LED bulbs for blowmolds and inflatables

[beeiilll]

Hey all,

I am not on here much now since selling my house and not having much of a display (living on a 55MPH highway with blind spots near each side).

I have a couple of inflatables up and a couple of blow molds at the house entrance this year. I wanted to see what people are using now for dimmable C7 candelabra base bulbs for their molds and inflatables? I bought a couple different ones but they are too large in diameter for the 1" hole in a blow mold or else too bright (approx. 60 watt) output!

I just want to get a better light output for these things - not blind anyone! :lol:

So do any of you have a good link for LED bulbs that will work? Something with around 20 watt output would be the best I think? Sure would beat buying some only to find they don't fit, are too bright, or won't dim! Getting close now and would like to get some soon if possible.

Thanks and hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season!

Bill

 

[shanicus]

I tried various AC dimmable LED bulbs but didn't like the colour or dimming curve so I converted all of my blow molds to pixels a few years ago and retired my AC lights. The results were pretty good.

Shane

Sent from my SM-G988W using Tapatalk

 

[ukewarrior]

Bill,

You could just use a regular LED light bulb(s) from Lowes or hope depot. They don't get hot and you could get a 40W version. Just buy an exterior pigtail socket to make it all work.
Just splice a plug onto one of these:
http://mobileimages.lowes.com/product/converted/695706/6957064565010.jpg?size=pdhi
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-Source-660-Watt-Black-Lamp-Socket/3958895?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-elc-_-google-_-lia-_-205-_-wiringdevices-_-3958895-_-0&placeholder=null&&ds_a_cid=112741100&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtqL-BRC0ARIsAF4K3WHq1YxkUd_Tj_4TEVG-0DCf3JNmArRKscfHskpt3c567K6sW2pUlx8aAipAEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hey all,

I am not on here much now since selling my house and not having much of a display (living on a 55MPH highway with blind spots near each side).

I have a couple of inflatables up and a couple of blow molds at the house entrance this year. I wanted to see what people are using now for dimmable C7 candelabra base bulbs for their molds and inflatables? I bought a couple different ones but they are too large in diameter for the 1" hole in a blow mold or else too bright (approx. 60 watt) output!

I just want to get a better light output for these things - not blind anyone! :lol:

So do any of you have a good link for LED bulbs that will work? Something with around 20 watt output would be the best I think? Sure would beat buying some only to find they don't fit, are too bright, or won't dim! Getting close now and would like to get some soon if possible.

Thanks and hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season!

Bill

 

[beeiilll]

Thanks for the replies but I really need a source for a C7 style LED bulb.

On further digging, it looks like a 2 watt LED bulb would be close to a 25 watt incandescent one so that would be close to what I am looking for. The only ones I can find so far are all too big to fit in the blow molds!

I have over 170 blow molds and a dozen inflatables that I will eventually want to change over to LED so that is my big reason for trying to find some. Some of my molds have 3- C7 bulbs each so I can easily use over 300 of a C7 style LED bulb!

I do have regular style base 25 watt LED bulbs for my molds that use the larger light bulb size I just would rather not do much more modifying of the molds if I can find a dimmable low wattage output LED bulb with a C7 base

 

[wilmar]

https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...MIoe2s7Nm07QIVhOHACh0oOAJCEAQYBiABEgI_VfD_BwE


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[neonexpresso]

I've been looking for this too, so I am going to follow this thread in hopes of someone giving you a good answer.

 

[wood_guy]

I have used some cob lights in my standard bulb blow molds. Similar too this I bought them on ebay. You have to do some searching. The prices vary wildly.



I will also watch this thread for a good C7 solution.

 

[beeiilll]

I have used some cob lights in my standard bulb blow molds. Similar too this I bought them on ebay. You have to do some searching. The prices vary wildly.

View attachment 43782

I will also watch this thread for a good C7 solution.

The cob ones can work but yes you have to search carefully as the specs can vary widely on them and most re NOT dimmable (that I have seen).

 

[beeiilll]

I am not a customer but enjoy the videos they do. They have C7 LED christmas light bulbs which should work. This is the pure white version but you can find other.
https://www.christmas-light-source.com/Pure-White-C7-LED-Smooth-Christmas-Light-Bulb_p_2362.html

These look interesting but at $1.18 each and I need over 300, pretty expensive at the moment! I will continue to look for now but this may be a "reasonable" option for the future. They certainly do meet my requirements and are dimmable!
Thanks for sharing.

Well, I went ahead and ordered some of these as well to see how they compare against others. I will have to post back after I get them and the ones from Christmas Lights, Etc.!

 

[beeiilll]

I did find these from Christmas Lights Etc. that also fit my needs but do cost a bit ($1.19 per bulb). I ordered one set of 25 of these just to try out for this year and see how they look.

It is beginning to look like I will be paying around $1.20 per bulb for ones that meet with what I want I guess. I am going to search through AliExpress after the holidays though so should be able to find better pricing as well.

Happy Holidays to all!

 

[beeiilll]

Well so far I have come up with the following for C7 LED bulbs.
With the exception of the incandescent bulb, all other bulbs are LED,C7-E12 Candelabra Base, Dimmable except for the last mold on theright which has an LED bulb that is NOT dimmable.


From left to right the C7 bulbs are as follows:

These are original smooth incandescent C7 bulb from 1000 bulbs:
https://www.1000bulbs.com/search?br...)&filter=(a_base_type_t_fq:"Candelabra (E12)")


2nd mold has C7 LED bulb from Christmas Lights Online. Com:
This is a faceted bulb. This supplier has changed to a newer bulb with more LEDs inside of it. These are some that I purchased last year. I suspect that the newer ones are brighter than this.
https://www.christmas-lights-online...ulbs-Packs-of-25/productinfo/LC7SMD-FA/WHITE/


3[SUP]rd[/SUP] mold has a bulb from Christmas Light Source. Com:
This is a smooth bulb.
The base on this bulb is somewhat different from a standard C7 bulb and required me to tinker with the socket to get it to make good contact. Can’t say that I would recommend this bulb unless you are confident with tinkering to make them work which is a shame since they are nice and bright!
https://www.christmas-light-source.com/Pure-White-C7-LED-Smooth-Christmas-Light-Bulb_p_2362.html


4[SUP]th[/SUP] mold is from Christmas Lights Etc. com:
This is a faceted bulb.
https://www.christmaslightsetc.com/p/C7--Cool-White-OptiCore-LED-Replacement-Bulbs-13594.htm#61352


5[SUP]th[/SUP] mold is an eBay one that is a “COB” style:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-E12-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649


6th mold has a LOHASLED 15W smooth bulb from Amazon and is NOT dimmable.
I use these bulbs for soldier blow molds and molds that are static and not on any controller. They produce a brighter light than the standard C7 LED bulbs.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HEY2T1C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[beeiilll]

These angels have two C7 bulbs in them.

from left to right these bulbs are:

Standard Incandescent C7 bulb

Middle is the bulb from Christmas Light Source. Com

Right angel is the COB bulb from eBay The bulb is very bright although dimmable. Photos look washed out due to brightness but better in person!

The COB bulb is the winner for me so far. I do have a few other bulbs on order but don't expect to see them till after the holidays.

 

[beeiilll]

Finally, the bulb from Christmas Light Source is a real pain to get to make contact in a C7 socket.
You can see how the bottom of the bulb does not stick down like an Incandescent bulb so these don't make good contact with the regular C7 socket that you find in blow molds.

I had to make a little piece of aluminum foil about 1/8" in diameter (next to bulb in photo) and drop it into a socket then the bulb to get them to work. Still had to fidget around with it to make the bulb light consistently as well so I am not recommending them unless you are patient and like to tinker.
Really a shame as it is the next best bulb IMO next to the COB style bulb from eBay.

 

[ukewarrior]

Wow, you are right.
There is no nub on the bottom of the bulb. THAT isn't spec now is it !??!

Finally, the bulb from Christmas Light Source is a real pain to get to make contact in a C7 socket.
You can see how the bottom of the bulb does not stick down like an Incandescent bulb so these don't make good contact with the regular C7 socket that you find in blow molds.

I had to make a little piece of aluminum foil about 1/8" in diameter (next to bulb in photo) and drop it into a socket then the bulb to get them to work. Still had to fidget around with it to make the bulb light consistently as well so I am not recommending them unless you are patient and like to tinker.
Really a shame as it is the next best bulb IMO next to the COB style bulb from eBay.