synch'ing up retail christmas lights

[Terry Parker]

Last year I purchased four sets of those christmas lights that use a
little controller to cycle between various patterns (all on, fade
on/off, alternate flash, chase, etc.). Using a little button on the
controller you can select one of the modes, or a mode to cycle between
all of them.

Only way to synch them all up is to get them all set to "all on" mode,
then, as quickly as possible, hit all their switches at the same time
to switch to "cycle through all displays" mode. This works fine
(albeit a pain) until you cut power and turn it back on. They start
back up totally unsynch'd (and apparently random, which really baffles
me). Even if you plug them all into one cord run off a single A/C
timer.

Anyone got any clever way to keep these things synch'd up? I've been
toying with trying to keep power to the controller while cutting it to
the lights, but this is a pain as there are multiple strands and 4
light sets. I have a VERY basic understanding of solid state
electronics, but after searching through this group and reading some
related posts I expect to find a lot of cryptically (if at all)
labeled parts and not much to go on. Anyone got a clever idea I've
missed here?

Terry Parker
terry parker at myself dot com (remove spaces and convert "at")

 

[Gary Tait]

Last year I purchased four sets of those christmas lights that use a
little controller to cycle between various patterns (all on, fade
on/off, alternate flash, chase, etc.). Using a little button on the
controller you can select one of the modes, or a mode to cycle between
all of them.

Only way to synch them all up is to get them all set to "all on" mode,
then, as quickly as possible, hit all their switches at the same time
to switch to "cycle through all displays" mode. This works fine
(albeit a pain) until you cut power and turn it back on. They start
back up totally unsynch'd (and apparently random, which really baffles
me). Even if you plug them all into one cord run off a single A/C
timer.

Anyone got any clever way to keep these things synch'd up? I've been
toying with trying to keep power to the controller while cutting it to
the lights, but this is a pain as there are multiple strands and 4
light sets. I have a VERY basic understanding of solid state
electronics, but after searching through this group and reading some
related posts I expect to find a lot of cryptically (if at all)
labeled parts and not much to go on. Anyone got a clever idea I've
missed here?

Terry Parker
terry parker at myself dot com (remove spaces and convert "at")

You either beef up the SCRs on one controller to do more sets, or you
completely forsake the stock controller for a custom built one.

The parts inside the stock controller are simple, a micro controller,
a resistor for timing, another to time to the AC line, the button,
components to reduce the 120V to about 5V for the micro, 4 diodes in a
bridge fashion, and one SCR per outputchannel.

 

[JeffM]

those christmas lights...

?Terry Parker

beef up the SCRs on one controller to do more sets...
Gary Tait

while retaining the gate sensitivity characteristic.

You may end also up with a heatsink sticking out of the enclosure;
monitor it for a while after powering it up the 1st time,
checking how hot it runs, and gauge accordingly.