Fairy lights are a fantastic way to brighten up a room or an object. But How Long Do Battery Powered LED Christmas Lights Last? They’re made up of a string of miniature Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that look like Christmas lights. On the other hand, Christmas lights require far larger LEDs than fairy lights.
Due to the small size of the LEDs used in fairy lights, they are employed for ornamentation rather than illumination. Fairy lights are made to be powered by batteries since they are utilized in applications that are not connected to a power source and to make them more aesthetically beautiful.
How Long Do Battery Powered LED Christmas Lights Last?
Standard fairy light batteries last anywhere from 5 to 25 hours, depending on the length of the fairy lights. The table below summarizes the various lengths and how long the batteries will last. Please keep in mind that this is an estimate based on calculations in the best-case scenario.
However, several factors influence how long batteries last in fairy lights, including:
- The LEDs utilized in the fairy light have higher current consumption than the battery capacity.
- Fairy light length (more lights = more current usage)
- Batteries of good quality
The Evolution of Christmas Lights
Long ago, people used candles to light up their Christmas trees. But that was risky because of fires. So, inventors created electric Christmas lights. Over time, these lights changed and got better. Now, we have LED lights, which are super cool and safe!
Understanding LED Technology
LED stands for “Light Emitting Diode.” It’s a tiny part that glows when electricity passes through it. LED lights are special because they use less energy and don’t get hot like old bulbs. That’s why they’re perfect for Christmas decorations!
Factors Influencing Battery Life in LED Christmas Lights
- Type of Batteries: Some batteries, like AA or AAA, might not last as long as special ones like lithium-ion.
- Number of Lights: If you have a long string of lights, it might use up the battery faster.
- Light Modes: If your lights blink or fade, they might use more battery.
- Weather: Cold weather can make batteries run out faster.
Comparing Battery-Powered LED Lights to Traditional Christmas Lights
Battery-powered LED lights are awesome because they don’t need to be plugged in. They use less energy, which means they’re better for the environment. Plus, they last longer, so you don’t have to change them every year!
Tips to Extend the Life of Battery-Powered LED Christmas Lights
- Good Batteries: Always use the best batteries you can find.
- Turn Off When Not Needed: Save energy by turning off the lights when you’re not around.
- Store Properly: After Christmas, keep them in a cool, dry place.
Safety Considerations for Using Battery-Powered LED Lights
- Handle Batteries Carefully: Don’t let them get wet or put them near fire.
- Stay Away from Water: Even if they’re battery-powered, keep your lights away from water to avoid any risks.
- Check for Safety Labels: Make sure your lights have a safety mark, which means they’re tested and safe to use.
Factors That Influence The Battery Life Of Fairy Lights
The 5–25-hour figure I gave earlier estimates how long typical Coin cell batteries and a standard set of fairy lights will last. However, a slew of additional elements determines whether the batteries will last longer or shorter. Let’s have a look at what they have to offer.
Battery Capacity
The battery’s capacity is the first essential aspect that influences how long batteries in fairy lights last. The capacity of a battery is the quantity of charge it can hold.
The gasoline tank of an automobile is a beautiful analogy for this. Some automobiles have larger gasoline tanks than others, allowing them to carry more fuel and thus travel further.
The same is true with a battery. While physical dimensions are essential in determining its capacity, the chemical composition is also essential. The Amp-Hour (Ah) or milliamp-Hour (mAh) rating of a battery is a significant number that shows its capacity.
These numbers indicate how many amperes (or milliamperes) a battery can provide for an hour. The larger the battery, the higher the Ah rating, whereas the smaller the battery, the lower the mAh rating.
Let’s imagine we have an AA-sized battery with a capacity of 500mAh.
This means the battery can supply 500mA for one hour, 100mA for five hours, or 50mA for ten hours. To check out how long a battery will survive (in hours), divide its capacity by the circuit’s current draw.
This rating, which can be found on most batteries, will ultimately determine how long the batteries in your fairy lights will last. If the battery does not show these values, look up the brand online and the datasheet showing the battery capacity.
Current Consumption Of Lights
While it comes to how long a battery will survive when powering electronic gadgets like fairy lights, its capacity is simply one factor.
The current consumption of the lights used in fairy lights is the second element. The best way to demonstrate this is through an example. Let’s stick with the 500mAh battery capacity from the previous example.
This time, the battery will power two distinct light sources, each of which consumes a different amount of current.
This is because each LED in each scenario requires a different amount of current. Because the LED in scenario A uses 50 milliamps, the battery will survive for 10 hours.
The LED in scenario B, on the other hand, consumes 100mA, which indicates it will survive for 5 hours. A 50% reduction in the amount of time required.
As a result, the quantity of current consumed by the type of light used in fairy lights significantly impacts how long the battery will survive.
Length Of Fairy Lights
When determining how long they will last, the length of your fairy lights’ batteries is the next thing to consider. Fairy lights are available in lengths, including 1m, 2m, 3m, 5m, and more.
What Effect Does The Length Have On The Battery?
The number of LEDs across the length of the fairy light will rise as the length is increased. The more LEDs there are, the higher the overall power consumption (which comes down to some electronics theory).
The current supplied by the battery remains constant throughout the circuit in a series circuit while the voltage is split among the components. Adding more components, such as LEDs, will increase the entire circuit’s power consumption.
The current capacity of a battery is measured in Amp-Hours, or milliamp-hours, as we saw earlier.
However, it is preferable to look at the battery’s Power capacity when calculating how long a battery will last with many LEDs (Wh). Multiply the battery’s current capacity by its nominal voltage to get the power capacity.
A Few Battery Light And Battery Tips
- The brand and age of the batteries significantly impact battery life. Make careful you buy batteries of all sizes from a reputed brand and a business with high turnover (not the dusty battery display at the Route 66 convenience store).
- Make sure the batteries haven’t been sitting in your decor for a few years.
- The current draw of the light strings, a function of bulb type and wiring style, has a significant impact on battery life.
- The battery light string families are shown below, from shortest to most extended life:
- For centrepieces, incandescent light strings with 10-15 typical warm lights are a cost-effective option that will last 4-7 hours per set of C batteries.
- Traditional LED battery sets with bulb lenses and traditional wiring. These sets are equally attractive during the day as they are at night. A set of AA batteries will last 18 to 24 hours on average.
- LED batteries in the “micro drop” style or firefly lights with non-insulated wiring, beautiful small blobs of light on “strings”. These light strings will typically last over 100 hours with fresh batteries.
Conclusion
So, that’s How Long Do Battery Powered LED Christmas Lights Last? Keep in mind that different hues of LED bulbs utilize varying amounts of current in multi-coloured LED battery lighting. Blue and green are special energy hogs, and these two colours are the first to leave when batteries start to fade.
LED battery bulbs don’t burn out all at once; instead, they gradually fade out. Replace the batteries if the green and blue bulbs on your string are unevenly lit compared to the other colours. This will almost certainly cure the problem.
