# True parallel Christmas lights?



## HARRY304E

IBEWDave said:


> Has anyone run across any miniature parallel Christmas lights suitable for stringing a tree? I'm not talking about the crappy series parallel (shunt) sets sold at Lowes and HD, I mean true parallel where if you remove a single lamp the rest will stay on. I'm sick and tired of dealing with these cheap light sets that you need to try and troubleshoot every year.


You're probably better off with LED strings they make those for Christmas lights now.....


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## IBEWDave

Are LEDs wired in parallel? - Never have checked out LEDs.


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## daveEM

You should be retired by the time the LEDs die off.


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## JoeSparky

As much as I don't want to sound like Electric_Light :no: LED Christmas lights for outdoor use are crap The leads for the LEDs are made of steel. The moisture from outside rusts the leads. The LED strings are wired in series too  This is the pile of bad ones from one 3 year old string of icicle lights.


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## LGLS

Look into the light strings named "always lit" the shunt device is incorporated in both the socket and the bulb, so even missing lamps allow the string to stay lighted.

Or just go with the true parallel c7 or c9 sets (no longer sold) available on eBay.


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## dmxtothemax

Just to complicate things
Some of the bigger strings
Use both series and parrallel
Know as a "series parrallel combination".


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## guest

IslandGuy said:


> Look into the light strings named "always lit" the shunt device is incorporated in both the socket and the bulb, so even missing lamps allow the string to stay lighted.
> 
> Or just go with the true parallel c7 or c9 sets *(no longer sold)* available on eBay.


That may be a regional thing..as of last season at least, Target and HD still sold regular c7 and c9 sets and replacement bulbs. 


Or you can still get them online: https://www.1000bulbs.com/category/christmas-lights/


That supplier also sells commercial grade sets.


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## IBEWDave

I'll have to check out the "always lit" sets. if it also has a shunt in the holde, then that should work. -Thanks


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## AK_sparky

I don't like the LED christmas lights. I find the flashing irritating.


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## LGLS

IBEWDave said:


> I'll have to check out the "always lit" sets. if it also has a shunt in the holde, then that should work. -Thanks


I think one brand calls them "Sta-Lit" be sure to read the fine print. Be warned they're 2x the price.


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## oliquir

all the led lights i have start to fade after 3-5 years (1 month use 8 hours a day) and some led dies but rest of string still works


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## Jarp Habib

Sure would be nice if shunt bulbs incorporated a matching resistor so that the rest of the strand would not just merrily firecracker away. I started to troubleshoot a string of whites that we'd kept up indoors and had gone dark, I gave up after finding three dead bulbs in the first 18 inches.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk


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