Super string shortener and rectifier

DrNeutron

Just starting in this crazy hobby
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Oct 19, 2012
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Glace Bay
Anyone used a Super string shortener board on LED rope light?
Can I treat it the same as a string of LED lights? Count the number of LED's and input in calculator to get resistor value?
This would make a great solution as most LED rope light power connectors are expensive and are not waterproof. I posted over at the DIY site but no response as of yet, you AUS guys are always so quick to answer!! :D


FYI, the SSS board I am referring is like this: http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?38815-Super-String-Shortner-and-Full-Wave-Converter-2015-Group-Buy

The spreadsheet for resistor values is like this: http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?28940-LED-String-Shortening-Resistor-Calculator
 

fasteddy

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From what i can gather this is this is just a bridge rectifier to convert the AC wave to a DC wave to stop the high frequency flickering caused when using LEDs with AC as the LEDs only conduct electricity one way

As far as the resistor then i would believe this will only be good for strings that have 1 circuit because most strings and rope light are made up of both series and parallel circuits, so by adding a resistor here will bring down the voltage for all the parallel circuits in a multi circuit string or rope light.

You would use the resistor if you were cutting a string down where the series circuit requires X amount of lights to meet the required voltage, so by removing additional lights from the string you then will need to change the resistor value or else you will overdrive the remaining LEDs in that series circuit. But this has to be equal for all paralleled circuits that make up the total length of the string/rope lights or else the other parallel circuits after that will be dull and under driven due to the low volts being provided by the resistor

So to answer your question then yes you can treat it as a normal set of strings that is controlled by an AC controller as long as your load is within the capabilities of the bridge rectifier (super string shortener) and if using the resistor that you ensure that each parallel circuit that makes up a rope or string has the same amount of lights.
 

DrNeutron

Just starting in this crazy hobby
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
228
Location
Glace Bay
Thanks for the FAST reply Eddy! :D
It can be difficult to see in the rope light sleeve....
Every 3 feet, you can safely cut the rope light so I would assume this is one complete circuit? Does that make sense?
 
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