Shady AliExpress LED loom (Patreon)

Weird AliExpress LED loom

Having seen an interesting LED wiring loom used in a particular style of decorative light in the past, I was surprised to find it on AliExpress during a search for signage components. It's basically a long series string of two pole XH type connectors designed to allow easy connection of a string of LEDs in series on a non-isolated capacitive dropper power supply. That allows a large number of individual LEDs to be powered from a cheap and simple power supply. The downside of this system is that every socket poses a shock risk due to a lack of shrouding of live metalwork. That makes it particularly awkward that this system was used on a fashionable decorative light range that had the LEDs stuffed randomly throughout a structure wrapped with spiral aluminium wire, and in amongst "flowers" that were more coiled aluminium wire scrunched together. I don't think they were earthed/grounded, which makes me wonder how many people got tingles off the lights. The newer ones seem to have switched to using strings of sleeved LED Christmas lights. In a cheap signage application I could see this being used in window signs where LEDs were poked through the wooden or plastic front and then interconnected with these strings of sockets. The simple capacitive dropper style supply means this circuitry will work with 120V supplies too, but will drive less LEDs (about 50 per circuit). The red coloured 400V dropper capacitor can be changed to alter the LED current. 100nF to 680nF are suggested values. Although I ordered three strings of these, expecting three bundles of 100 connectors, what actually arrived was one 100 connector bundle of random detached lengths as if I'd been sent offcuts. All the more suspicious that there was a defective section with one intermittently open circuit link. Very hard to narrow down when it flickers with the slightest movement of any sockets in the vicinity, and they are potentially live at around 300V. (There was a mis-crimped wire.) The seller did give a refund for the two missing looms. When terminating the wire into the power supply (after a circuit upgrade) I found that the loom wire did not take solder, and may be aluminium. I'm not sure how well that bodes for crimp reliability. If used, this is definitely the sort of loom that should be built into something and not used where the individual holders can be touched, as they do pose a shock risk. Likewise I recommend taking suitable precautions while working with it. (Gloves and avoiding grounded surfaces.) Here's a listing from a different supplier:- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004380896591.html If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- http://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty. #ElectronicsCreators