What is this thingy?

[tyromeo55]

I realize that, but what function do the neons perform in this scenario?
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I'm sorry If I did a poor job explaining (just because it makes sense in my head does not mean I can explain it well).

There is not a neon inside the X-mas light string. I was only mentioning that together in a series stack they acted like how you had described one. The manufacturers keep that in mind when they design them. Since they are only seeing half wave due to being diodes themselves they also only turn on during the half of the wave that is after the voltage is great enough to overcome the combined forward voltage barrier of all leds added together. 120V outlet in your home is only 110-120V as an average. The peaks are much higher like 170V. So they come on at about 70V up to the peak and off under the appx 70V again. To smooth out the light and make them last longer they add the current limiting resistor in series. Still, If you pay real good attention you can see them still fluttering ever so slightly at 60hz.

They do make bridge rectified x-mas lights but they are less common and more expensive. Since there is no smoothing capacitor they still flutter but since it is much faster you cant notice with the naked eye. (edit to add.... A module that had a rectifier inside would have at least 4 wires. 2 in and 2-3 out... IT would also very likly to be very near the male plug end prior to any leds)

There are prople who understand this stuff way better then I do and maybe Im skewed a little but that is the way I understand it.

 

[MacFromOK]

I'm sorry If I did a poor job explaining (just because it makes sense in my head does not mean I can explain it well).

There is not a neon inside the X-mas light string. I was only mentioning that together in a series stack they acted like how you had described one. The manufacturers keep that in mind when they design them. Since they are only seeing half wave due to being diodes themselves they also only turn on during the half of the wave that is after the voltage is great enough to overcome the combined forward voltage barrier of all leds added together. 120V outlet in your home is only 110-120V as an average. The peaks are much higher like 170V. So they come on at about 70V up to the peak and off under the appx 70V again. To smooth out the light and make them last longer they add the current limiting resistor in series. Still, If you pay real good attention you can see them still fluttering ever so slightly at 60hz.

They do make bridge rectified x-mas lights but they are less common and more expensive. Since there is no smoothing capacitor they still flutter but since it is much faster you cant notice with the naked eye. (edit to add.... A module that had a rectifier inside would have at least 4 wires. 2 in and 2-3 out... IT would also very likly to be very near the male plug end prior to any leds)

There are prople who understand this stuff way better then I do and maybe Im skewed a little but that is the way I understand it.

So the bulb in the pic is not a neon? If not, then I've done nothing but waste everyone's time.

The little package could be just a resistor (or cap) and a diode, or perhaps a PWM circuit.

I've used half-wave LED indicators on AC, and usually just put a 20k-ish resistor and a standard diode in series with it to protect the LED (LEDs won't stand much reverse voltage). Some guys use a small cap (.47uF or less) instead of a resistor, but you still need a diode to provide a full AC path for the cap to work.

@Snattlerake, I would like to know if/when ya get the problem nailed down.


EDIT: Are ya sure that string of lights are LEDs?
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