and earlier. From what I saw at someone elses display in 2014, the new ones are the same as the 2013 type.

As for "I think we should ensure that BigW don't compromise the strings." you must be joking. Big W don't give a rats about the tiny quantity of lights we (ACL members) buy from them. :eek:
 

penguineer

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????

Sorry if I annoyed you - I reread the original post and it sounded like the original question was after something different than everyone was answering.

My understanding was that the Mfc in some cases converts low voltage ac from the plug pack to dc as well as applying the various effects, in some cases the plug pack supplies DC so no conversion necessary.

Like most here I just chop the doodads off and use the light string attached to a controller.......

Cheers?
 

logandc99

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Eastwood16G said:
I'm fed up with this. So HoHoHo off. Richard

I fail to see any reason for that kind of language or behaviour on this forum.
The people on this forum are here to help those of all abilities, whether a novice or more experienced.
My son informs me that sometimes people hop onto a forum masquerading as an enthusiast with the intent to only abuse and upset, just for kicks, and I am wondering if we are looking at one of these situations here ( judging by multiple postings on different topics). But hey, maybe I'm missing something here. Maybe the moderators of the forum can work it out.
 
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