Where do you get your lights?

[Grillhappy]

I want to know from you guys who get lots of them: from whom do you purchase your RGB or non-RGB LED lights? I know of some of the vendors from comments I've read on the Forums (Ray Wu, for example), but are there other vendors out there that I cannot easily find with an Online search?  I'm looking for quality lights at reasonable prices.  I want to purchase in small to moderate quantities.

[gadgetsmith]

US vendors, often depends on presale, but not always.
diyledexpress.com
holidaycoro.com

Aliexpress, I've used
SINON-LEDs
raysflt
ICERAY

No complaints there, except for one node I had a red led go out, and a few nodes overall had bad resin injection so the node was not sealed.  I purchased 35 meters of 60led/20ic strip, and 50 strands of 2811 bullet nodes among those vendors.

[Grillhappy]

Thanks.  Are pre-sales usually in August?

[Grillhappy]

I've already purchased some of my Next Christmas stuff from HolidayCoro on their pre-sale. David Moore was very helpful in helping me get my order together. 

[gadgetsmith]

Sorry, added some other aliexpress vendors I used myself.  I typically only by pixels if I get a price below $.35/node shipped.  Best price last year was $.30/node.  I deal with any losses though, returns are not possible or feasible.

[jnealand]

Thanks.  Are pre-sales usually in August?

Presales are usually in January or February so stuff can be ordered from China and arrive in the US by mid summer.

[Grillhappy]

I will remember that.  Do you order from US vendors or directly from China?  I know that most of the stuff is from China anyway, but how can you know which vendors have are the better quality lights and equipment?

[jnealand]

I have never bought RGB from a US vendor, I have ordered from Ray at least twice a year for the last couple of years.  For standard LEDs I use big box store, Home Depot, Hobby Lobby, Lowes, etc.  Some folks don't like to buy from them, but I have had very good luck.  A majority of my LED strings come from either Home Depot or Big Lots although my HD stuff was bought several years ago.

[Phrog30]

For standard LEDs I use big box store, Home Depot, Hobby Lobby, Lowes, etc.  Some folks don't like to buy from them, but I have had very good luck.  A majority of my LED strings come from either Home Depot or Big Lots although my HD stuff was bought several years ago.

I've had great luck as well, but in my experience most of the lights you get from those places aren't full wave.

James

[Phrog30]

For RGB, I've ordered from both Ray Wu and HolidayCoro. In my opinion, I prefer HC.  Just personal preference.

James

[gerry]

For folks in Australia and NZ , for non RGB lights , many of us buy the normal 8 function fairy lights (LED) ie the ones that are 150, 200 , 600 in length. Often referred to on the forums as the 'BigW' lights because of the store name, but available from many stores end Aug to December.

These are A/c lights , but we cut off the controller , chuck the A/C plug away into a box and then use the LED lights via a Ray Wu 27 channel controller or other locally made boards (and a 27 to 30 V PSU).
You can cut these LED strings into shorter lengths as every 8 to 9 form a circuit. You can mix and match diff colours and use the On or ramp effect to turn them on.

[Grillhappy]

This info is exactly what I'm needing, friends. You know where to go.  I just discovered Holiday Coro this year, otherwise it's been the big box stores and outfits like Christmaslightsetc.  I look to you for your expertise and you're providing me with it.  Thanks. I know this info will help others also.