Help finding the correct power supply/transformer

[nickmarshall]

Could anyone kindly help me with a domestic power supply/transformer choice I need to make….

I’m removing the standard power supply from a set of Christmas LED lights – they come with a standard flashing power supply which cannot be switch to static, so I intend to replace with a standard unit for a constant supply.
Here’s what information I have on the unit and lights:

On power supply:
PRI: 110-240V 50/60Hz 0.12A
SEC: 31V eff 0.19A, Max 6VA
Lamp: 2L, 31V, 0-6VA Tc=75oC

On lights:
Lamps: 3V, 0.06W (400 Lamps)
Rated input: 31V
Max rated wattage of the chain: 6W (there are 3 wires feeding the lights – I assume 2x ‘+’ and 1x ‘-’ – it seems each ‘+’ wire feeds half of the lights)

I can normally understand these terms, but this is beyond me. Can anyone help me by letting me know what power supply I would need to feed these 400 set of LED lights as a replacement for the existing unit. Is it 31V, but that seems really high - is this right? Or is it 3V as it states on the LED bulbs?

Many thanks for your help…

Nick

[fishpod]

Hi nick
Did you find a working solution?
I have the same problem (probably the exact same set of lights) and want to do the same thing - can you advise?

Thanks

[nickmarshall]

Hi Fishpod,

Yes I did!

I found that I required a 31V volt power supply, cut the existing transformer/switching unit off and connect two of the three wires from the lights to the positive from the new power supply, and the other to negative or common. I wouldn't worry about getting them the wrong way round because they just won't work if you do, being diodes.

Anyway, it's an odd voltage, but thankfully HP used this voltage for their printers and you can get second hand power supplies from eBay to do just the job, and with plenty of power to run many sets of lights from a single unit. I bought two to run in different parts of the garden (put the power supply in a waterproof box) and they worked perfectly, and didn't flash!!!

Here's one I've just found on eBay as an example...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HP-0950-43...#ht_500wt_1180

Hope this helps...

[fishpod]

Thanks Nick - working perfectly