How to Connect Two Curtain Garlands into One • Bad soldering

Device

Structurally, a curtain garland is a mobile electrical system consisting of a certain number of LED light sources connected by electrical wires, the main one of which is laid horizontally, and other sections go down from it.

Depending on the type of LEDs used, the glow of the garland can be different (one color or RGB glow), and the degree of protection of the structure determines the possibility of its use at the location (indoors or outdoors).

For your information! The degree of protection of electrical products is indicated on their marking and corresponds to international IP protection codes, which determine the ability of the housing to resist the ingress of water and dust into its internal space.

“Fringe” garlands also belong to the category of curtains; their feature is the different lengths of the descending sections located in the vertical plane.

Garland “fringe” when decorating the facade of a building

Different models of curtain-type garlands work differently, which is determined by the operating modes embedded in them. It can be:

• static (fixing) – when the LEDs are constantly on;
• dynamic (chasing) – LEDs fade smoothly and then light up smoothly;
• flicker;
• chameleon – LEDs glow in different colors.

For your information! Popular among users are such dynamic types of LED curtain garland designs as light rain, waterfall and icicles.

When choosing an electric LED curtain garland, you should pay attention to the following parameters:

There are two types of LED garlands, differing in the type of power supply: those connected to a household electrical network with a voltage of 220 Volts and those powered by independent sources, which can be rechargeable batteries or solar panels.

Warm lamp review of garland repair - quick search for a break and restoration of a 4-color Chinese garland on lamps

First of all, inside you will see wires soldered to the board. The thicker wire is usually the network wire, supplying 220V voltage.

Expert opinion

Viktor Pavlovich Strebizh, lighting and electrical expert

Any questions ask me, I will help!

One of the most time-consuming breakdowns is the case when one or two colors in an electric garland do not work, for example, only red or yellow and blue, as in the photo below. If there is something you don’t understand, write to me!

Garlands with sequential switching of lamps

As we already know from our historical reviews, the very first electric garlands were assembled from incandescent lamps of different wattages, designed for different operating voltages. Actually, this determined the basic, or “classical” scheme for including such garlands - sequential. In this case, the current from the power source (which most often is a regular electrical network) flows sequentially through each of the bulbs of the garland. It is probably not an exaggeration to say that the vast majority of New Year's electric garlands ever produced were built according to this scheme and its varieties. Let's look at them in a little more detail.

1.1. Garland type "thread"

In garlands of this type, the wire connecting the power source and the last lamp in the string is laid in one piece along the entire garland. The garland itself is like a thread, starting at the power plug and ending with the last light bulb in the chain. Sometimes such garlands are mistaken for models with parallel connection of lamps, since the return wire may be in the same sheath with the wires connecting individual lamps. It must be remembered that the main difference between garlands with serial connection and garlands with parallel connection is the dependence of the current in the circuit on each individual lamp. That is, if any of the bulbs burns out or is removed, the entire garland will go out.

1.2. Ring type garland

In this case, the length of the wires connecting the power source and both outer lamps of the garland is approximately the same. It is easy to see that with the same number of lamps and the distance between them, the “useful length” of this option will be almost half that of the previous one. Nevertheless, the vast majority of Soviet New Year's garlands were built precisely according to this version of the scheme. This is probably explained by the banal saving of wire in production (remember? “Economy should be economical”!), although this rule had exceptions, for example, the “Comfort” garlands (see Fig. 2), “Flashlight” and some others.

The key feature of all series-type garlands is that the number of lamps in them strictly depends on the operating voltage of the lamps included in them and the network voltage. For example, Soviet garlands could contain from 5 to 40 lamps per circuit (Fig. 3), connected directly to a 220 V network.

Thus, the “classical” sequential lamp switching circuit imposes a significant limitation on the maximum number of lamps. Theoretically, it could be increased by using lamps with ever lower operating voltage, but here we are faced with the second very significant limitation of the sequential circuit: the burnout of one light bulb leads to the extinguishing of the entire garland. Even in a “ring” containing only 18 lanterns, searching for a burnt-out light bulb can be quite a tedious task, let alone garlands with 40 or more lamps!

Model overview

The LED garland market offers a wide selection of models that differ in technical characteristics and types of use, manufacturing companies and cost.

What kind of lighting do you prefer?

Built-in Chandelier

Here are some models proposed for sale as of the second quarter of 2022:

The model can be used as an outdoor curtain garland, since the degree of protection allows for the required safety, as well as for decorating large interior spaces.

Depending on the configuration, the color of the glow can be white, yellow, blue or green. To enable operation, a power supply is required, which is not included in the package.

The average cost of “Rich Led RL-C2*2-CW/Y” is 4000.0 rubles.

The model is equipped with RGB LEDs that emit blue, red and green light. When using the controller, it is possible to configure several operating modes.

LEDs

Yes, yes, don't be surprised! LEDs as a light source are not at all a modern Chinese invention, as the NEXT generation may sincerely believe. Although today we are not aware of a single factory Soviet garland made on the basis of these light sources, technically it was quite possible even in those years! An excellent proof of this is the existence of such a “Top Star”, completely mass-produced:

Moreover, the developers immediately decided to take advantage of the new light source - low current consumption and easy controllability, at the same time integrating into the body of the star a network power supply on a quenching capacitor and a circuit for obtaining the “running lights” lighting effect (!). This development was clearly ahead of its time, and from today’s heights it looks like a completely familiar thing to us (like a smartphone), which somehow miraculously fell into the past.

Happy New Year, everyone!

One or more colors do not light up

One of the most time-consuming breakdowns is the case when one or two colors in an electric garland do not work, for example, only red or yellow and blue, as in the photo below. This indicates that, most likely, the light bulbs in the corresponding section have burned out.

To begin with, we still recommend disassembling the switch cover, also known as the control unit, and checking the reliability of all connections - contacts soldered to the board. We immediately suggest watching a video lesson from a young master, which clearly shows what to do if the wire from the controller board breaks:

As a result, you will be able to determine which light bulb is not working and replace it. We draw your attention to the fact that this repair method is advisable to use if the electric garland is non-removable, as a rule, Chinese.

To quickly repair a garland with your own hands, you can take a tester and attach needles to its ends instead of probes. Using needles, pierce each section of the circuit sequentially so that the needle passes to the current-carrying core, and look for where the resistance of the section differs significantly. In this way, you can find a breakdown and repair it with less effort.

Another way to fix a broken electric garland is to check the integrity of the common wire. On one side of the board you will see 5 soldered wires: 4 for the glow of each color and one common. Now, if the common wire breaks, you just need to solder it.

Expert opinion

Viktor Pavlovich Strebizh, lighting and electrical expert

Any questions ask me, I will help!

20 rows of LEDs switch according to a single algorithm, except for one when the entire curtain of LEDs slowly goes out from one end to the other and also slowly turns on. If there is something you don’t understand, write to me!

Incandescent lamps

Transport lamps

Judging by all the signs, the very first small-sized lamps to find use in Soviet garlands were models intended for cars and airplanes. At least at that time (1940s), this was practically the only possible option with small dimensions and not very low voltage. Let us recall that the voltage V on one light bulb in a garland of N pieces must be such that the condition is satisfied

(N × V) < 1.1…1.2Uc,

where Uc is the rated voltage of the network in which the garland will operate. Taking the number of lamps in a garland to be at least 10 pieces, we obtain for a network with a voltage of 220V the nominal voltage of each lamp is not higher than 24-26V. At the same time, the power of each lamp should be relatively small so that the garland does not consume electricity like an iron and is not a fire hazard.

These requirements are ideally met by low-power transport lamps designed for standard on-board voltages. The first versions of garlands with such lamps were non-separable (“disposable” in today’s terminology), and at the very beginning the light bulbs were not even equipped with sockets to save money:

In the future, lamp bases still appear (apparently for the sake of increasing maintainability and standardization of products), but the wires are still soldered to them:

The only exception known to us at the moment was the unnamed garland, which outwardly is a clone of the Voronezh “Christmas tree lanterns”. It used CM28-2.8 aircraft bulbs with full-fledged B9s sockets:

What specific lamps of this type are used in garlands? For convenience, we will collect this information in Table 1:

Miniature lamps with screw bases

Surely the same light bulb “for a garland” that first comes to mind belongs to the “flashlight bulb” form factor, officially called “miniature incandescent lamp with a threaded base”:

As a rule, the main purpose of such lamps was indication and illumination in various electrical/electronic devices, and such lamps were designated as MN (miniature). Approximately from the second half of the 1950s, these lamps began to be used for New Year's garlands; The most suitable models are the MH-16 (for a voltage of 13.5V) and MH-17/ (for a voltage of 24V), which were the highest at that time. On the basis of the first, a little later a special model for this purpose appears - MNG-16 with an extended bulb, produced in Ufa:

The form factor of the MH lamps turned out to be so successful that on their basis in 1970 a lamp of type E13.5-0.16 was also developed, similar in size and basic parameters to the MH lamp, but having a shorter (and therefore brighter) filament body. This model became a true classic of Soviet “garland construction” and was produced until the collapse of the USSR.

In addition to the standard form factor, the idea of ​​making special, decorative light bulbs for New Year's garlands was literally in the air. Without exaggeration, the real pioneer in this matter was the State Union Plant MELZ. Back in the late 1940s...early 1950s, he set up production of a whole range of special Christmas tree lamps with decorative figured bulbs (lanterns, vegetables and fruits, human figures, cars...), which themselves were decorations (including when turned off). condition). The garland in this case could remain the simplest set of threaded cartridges (simple or on clothespins), connected in series:

Special “Christmas tree lamps” did not have their own designations and were designed for a standard set of garlands of 15 cartridges. Their operating voltage was 8.5V for operation on a 127V network and 17V for a 220V network. The production of the entire variety of shaped lamps continued, apparently, until the very end of the 1970s, when the production of a large number of decorative garlands designed for simple light bulbs was launched, and the last and decisive battle was declared against “architectural excesses”. Until the very last moment (before the collapse of the USSR, and some models even longer), lamps in the form of candles (ED13.5-0.16), “drops” (E13.5-0.16-1) and round (E17- 2) and faceted (E17-2-1) flashlights, obviously as the simplest.

The vast majority of Soviet electric garlands were designed for sequential connection of N low-voltage light bulbs to the network. However, already in the late 1970s, garlands with a step-down transformer or power supply, designed for parallel connection of lamps, began to appear. In these garlands it became possible to use light bulbs with a voltage of less than 6V, for example MH3.5-0.26 or MH2.5-0.15. And the Ufa plant even mastered the production of the MNM6.3-0.3 model with a built-in thermal breaker:

This lamp was intended for garlands with an unusual (for its time) effect: chaotic blinking of each lamp individually, which was supposed to resemble a starry sky:

The parameters of lamps MN, MNG and E are given in Table 2:

Switch lamps

The so-called switch lamps have a unique form factor, designed primarily for use in indicators on the front panels of various equipment (including telephone switches, which gave this group of lamps their name). Their relatively small size and suitable supply voltage could not go unnoticed by manufacturers of New Year's garlands. However, the sockets for them were quite bulky and relatively rare, which is probably why the wires to these lamps were often simply soldered. The relatively high maximum voltages of this line (48/60V, typical for telephony) made it possible to create garlands from a small number of lamps, which in turn became possible to hide inside individual light elements, for example, Christmas tree top stars:

The parameters of switch lamps are given in Table 3:

Baseless lamps

An important disadvantage of standard miniature lamps from the point of view of their use in electric garlands was the presence of a base, which implies a counterpart - a socket. Which (in the version for standard indicator lamps) was a rather serious, bulky and ugly product, as a result of which the developers of garlands were forced to reinvent it on their own. Again, at the instigation of the glorious MELZ plant, a special type of light bulbs for Christmas tree garlands was developed, which had not only a more convenient bulb and spiral shape for this purpose, but also a so-called baseless connection:

As a base for such lamps, pieces of electrodes protruding directly from the bulb were used, supplying voltage to the spiral. In fact, a similar approach began to be used for miniature halogen lamps (and this pinout was designated G, for example G4 or G6.35), but this happened a little later and completely independently. To connect such lamps, it was enough to use a device that resembled a low-current connector and, accordingly, had a much smaller size than full-fledged threaded sockets.

The first generation of baseless lamps was designed for use in 15-lamp garlands and had a standard operating voltage of its time of 8.5/17V. However, without exaggeration, the real revolution in this area was the appearance in 1975 of the famous E13.5-0.06 lamp, which was distinguished by significantly reduced dimensions and relatively long flexible leads:

Lamps of this type changed the very idea of ​​New Year's garlands that existed at that time. Based on them, it became possible to create decorative plastic lanterns with dimensions comparable to the bulbs of familiar old lamps. The pioneer “Crystal” garland, developed at MELZ, became a classic of this trend:

Another important circumstance that distinguished this garland from all previously produced ones was that it could blink on its own! This no longer required special external devices, which also looked unimportant and made noticeable clicks. The secret was in a special light bulb with a bimetallic switch - EM13.5-0.06. The lamp had exactly the same dimensions and other characteristics as the regular (non-flashing) version:

To be fair, it must be said that truly great diversity in flashlight design never happened. Although Khrustalnaya, obviously, was just a pilot project (in modern parlance - “reference design”), on the basis of which other factories were invited to create, invent and try, most of them limited themselves to only copying it (completely or with minor modifications). Even MELZ itself is guilty of re-releasing this garland under other names (“Spectrum”, “Salyut”), and there are so many other names that we even created a separate topic for them on the forum... A very pleasant exception was perhaps the “Festive” garland "(developed by the same MELZ), but this happened more than a decade later and did not really affect anything. The design possibilities offered by this new generation of lamps (comparable in size to modern LEDs!) have been exploited in a very one-sided way and far from being fully exploited.

Baseless lamps of type E13.5-0.06 and garlands based on them were produced right up to the collapse of the USSR (including the very beginning of the 1990s). Subsequently, their production continued in Ukraine, but with slightly changed parameters: voltage 14 (instead of 13.5) V, current 100 (instead of 60) mA. Despite the seemingly small difference, such lamps worked rather poorly together with the old ones, ending up insufficient and at the same time leading to accelerated burnout of the others. Therefore, the transition to such lamps required a complete replacement of all lamps in the garland with the same type.

Separately, it should be said about baseless lamps, decentralized by various electric lamp factories to complete their own garlands. Unfortunately, here we are seeing some bacchanalia in terms of the lack of any standardization both in the dimensions and shape of the flask, and in electrical parameters. An example of such a lamp (presumably made in Saransk) is shown in the photo:

These lamps were also not standardized or designated in any way, representing a rather large blank spot on the pages of the history of Christmas tree lighting. Needless to say, it was absolutely impossible to find these in stock for repairing once purchased garlands.

The parameters of baseless lamps are given in Table 4:

LED garland diagram

The AC mains voltage is supplied to the power controller through resistors and a diode bridge, already rectified and smoothed through a capacitor.

In this case, this voltage is supplied through the button, which is open in the normal state. When you close it, the controller modes switch.

The controller in turn controls the thyristors. Their number depends on the number of backlight channels. And after the thyristors, the output power goes directly to the LEDs in the garland.

The more such outputs, the more varied the colors the product can have. If there are only two of them, this means that only two parts (or halves) of the garland will work in different modes - some bulbs will go out, others will light up, etc.

In fact, these two lines of diodes will be connected on two channels in series. They will connect to each other at the end point - the last LED.

If for some reason you are annoyed by the blinking of the garland and you want it to glow evenly with only one color, it is enough to short-circuit the cathode and anode of the thyristor on the back side of the board using soldering.

The more expensive the garland you have, the more outgoing channels and wiring will leave the control board.

At the same time, if you follow the traces of the board, one of the mains voltage outputs is always supplied directly to the final LED of the garland, bypassing all elements of the circuit.

In car

Many car owners dream of decorating their car with a garland. There are two options here:

1. Assemble the product yourself (the principle is discussed below).
2. Use a ready-made design.

In the latter case, you will have to work hard to make changes to the factory version, since an ordinary Chinese garland runs on 220 V alternating current.

The best option would be to purchase an inverter from 12 to 220 V. There are special models for cars on sale.

Other methods of using conventional garlands on a car are not advisable, as they are labor-intensive and dangerous.

Schemes of a Chinese garland on LEDs “liana”

Another popular Chinese garland is the “liana” type. 20 rows of LEDs switch according to a single algorithm, except for one - when the entire curtain of LEDs slowly goes out from one end to the other and also slowly turns on. Let's see how we can achieve this effect.

The Chinese garland circuit is based on the disparity of LEDs in the circuit. Two vines have 56 diodes with a switching voltage of 140 V, and the other three have 84 LEDs with a voltage of 200 V. The slow switching effect is achieved by changing the switching time of the thyristors.

How to make an LED garland with your own hands: choosing materials, calculating the connection diagram

The most common problem with Chinese garlands is the use of very thin wires that simply break off at the solder points on the board.

Expert opinion

Viktor Pavlovich Strebizh, lighting and electrical expert

Any questions ask me, I will help!

If your backlight suddenly stops working, first of all always check the soldering of the supply and output wires. If there is something you don’t understand, write to me!

Installation features

Fire safety requirements for electrical garlands are defined by NPB 234 of 1997. In particular, the wires are stranded copper, the control units are protected against current surges.

Experts advise:

• use only certified products, purchase in specialized centers, online stores with a high reputation;
• After removing the cap, check for mechanical damage. The serviceability of a product stored in a house for many years, special attention to: reliability of connections, integrity of insulation and housings of control elements, power supply;
• It is not recommended to place the garland on the Christmas tree so that the bulbs come into contact with flammable materials;
• when hanging outside the building, use special products: frost-resistant, moisture-proof garlands (with braided silicone, rubber);
• exclude direct contact with liquids, heat sources, and the possibility of mechanical damage. For damp rooms, a LED garland is preferable;
• For outdoor garlands, power from an adapter or batteries is recommended;
• products with PVC wire - only for hanging inside buildings. In the cold, the braid cracks and short circuits occur;
• When choosing a garland, take into account the length of the wire. After connection, it should not be in a tense position.

You don't have to wait until the New Year to create a festive mood in your home. A correctly chosen electric garland will decorate any room and create an atmosphere of comfort and unity with the family.

Making a garland with your own hands

LEDs for making garlands

A DIY LED garland can be no worse than a store-bought one. It's easy to create. For this you will need:

• soldering iron;
• insulating tape;
• heat-shrink tubing;
• LEDs;
• resistors;
• power unit.

Making an LED garland with your own hands

The operating algorithm is as follows:

• Determining the distance between diodes.
• Marking the wire with a marker in the places where the lamp will be installed.
• Removal of insulation in marked areas.
• Applying solder to areas.
• Soldering LEDs.
• Isolation of connections. You also need to seal it with silicone sealant.
• Connecting the current-limiting resistor and power supply.

Where did the light garlands come from?

Garlands began to be used to frame city streets on holidays a little over 100 years ago; people first saw such festive lighting on the New Year tree near the White House in America. Nowadays it is difficult to imagine evening streets on a holiday without thousands of small lights along the roads, on trees, shop windows, windows and on houses. Modern garlands with LEDs have many advantages: longer service life, low energy consumption, bright glow, animation, etc.

Electric garlands and light cords for outdoor lighting are gaining popularity every year and are becoming an integral attribute not only for festive nights, but also for the everyday design of signs or advertising banners, city streets, and architectural lighting. Every year, this decoration becomes a detail of design and landscape solutions.

In addition to street lamps, lighting of the area near the house can be supplemented with outdoor LED garlands and LED strips. This gives the country house a festive atmosphere.

Street staircase lighting with fringe garland

Types of LED garlands

LED garland “Fringe”

An LED electric garland is characterized by such parameters as power, number of LEDs, structure diagram, length.

According to the design of the product there are:

• Traditional. They are a thread on which diodes are attached. They have a length of 5-12 meters.
• Light curtains - “rain” or “waterfall”. Several luminous threads are attached at a certain interval to one.
• Fringe. An LED window curtain garland is a type of rain shower, characterized by a shorter length and different levels of threads.
• Light grids. The threads are connected into a network.
• Garlands for trees, called clip-light.
• In the form of balls and icicles.

Each of these types finds its application in different areas.

Standards for electrical connection of garlands

The connection of architectural lighting and advertising signs is regulated by the PUE (Electrical Installation Rules). At the time of writing, the 7th edition is in effect. Item regarding the connection of LED garlands: 6.4.18. Installations of illuminated advertising and architectural lighting of buildings should, as a rule, be powered through independent lines - distribution lines or from the building network. The permissible power of these installations is no more than 2 kW per phase if there is a network power reserve. The line must be protected against overcurrent and leakage currents (RCD).

Street garlands serve as an excellent means of decoration, attract attention, and create a festive atmosphere! In addition, they will wonderfully decorate your home for several years!

How the garland is arranged

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All electric garlands are designed the same way. In older models, these are light bulbs connected in one circuit that light up or blink when connected to the network. Modern ones add a controller for lighting in different modes and the light bulbs can be replaced with LEDs.

Usually old or decorative garlands have two wires, or to be more precise, one, which is connected in the form of a ring and twisted. Modern models have five wires. There are LEDs on four of them - these are branches. The fifth - general - remains empty.

At the far edge they are all connected together, and their other ends go into a small box with a button and a plug.

Inside the box there is a controller - a small board on which there is a chip for creating effects and several parts. A diode bridge, a capacitor, a pair of resistors and four (or two) thyristors that control the glow of each branch with lights of the same color.

In the photo on the left, the four black parts are thyristors. The blue one next to it is a capacitor, the small light ones at the edges are resistors, behind the scarf with a microcircuit is a diode and a button.

In the photo on the right is the back side of the board, two wires at the bottom - power supply, a row of wires at the top - lines of branches of each color and a common one.