27Nov |
GKI/Bethlehem Lighting Indoor/Outdoor C9 LED 25 Multi-Color Christmas Light Set, Green Cord
|
- Multi-colored 25-light string with red, green, blue, amber, and orange candle-shaped lights; low-profile green cord
- Energy-efficient, safety-certified C9 LED bulbs UL listed for indoor/outdoor use
- Brightest, truest colors in industry; patented built-in rectifier and UV protection
- End-to-end connectors; 6-inch wire lead, 12-inch tail, and 6-inch spacing
- 3-year warranty
Product Description
LED Lights save on electricity–up to 80%! GKI Lighting’s LED lights are brighter and bolder! GKI enforces a stringent manufacturing process that produces the most consistent color spectrum in the industry. These LED light strings have a patented rectifier built in. This eliminates unwanted flickering and ensures delivery of the truest color possible! End to end connectors; direct AC plug in; indoor/outdoor durability and colors that won’t fade because they are… More >>
GKI/Bethlehem Lighting Indoor/Outdoor C9 LED 25 Multi-Color Christmas Light Set, Green Cord
In our home growing up we always had strings of C9 lights decorating our home. I’ve continued that tradition on my own home with limited success. The inclusion of fuses for safety purposes made holiday lighting so much of a challenge it ultimately, for this home, eliminated it. The fuses blew frequently, and were difficult to locate at the same retailers that sold the strings. Factor in the difficulties of determining which string or strings fuse blew, prying open the fuse compartment and replacing the fuse without dropping/losing it (esp. difficult in freezing weather conditions), and the ever increasing energy costs to keep them lit and it’s easy to see why my home hasn’t looked very festive in recent years.
Enter the new era of C9 LED lights. The answer to my prayers? Well… you might say that. I opted for the GKI/Bethlehem set over others preferring the familiar “smooth” surface of the bulbs over the “diamond cut” style offered elsewhere.
I had some concerns over the brightness the bulbs would offer so initially limited my order to one set. Once received I was satisfied enough to order two more sets. All three sets have survived the season w/o a problem, and thankfully, no blown fuses (though they do use them).
Overall I’m very satisfied with the product. The blue bulb in the string is a bit of an odd shade, pretty, but takes some time to get used to. Also I notice the visibility of the lit string in daylight is significantly less than traditional C9 sets which, for me, was a bit of a disappointment.
For novices to the product the bulbs on these strings are NOT replaceable. If and when they start to go I guess you’ll just have to replace the entire string. The good news is that LED bulbs have an incredibly long lifespan, which should allow for many, many years of use especially if you only use them over the holidays. Be aware too that there are no clips on this string to attach to a tree, they can only be draped over or wrapped around objects to be displayed.
I still miss my annual routine of laying each string out on the floor, pre-testing each bulb, “flicking” them to try to kick-start them into coming on, and replacing individual bulbs as needed in my own unique color pattern, especially my personal favorite of interspersing some “twinkle” (blinking) bulbs amid the solids. But time marches on, and, given my experiences with the three sets I have and the significant energy savings, I’ll accept the trade-off. I’ll be price shopping for three more sets between now (Jan/08) and next holiday season. Hopefully they’ll be cheaper!
Rating: 4 / 5