Customer Reviews

GE EnergySmart 50 LED C-9 Holiday String Lights Indoor/Outdoor Use

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I purchased two sets of these lights from Costco this year. They worked perfectly. But when I went to take them down today I found that the bulb housing was full of water. I pulled the housing off to find my LED soaked. I pulled the LED out, only to find it was starting to corrode. If these follow the fate of my previous LED strands then the corrosion will eventually short the strand and cause them to stop working. I'm probably going to take them back to Costco and hope that someone designs a real outdoor, water proof LED strand next year.

I bought 10 strings of the GE LED multicolor Christmas lights last year. During use, I noticed that some of the decorative covers popped off. At first I just thought they were loose during shipping, so I snapped them back on, only to find more lying on the ground a few days later. Upon further investigation, what I surmise is that during a rain, they fill up with water. Then, when you turn them on, the water heats up to the point where the pressure pops the covers off. When I took them down last year, they were all still working. I popped off all the covers that had visible water in them, emptied the water, then put the lights in storage. Today, I got ready to hang the lights, but not one of the 10 strands works. In looking at them, apparently the water from last year started a corrosion process that pretty much ruined the bulbs and the sockets that hold them. I called GE, but they wouldn't help me because I don't have the original box with the UPC on it, even though I gave them the model number that is written on the strand itself. I would not recommend using GE Christmas lights that are rated for outdoors, outdoors. They appear to have a defect that prevents you from using them as intended. I can't imagine that the issue doesn't create a shock or fire hazard. Makes me wonder how UL certified them for outdoor use. I will not be replacing my Christmas lights with GE brand.

I ordered these LED lights last year after admiring them displayed at a friend's house. I loved the look of them , the larger old fashioned lights like the kind i had when I was a kid! I ordered them very close to Christmas and DepotEco got them to me surprisingly fast!! i especially loved the colors,not just traditional holiday colors even purple I had never seen that before. I got so many compliments from my neighbors after I put them up! The best thing about them is that they're energy efficient I was pleasantly surprised to get my electric bill and it had actually gone down from the previous year. LED lights really do save money! I think this year I plan to order more plus I might even give them as gifts!

I have owned 5 strands of these lights for several years. The hollow caps collect water. The caps pop off fairly easily and can be lost. After two years I have two dead strands because a number of the leads on the LEDs have corroded through. I am sick and tired of paying good money for junk. All of these problems are foreseeable and correctable, but GE has gambled that we will be so stupid that we will just keep buying more.

Every year it seems I purchase another LED Christmas set with the hope that the lights will be better and brighter. When I saw a C-9 set I jumped on them. Although the quality appears better than past sets, the LED appearance of a your house looking purple from a distance is apparent and the overall LED lighting is quite obvious. Just have to get use to them as the old C-9 effect will not be present.

updated Sept. 25 2011: These lights did last 4 years. Last Christmas, more than half of the color housing part fell off the strands (5 stands) leaving just the LED white light bulb exposed.... very embarrassing. Seeing all the colored housing parts on the ground, I was beginning to think I was 'pranked'. Not so as when I took all the LED C9 strands down the only ones affected were the GE. Good bye GE. 5 star downgrade to 3.
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Oct. 2009:

I have used c9 LED for 3 Christmas's and have been very happy. What is great about this product:

* the price, usually I pay $25 per set of 25
* studying reviews, I have found most are happiest with C9 in LED
* By buying the string with permanently set in bulbs it deters theft as with the sets that you screw in the bulbs yourself, one can easily take your bulbs in out door decorations.
* Best part is they are absolutely gorgeous.

These lights will not last outside, I had purchased about 10 sets, and 9 out 10 failed after 1 year of use. As explained in many of the reviews, about 1/2 of the bulb caps came off due to freezing, then the connections rusted and the lights are useless. Clearly not designed for outdoor use, I would guess they would be fine indoors but who knows. Hopefully, the "3 Year Limited Warranty" will work.

I have several strings of GE outdoor LED Christmas lights (bought at Costco) and after two years they are no longer usable. The "bulbs" fill with water and then fall to the ground - if it is below freezing the LEDs become icesicles that expand and pop the "bulbs" off (the removeable covers that are shaped like C-9 bulbs). Although LEDs are rated to last for years, these fail due to rusted sockets and can't be replaced even though spare LEDs are provided. The absence of heat in LEDs means that they never dry out after getting wet, and the removeable covers are not waterproof so they always get wet. I would prefer that the LED bulbs were weatherproof so they would last longer rather than being removeable for replacement if they fail. Until GE (or some other manufacturer) redesigns their outdoor LED Christmas strings, I will resort to my old incandescent light strings next year. I can't afford to replace my outdoor light strings every year or two - I'd rather stick with incandescent and just replace a bulb or two instead. I hate to waste electricity but being green is just too expensive, even with the power savings that GE "EnergySmart" LED C-9 light strings offer. Discarding practically new light strings every year or two is NOT a green solution. It is quite the opposite.

It was time to upgrade the lights and after doing all my research decided to buy these. Most folks seemed to be happiest with the C-9 size.

I had four strings end to end on an outdoor, eight foot tree. The colors are pleasant and passed the "wife test".

The only problem I had was that 11 of the the plastic bulb-shaped covers popped off by the time I had taken them down. They were easy to put back on again but I am wondering if they are going to do this every year. (All the led's are white - the coverings are colored.)

Aside from saving money on electricity, I especially enjoyed not having to replace bulbs during the season. And I will enjoy not having to replace bulbs before putting the lights up again next year.

These lights are fantastic! Not as traditionally "Christmas" as the older light colors--the purple really jazzes these up! The cobalt blue is stunning, the red is ruby, and the yellow is really gold! They're really wonderful! Seem durable, and I'm online tonight to order MORE!