Question about christmas lights.

[strider406]

I want to decorate my castle with christmas lights. What type would you advise using? I don't want to melt my lego pieces.

[Big Cam]

Regular christmas lights will not get hot enough to melt your lego's, but if you want no heat at all, use LED christmas lights, they are available at any store that sells christmas lights.

EDIT: I'm amending this statement in case someone jumps in this thread looking for an answer and doesn't read the whole thread.

Regular Christmas lights MAY melt LEGO's, please use LED christmas lights to be 100% sure they don't.

[strider406]

Thanks for the help. I found some LED ones so I will use those.

[Big Cam]

Great, I look forward to seeing your creations.

[brickzone]

LED lights are also easier to arrange - regular Christmas lights have filament bulbs, which break very easily just with handling (hence why often one or two gone when you unpack them), especially when they've been on (still warm). The LED lights are usually brighter too.

For tree lighting I prefer ordinary bulbs as they have a warm diffuse glow from each bulb - whereas LEDs provide pinpricks of light.

Edited December 7, 2009 by brickzone

[davee123]

Regular christmas lights will not get hot enough to melt your lego's,

From someone who learned this the hard way, WRONG.

Regular Christmas lights WILL melt your bricks if they're in close proximity, and used for extended periods of time. How much time, I don't know-- I had them on for a few hours right up close to my bricks and it was enough to deform and melt some of them :(

DaveE

[Big Cam]

From someone who learned this the hard way, WRONG.

Regular Christmas lights WILL melt your bricks if they're in close proximity, and used for extended periods of time. How much time, I don't know-- I had them on for a few hours right up close to my bricks and it was enough to deform and melt some of them :(

DaveE

Hmm, with my experience I have never seen them produce enough heat to actually melt anything BUT it has been a while since I ever used toys with Christmas lights, so to stay on the side of caution I suggest everyone use LED christmas lights because I can gaurantee you those won't melt anything as they do not produce heat.

[prateek]

Regular chrismas lights melted my tree a bit. Be sure to get the newer LED lights. They are a bit bigger, but they give off way more light.

[metalgearsolid]

I'm not very techy, so am wondering how to arrange the long string of lights to fit inside the buildings. Anyone have pics of christmas LED lighted creations to share? Would really appreciate some interior pics as well for reference on how to place the lights.

Thanks a lot in advance if you are sharing.

[Big Cam]

I'm not very techy, so am wondering how to arrange the long string of lights to fit inside the buildings. Anyone have pics of christmas LED lighted creations to share? Would really appreciate some interior pics as well for reference on how to place the lights.

Thanks a lot in advance if you are sharing.

I don't have any pictures but what type of building are you looking to light? If it's a modular building, I'd just build into the walls, a few studs that stick out (3) and then you can string the light strand over those and then cap them with a few 1x1 bricks and a topper piece of a 3x1 brick.

I know pics would help, sorry.

[metalgearsolid]

I don't have any pictures but what type of building are you looking to light? If it's a modular building, I'd just build into the walls, a few studs that stick out (3) and then you can string the light strand over those and then cap them with a few 1x1 bricks and a topper piece of a 3x1 brick.

I know pics would help, sorry.

Erm, i must confess I cant quite visualise... but thanks for the fast response!

Yup, am thinking of modular buildings. See, the lights come as one long string so I'm wondering how to arrange them within and between buildings so that the entire row of buildings is lighted (and upstairs and downstairs as well).

Does that mean i have to build in the lights along with the building? Like with holes for the lights to pass thru the walls? Would be a nightmare if i need to re-arrange any of the buildings tho, like with the new emporium coming.

Bright ideas, anyone?