I love how much research he did and all the detail he is giving us like the instructions, links and resources, and even an estimator tool. This guy needs a raise
This is exactly what I’ve been trying to find. Every reason you give is what I’ve been wanting to do. Keep them up year round. Programmable colors and patterns for all the holidays and occasions. Auto on/ off!!!!! Very nice !!!!!
This is a very clean look that enables year round function. But when it comes to christmas lights, I put up SO MANY, this would not be able to compete. But I do enjoy how clean this looks.
I did this, this year. I was going to go with everlights as well but decided to build my own DIY kit. I was able to do everything including trimming around the garage for about $500. Picked up 110v argb led in weatherproof silicone (164ft) for about $200. I went with the 110v instead of 5, 12, or 24v so I didn't have to worry about power injection. All mounted in a thin aluminum channel, and I wired them to a Bluetooth Controller that has an app. It turned out amazing, and I prefer the brightness and more solid runs the led strip provides. The aluminum channeling was about the same price as the rope light and the Bluetooth controllers were about $30 each and can sync together. I think if I move though the option you went with is what I'll be doing next. Their Bluetooth app is definitely superior.
@@LRN2DIY Sure no problem :) www.amazon.com/dp/B07KK6SGQD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_Hcy5FbE83PG3H?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 I used these with the Muzata U103 track and these 110v bluetooth controllers www.amazon.com/dp/B07F2XWL7S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_aey5FbTASR281?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I’ve had concerns recently about 110v lights, especially from a safety standpoint. Probably too many RUclips videos. The biggest two are exposed wiring after a few years of weather and serial connection of lights prone to failure.
@@TomCee53 yeah I think that's a fairly rational concern. Sealing is a thing, but for me personally it's a no - different people have different risk tolerances - the counterargument is lower voltage = higher current = more heat and not less risk of say a fire. Even with that I still prefer the lower electrocution risk and isolation that a DC supplied string gives.
Oh... there WILL be maintenance... having 4 wires means one is a CLK and when one pixel dies data will continue to pass - but pixels will go out. More annoying will be when 1 color in a pixel goes out. You could have done this yourself for even less. Depending on the controller you could have far more control over them.
I don't have a house of my own yet. But This is how it's done! The worst thing of the holiday season, is putting up the lights. This mitigates that entirely, and is brilliant!
Great question. The caps that screw the LEDs into place are a fairly thick plastic, which really helps protect the LEDs. These lights have been up on some homes for about 5 years so we don't have decades of history to look at but so far so good.
The LED is installed behind the channel or gutter so it's none of the permanent parts are exposed to UV light. If the caps are damaged by UV, they can be replaced easily but it would take a long time for damage to occur.
This is awesome! I used the calculator and $3K+ for my house... That's a big jump from $7-$10 per 25 ft of string lights 🤪. I wish. To everyone installing this: congrats!
It looks awesome ,I’m just weary that companies like that sometimes don’t last and they discontinue the app making the lights useless . People say that will Never happen the app will still work but I had something similar to hue lights before hue was popular and they let you dim any house light with their app as long as you plugged it into their product and after three years they disappeared and the app stopped working . I learned they went out of business and had to junk all the products I bought .
Oh that is fun when a new phone OS comes out and the app developer doesn't bother updating and it no longer works. Guess I was supposed to keep my iPhone 4 forever.
They sure can! If one goes out, the rest still work and the LED can just be replaced individually. I haven’t had any go out but I’ll post about the process if I do.
Except some communities have passed laws that require all Xmas lights be removed after the Xmas season and if you don’t you will be fined. Where I live there are such laws and they are strictly followed!
Some of these rules are antiquated and should specify "removable holiday lights". Because these are permanent and are so difficult to see when not lit, HOAs need to start recognizing the difference. We're fortunate to not live inside an HOA (yes, they have their pros as well as cons) but those rules were generally made to prevent traditional lights from being left up all year.
These lights aren't the Christmas lights that HOAs have rules about. These aren't noticeable during the day and if you didn't know they were there, you wouldn't notice them. They've been installed in 100s of HOA neighborhoods with rules about Christmas lights. HOAs have those rules for the traditional Christmas the you can see from a block away sticking up above the gutter and see the wires.
@@daveanderson6865 , not HOA rules! These are city laws that require all Christmas or other special holiday lighting be removed 30 days after the event. And they don’t allow any exceptions! And believe me they can be very hard nosed about it. I do know the difference between these lighting systems, but city ordinances need to be checked before someone makes an assumption.
Nice, but no thanks. For my house, I've used a near effortless DIY of DIY methods for the last few years. - Cheap $15 LED strings installed along the INSIDE of my windows, cut to fit. They come with an infrared remote. As long as you use the same brand, a single remote works. - I change the colors to suit the holiday. They can do a few patterns, or respond to sound, if desired. - They are adhesive stick, but I use clear duct tape every 12" or so for neatness and longevity. - Each one attaches to a smart plug, so i can set the on/off schedule. Plugs aren't far, but for 2 I use short white extension cables secure along the base boards, and tucked under where carpet is present. Windows absolutely glow if you have blinds or drapes. I haven't tried them outside. But, I bet they'd work well if secured under/behind the fascia. I'd direct the LEDs at the fascia, rather than outward to the viewer, for stronger and more uniform illumination. Power would come the corner flood lights, configured to provide a plug. Just some thoughts there for external mounting.
I think you'd have to get a bit creative but I would think you could. They don't take up very much power at all but the tricky part is that they're connected to a controller that receives the wireless signal and probably takes up a lot more power than the lights themselves. If you could get around that, powering the lights wouldn't require much solar or much battery.
I’m still so glad I did this. It was a pain for the day and a half I spent putting it up but we’ve enjoyed this all year long and I love that we’re all set for Christmas. I’d totally do this again. It’s not for everyone because it’s pricey but I think it’s worth it.
They main difference is mentioned in the video. The biggest difference is that EverLights point outward like traditional Christmas lights. Trimlight, Jellyfish and most other brands point down and illuminate the walls.
You can just remove the caps on each light and push the lights back through them tape them up from the back side. After you're done painting, just put the lights back in and put the caps back on.
Yes, you do... But you just need to inject power at multiple locations along the string/strip. It's fairly trivial, if you're already at the level of doing this yourself.
This is certainly an option for some people... It's more of a pseudo/semi-DIY since a full-on DIY option would end up costing about 25% of your total cost. But i understand that may not be for everyone :)
@Coach Steve Some great channels that cover this are DrZzs, The Hook Up and QuinLED/IntermitTech. The strings are probably WS2811 or WS2812. The channels/brackets might be part of the kit, but there are other options. I picked up 5 rolls of 5m/16.4 ft individually addressable RGB LED strips (not strings like these) from BTF Lighting. I went with 5V, 30 pixels/m IP65 rated. I haven't put them up yet, and I haven't decided if I'm going to use my Raspberry Pi or Arduino Uno. I still need a power supply and figure out how I want to mount them. I'm thinking aluminum profile/channeling with diffusers/lenses. It gives more uniform light and hides them. Or I might get silicone "neon" tubing. I just suck at putting my mind to things.
@@grabasandwich Thanks for the info. Yes I agree DrZzs is a great channel, that’s where I got inspired to try it myself. I will check out the other channels also.
@@grabasandwich Just did the same thing and went with arduino and wled. Its a lot of work, but wow it looks great and the cost savings / flexibility cant be beat.
Well, the LEDs are still useful with programs like wLED or xLights. You can fairly easily do this fully DIY for around $300, if you're willing to invest a bit of time learning. All the info is available on YT. Look up DrZzs or The Hookup on YT, if you're curious.
Since you can get a fairly rough estimate for ordering (just err on the side of having a few extra feet) you can measure something on your house, take a photo with that thing in the photo and then use it kind of like a ruler to get an estimate. You can even lock a measuring tape at 10’ then put it up against your house for the picture.
I ran C9 LEDs before getting these and I’d say these are just as bright if not brighter, largely because they’re so close together and can their brightness can be adjusted. Sometimes I run a dimmer, more subtle pattern too.
@@LRN2DIY I probably missed it but how far apart are they? I use c9 as well 12 inches apart. also what happens when one of the LEDs goes out can you easily replace it like you can with the c9 bulbs
(My comment/question keeps disappearing) Not sure why. Here it is again...Great video. I tried the coupon code from your video description and it is not working. Do you have a new code I can use?
You roof should overhang the edge of the aluminum by minimum of 1/2” for water protection. Did you loose that protection because of this install or was it already like that? I’m guessing you added that (ODE - Outside Drip Edge) as a flashing to protect YOUR channel. Maybe you can explain what happened there. Not trying to be critical but it doesn’t look to good when the roof doesn’t overhang. With some more info on what you did there & why, I can tell you how to fix it and others how to avoid that. Thanks for hearing me out. I enjoyed the video & your house looks great from afar.
Wow, what a great idea, and excellent video. I'm too old for this, but I love to keep updated on what's out there. Thanks for sharing and continued success. Love PegEgg
Very nice, how i wish we have these items in the Philippines. If anyone knows where i can get these items in the Philippines,please let me know, i live in Silang Cavite, Philippines
Yes, individual LEDs can fail, usually from being damaged or wiring improperly during install but doesn't show up until later. The fix is to cut out the bad LED and splice in a new LED.
So far so good! Just yesterday my wife and I were walking up the street as our neighbors put up lights and our neighbors teased about how hard it must be for us to put up our lights now. Takes about 3 minutes on the phone.
@@LRN2DIY thanks for the quick follow-up! We are having our home built and the roof line is very high so I have been worried about getting them up and down each year so this is definitely an option for us!
The channel is not but you can do a DIY version. You can purchase, for example, aluminum J-Channel and drill it yourself instead, like this: www.homedepot.com/p/1-2-in-x-12-ft-White-Aluminum-J-Channel-Trim-77012/204103159.
Drzzs youtube videos using Permatrack and WLED with xLIGHTS would have been so much better though. I'm sure more cheaper as well and everything completely local and not reliant to a company
I think what Drzzs does is awesome. I looked into it a ton and may still try it out myself but I think the required programming and configuration is more than what most people will be willing to try... for now. I think in the coming years some of the tech around the DIY options will be significantly more accessible. The DIY installation I show in this video is certainly not for everyone but it's another option for people to be aware of and works so easily once installed, plus I could switch it over to a homebrew option if there was an issue with the company. Have you had a chance to try any of these lighting solutions yourself?
@@LRN2DIY I haven't tried anything as big as this. We don't really do lights like that in Europe. It's certainly a lot bigger in the US. I have however looking an the DIY options and been playing significantly with Home Assistant. I haven't tried any indoor DIY LEDs either. Although I would not consider WLED (especially when used with Quindor's Digi-uno/quads) to require a significant amount of coding or physical configuration, since it WLED itself has app for the phone and a lot of the effects are already build-in. Then setting up a digi-uno there are a ton of guids from Quindor himself. Sure you can automate and control it from Home Assistant if you wanted but it is not a requirement. You could just use the WLED app. And I think that a lot of people would rather spend a couple more hours setting it up and spending less money on the parts than buying a ready solution.
Question: The lights in your video are very attractive, more like actual Christmas lights and less like the Vegas strip. Are you operating them at 100%? Is that feature even an option? Or do you achieve that look by aiming the lights out instead of down?
As someone who has both .. an led strip is programmable but there is a difference these diodes are five time the size and brightness .. so you may be able to get a strip from Amazon and one that is cut to your size it isnt the same the amount of light and you wont be able to buy the things to mount them in a good fashion not on the roof line at least.. but I do love using the led strips from Amazon to tuck into the corners bv of the siding lighting up the house
@@ptravers9077 You can also buy bullet pixels that are more reliable than strips. I would also recommend 3" between pixels as 9" seems like too much distance between. If someone really wants a DIY project such as this they can buy vinyl J-channel (cheap!) but they would need to drill their on holes. May be worth it in order to save money.
@@thompsonnickc bullet led would be better than strips 100 percent bullet led are also much brighter the only downfall they has is the rubber sleeve they use to protect the connections it being open allows moisture in if not installed correctly.. plus using a bullet light system gives you the ability to adjust light distance and feels more like you've accomplished something after
They’re actually great. I literally just scheduled some different patterns on them this morning. I’m thinking about adding more to the sides of the house this year.
Very nice but couple things. 1 HOA seeing them and fining you unless you take down 2 What do you do if a couple of lights go out or pixels go out? Do you have to replace entire section? 3 What or How do you control with app if company goes out of business and no longer supports app? Just seems to good to be true. But love the look
All great questions. 1) I don't live where there's an HOA but for real - these things are nearly invisible during the day. You can see what they look like during the day here (scroll to the bottom): lrn2diy.com/permanent-christmas-lights/. If an HOA still has issues with this, it's worth fighting that fight. These will only become more popular and Everlights are even LESS visible than most competitors, which use larger channels and use them everywhere. 2) If a pixel goes out, you can replace that specific pixel only, but it's suggested to replace the pixels on either side of it just in case. Also, there's a backup line that runs to every light, meaning that if one does go out, it doesn't take any others out down the line. They'll continue to work. 3) I've done some experimenting and you actually can run these lights with 3rd party software. The software/hardware setup Everlights provides works beautifully out of the box but the option is there. Additionally you can run 3rd party lights with Everlights software. Not sure I'd want to mess with that unless I had good reason but it does work, so I'm not at all worried about that one either. I hope that helps with your questions!
Several things come to mind, not that I’m totally against the idea. 1. Never use ‘never’ in your title. Everything breaks. My best guess for this is about 3-5 years. How repairable? 2. Mounting in the gutter and gutter cleaning could be problematic. Are the wires covered? I’m sure I’ll have more questions after checking your website.
My problem is lights stop worrying after 1 season. Even brand new, year after year, LEDs. Stop working next year and I'm replacing 20-50% EVERY FLIPPING YEAR
I too love the idea, but living here in Chicago Midwest area, wonder how the wear and tear from our extreme weather. Any data on how long it will last? I think if I spend under $600 for 5 years I would do. Thanks for your videos.
Hi Reymundo. This technology (outdoor LEDs) has probably been around for 10+ years but these commercial options are more like 5-7 years, so we don't have a ton of history to draw from. The lights themselves are all capped in a thick plastic cap to hold them in place, which would provide a lot of protection so I think these will hold up quite well.
@@Mark-gg8xx traditional Christmas lights left up all year won't last more than 2 - 3 years as the UV light will damage the plastic and the lights will fall off the roof in severe weather.
Great idea, but cringe watching you smash barrel connectors with needle noise pliers. Use the auto crimp tool for less than $10. Also, some barrel connectors have built in shrink tubing to make them even more water proof.
This is similar to many home improvements, like landscaping, bathroom remodeling or others - it stays with the house so that needs to be considered when undertaking a project like this. I suppose you could remove it and try to use it a new home but that doesn't seem worth it to me, especially considering that this will raise the value of the house when it comes time to sell.
I put my xmas lights in less than a half hour, with the clips and stick its never been so easy. 30 bucks for that extendable stick and clips, no ladder so easy anyone can literally do it.
I'd be worried about wyoming weather and the sun wearing them out my mom has spent hundreds if not thousands of $$$$ on upgrading to led lights for her house over the past decade or so and I put them up and take them down every year to make sure they last for decades to come so that my kids can enjoy them for years to come and maybe if they do the same when I'm old and they do the decorating their kids will be able to enjoy them too
Good job on making it look 1000x easier than it was. We know this was an absolute nightmare every step of the way to the point of being basically not worth it.
It's not for the average homeowner but for the DYI person that doesn't mind being up on ladders and/or roof, the average house can ve done in a day or two after some research & education on the company website.
I was checking out the company you recommended. I see the color changing lights (which are the ones you have) and for the same 100’ they are $1600.00. Im wondering if I’m checking the right place or if they have just gone up over the last year?
I just took a look and I see the bundle you're referring to for $1600 but that's not what I went with. Check out this one: myeverlights.com/collections/color-changing-lights/products/color-changing-starter-kit that has most of the tools you need minus the lights themselves. The lights have gone up - they were $200 per 25 feet and now they're $225. So my same setup would cost an additional $100 since I needed 4. I'm not sure how much of a deal the $1600 starter bundle is but piecing it out seems to be the way to go.
@@LRN2DIY thank you for replying to me. I certainly appreciate it. Would you mind sending a cart full of the exact stuff you bought? I’m having a hard time knowing what I need for piecing it together. My house front is actually very similar to yours as far as the peaks/gutters.
@@LRN2DIY hey I actually just thought of some other questions. How long have you had the lights now and have you had any issues at all? Plus, how many zones do you have and how does that work?
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
I’m holding out for the Christmas light Gatling gun from the Grinch.
Let me know if you see it - I'd totally buy one.
But how would you take them down?
A vacuum?
🤣😂 that would be awesome!
@@johnmarshalward Grinch Winch, sold separately!
I love how much research he did and all the detail he is giving us like the instructions, links and resources, and even an estimator tool. This guy needs a raise
This is exactly what I’ve been trying to find. Every reason you give is what I’ve been wanting to do. Keep them up year round. Programmable colors and patterns for all the holidays and occasions. Auto on/ off!!!!! Very nice !!!!!
This is a very clean look that enables year round function. But when it comes to christmas lights, I put up SO MANY, this would not be able to compete. But I do enjoy how clean this looks.
This is much more in line with what I wanted on my new home. Looks much closer to traditional holiday lights.
I like to see a fellow WYZE cam user.
Love me some Wyze! It's all over my house.
Can you PLEASE take this video down before my wife sees it?
We all must endeavour to make sure Mrs. Dingman sees this!! Muhahahahahahaaaa evil.
I've been noodling on this exact project for a few weeks, so this video is very timely for me.
Thanks!
I did this, this year. I was going to go with everlights as well but decided to build my own DIY kit. I was able to do everything including trimming around the garage for about $500. Picked up 110v argb led in weatherproof silicone (164ft) for about $200. I went with the 110v instead of 5, 12, or 24v so I didn't have to worry about power injection. All mounted in a thin aluminum channel, and I wired them to a Bluetooth Controller that has an app. It turned out amazing, and I prefer the brightness and more solid runs the led strip provides. The aluminum channeling was about the same price as the rope light and the Bluetooth controllers were about $30 each and can sync together. I think if I move though the option you went with is what I'll be doing next. Their Bluetooth app is definitely superior.
That’s awesome. Do you have a link to the LED strips you used?
@@LRN2DIY Sure no problem :) www.amazon.com/dp/B07KK6SGQD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_Hcy5FbE83PG3H?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 I used these with the Muzata U103 track and these 110v bluetooth controllers www.amazon.com/dp/B07F2XWL7S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_aey5FbTASR281?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
@@J3rbski hello sir
Can you please tell me what things we should need for installation except led lights
I’ve had concerns recently about 110v lights, especially from a safety standpoint. Probably too many RUclips videos. The biggest two are exposed wiring after a few years of weather and serial connection of lights prone to failure.
@@TomCee53 yeah I think that's a fairly rational concern. Sealing is a thing, but for me personally it's a no - different people have different risk tolerances - the counterargument is lower voltage = higher current = more heat and not less risk of say a fire. Even with that I still prefer the lower electrocution risk and isolation that a DC supplied string gives.
Oh... there WILL be maintenance... having 4 wires means one is a CLK and when one pixel dies data will continue to pass - but pixels will go out. More annoying will be when 1 color in a pixel goes out.
You could have done this yourself for even less. Depending on the controller you could have far more control over them.
I don't have a house of my own yet. But This is how it's done! The worst thing of the holiday season, is putting up the lights. This mitigates that entirely, and is brilliant!
Put them up it’s fine it’s taking them down that’s a pain in the ass.
How resistant to UV damage are these LEDs? Leaving lights up year round brings a susceptibility to sun damage.
Great question. The caps that screw the LEDs into place are a fairly thick plastic, which really helps protect the LEDs. These lights have been up on some homes for about 5 years so we don't have decades of history to look at but so far so good.
The LED is installed behind the channel or gutter so it's none of the permanent parts are exposed to UV light. If the caps are damaged by UV, they can be replaced easily but it would take a long time for damage to occur.
This is awesome! I used the calculator and $3K+ for my house... That's a big jump from $7-$10 per 25 ft of string lights 🤪. I wish. To everyone installing this: congrats!
It looks awesome ,I’m just weary that companies like that sometimes don’t last and they discontinue the app making the lights useless . People say that will
Never happen the app will still work but I had something similar to hue lights before hue was popular and they let you dim any house light with their app as long as you plugged it into their product and after three years they disappeared and the app stopped working . I learned they went out of business and had to junk all the products I bought .
Oh that is fun when a new phone OS comes out and the app developer doesn't bother updating and it no longer works. Guess I was supposed to keep my iPhone 4 forever.
You’re so right. Tech updates so fast and frequently I’d be so mad if the app stopped working or updating
Thank you! Can you give us updates on how your lights are doing now that it’s been a few years.
Awesome video! Wish I found this sooner, but now I have added yet another project for my home. Thank you!
why didn't you use twinkly? btw great video!
wondering can the light thats not working ,can it be fixed!! ty
They sure can! If one goes out, the rest still work and the LED can just be replaced individually. I haven’t had any go out but I’ll post about the process if I do.
Have you used pipes for outlining a driveway or pathway?
It is pretty funny how happy Nils is about this, lol.
Except some communities have passed laws that require all Xmas lights be removed after the Xmas season and if you don’t you will be fined. Where I live there are such laws and they are strictly followed!
Some of these rules are antiquated and should specify "removable holiday lights". Because these are permanent and are so difficult to see when not lit, HOAs need to start recognizing the difference. We're fortunate to not live inside an HOA (yes, they have their pros as well as cons) but those rules were generally made to prevent traditional lights from being left up all year.
@@LRN2DIY , in our town it is a city law and not a HOA rule.
These lights aren't the Christmas lights that HOAs have rules about. These aren't noticeable during the day and if you didn't know they were there, you wouldn't notice them. They've been installed in 100s of HOA neighborhoods with rules about Christmas lights. HOAs have those rules for the traditional Christmas the you can see from a block away sticking up above the gutter and see the wires.
@@daveanderson6865 , not HOA rules! These are city laws that require all Christmas or other special holiday lighting be removed 30 days after the event. And they don’t allow any exceptions! And believe me they can be very hard nosed about it. I do know the difference between these lighting systems, but city ordinances need to be checked before someone makes an assumption.
I did the pipe system for around the windows. So no nails or hooks, the PVC pipes stay in place by pressure.
That's pretty sweet man. I've been looking for a solution like this.
Great stuff! So, are you still happy with them?
Nice, but no thanks.
For my house, I've used a near effortless DIY of DIY methods for the last few years.
- Cheap $15 LED strings installed along the INSIDE of my windows, cut to fit. They come with an infrared remote. As long as you use the same brand, a single remote works.
- I change the colors to suit the holiday. They can do a few patterns, or respond to sound, if desired.
- They are adhesive stick, but I use clear duct tape every 12" or so for neatness and longevity.
- Each one attaches to a smart plug, so i can set the on/off schedule. Plugs aren't far, but for 2 I use short white extension cables secure along the base boards, and tucked under where carpet is present.
Windows absolutely glow if you have blinds or drapes.
I haven't tried them outside. But, I bet they'd work well if secured under/behind the fascia. I'd direct the LEDs at the fascia, rather than outward to the viewer, for stronger and more uniform illumination. Power would come the corner flood lights, configured to provide a plug. Just some thoughts there for external mounting.
Any options for solar power for these kits?
I think you'd have to get a bit creative but I would think you could. They don't take up very much power at all but the tricky part is that they're connected to a controller that receives the wireless signal and probably takes up a lot more power than the lights themselves. If you could get around that, powering the lights wouldn't require much solar or much battery.
I cant do this any year soon.. But pretty sure this is what i want.
Thanks for sharing
12 months on...Would you do anything differently?
I’m still so glad I did this. It was a pain for the day and a half I spent putting it up but we’ve enjoyed this all year long and I love that we’re all set for Christmas. I’d totally do this again. It’s not for everyone because it’s pricey but I think it’s worth it.
Not a DIY guy....I am looking a trimlight and jellyfish.....its about 120 feet I need done. Any tips on differences between the 3.
They main difference is mentioned in the video. The biggest difference is that EverLights point outward like traditional Christmas lights. Trimlight, Jellyfish and most other brands point down and illuminate the walls.
What do you do when it’s time to paint the gutters?
You can just remove the caps on each light and push the lights back through them tape them up from the back side. After you're done painting, just put the lights back in and put the caps back on.
Cool. Do these lights just break for no good or apparent reason every year like all other Christmas lights?
No. The lights bought in retail stores break every year. Either buy better, commercial lights or get permanent lights like these.
Did you have to worry about power drop?
Yes, you do... But you just need to inject power at multiple locations along the string/strip. It's fairly trivial, if you're already at the level of doing this yourself.
I just wonder about weather ware and water. Otherwise, this is amazing and never would have thought of this on my own.
This is certainly an option for some people... It's more of a pseudo/semi-DIY since a full-on DIY option would end up costing about 25% of your total cost. But i understand that may not be for everyone :)
What is the full-on DIY option? Got a link?
@@stvnsnton just look up permanent led lights on youtube
4:54 is that wires left out to the elements....
It doesn't look like cables that will survive outside.
Dose it have a Halloween lighting scheme as well
Yes. They have any color and color combination that can be imagined.
If Everlight goes out of business will these lights still work?
Sure as long as you have already downloaded the app oh and never plan on changing your phone. Check out WLED for an open source option.
What type of individual addressable LED’s (make/model) were used and do the screw-on nodules come with the LED’s or are they sold separately?
Does anyone know??....the LED I am talking about is shown at 4:44 of the video.
@Coach Steve Some great channels that cover this are DrZzs, The Hook Up and QuinLED/IntermitTech. The strings are probably WS2811 or WS2812. The channels/brackets might be part of the kit, but there are other options. I picked up 5 rolls of 5m/16.4 ft individually addressable RGB LED strips (not strings like these) from BTF Lighting. I went with 5V, 30 pixels/m IP65 rated. I haven't put them up yet, and I haven't decided if I'm going to use my Raspberry Pi or Arduino Uno. I still need a power supply and figure out how I want to mount them. I'm thinking aluminum profile/channeling with diffusers/lenses. It gives more uniform light and hides them. Or I might get silicone "neon" tubing. I just suck at putting my mind to things.
@@grabasandwich Thanks for the info. Yes I agree DrZzs is a great channel, that’s where I got inspired to try it myself. I will check out the other channels also.
@@grabasandwich Just did the same thing and went with arduino and wled. Its a lot of work, but wow it looks great and the cost savings / flexibility cant be beat.
@@fix8ed387 mind me asking what you did for power? Did you use a meanwell?
My worry about this would be the company going out to business and the app getting out of date in 5 years.
Spot on. If made in China, more than half the led lighting companies go out of business annually. A lot of turnover
Well, the LEDs are still useful with programs like wLED or xLights. You can fairly easily do this fully DIY for around $300, if you're willing to invest a bit of time learning. All the info is available on YT. Look up DrZzs or The Hookup on YT, if you're curious.
Your Channel is great
What did you use to measure the linear area of your roof? You had it nicely drawn out.
Since you can get a fairly rough estimate for ordering (just err on the side of having a few extra feet) you can measure something on your house, take a photo with that thing in the photo and then use it kind of like a ruler to get an estimate. You can even lock a measuring tape at 10’ then put it up against your house for the picture.
how are they holding up?
I never have to take mine down either because I never put any up. It's the cheapest way and hassle free.
Hey, so I usually put up the C9 bulbs. Are these as bright?
I ran C9 LEDs before getting these and I’d say these are just as bright if not brighter, largely because they’re so close together and can their brightness can be adjusted. Sometimes I run a dimmer, more subtle pattern too.
@@LRN2DIY I probably missed it but how far apart are they? I use c9 as well 12 inches apart. also what happens when one of the LEDs goes out can you easily replace it like you can with the c9 bulbs
@@USAFreedom4Ever They are spaced 9 in. apart. If an LED needs to be replaced it can be cut out and new one spliced in.
(My comment/question keeps disappearing) Not sure why. Here it is again...Great video. I tried the coupon code from your video description and it is not working. Do you have a new code I can use?
You roof should overhang the edge of the aluminum by minimum of 1/2” for water protection. Did you loose that protection because of this install or was it already like that? I’m guessing you added that (ODE - Outside Drip Edge) as a flashing to protect YOUR channel. Maybe you can explain what happened there. Not trying to be critical but it doesn’t look to good when the roof doesn’t overhang. With some more info on what you did there & why, I can tell you how to fix it and others how to avoid that. Thanks for hearing me out. I enjoyed the video & your house looks great from afar.
Does this work with light o roma?
Gave a like for the sandlot clip 🤣
At my 75 feet am i expected to y split the power booster or just use a butt connector?
It’s more of a Y split. You’re basically splicing the power into the positive and negative.
Now if there is a way to put Christmas lights on the giant live oak tree, that would be awesome.
Wow, what a great idea, and excellent video. I'm too old for this, but I love to keep updated on what's out there. Thanks for sharing and continued success. Love PegEgg
How do you power so many branches?
These are low voltage so there's the initial power supply then another one about half way through and that's all that's needed.
They don't look very bright. What is the wattage???
Very nice, how i wish we have these items in the Philippines. If anyone knows where i can get these items in the Philippines,please let me know, i live in Silang Cavite, Philippines
Have you had any LEDs fail? What is/ was the repair process like?
Yes, individual LEDs can fail, usually from being damaged or wiring improperly during install but doesn't show up until later. The fix is to cut out the bad LED and splice in a new LED.
Loved this vid. First vid I’ve seen of yours and you got my sub! Good work! Love the whole up front thing you did.
Just found your channel (subbed!) and see this video is a year old. How have they held up?
So far so good! Just yesterday my wife and I were walking up the street as our neighbors put up lights and our neighbors teased about how hard it must be for us to put up our lights now. Takes about 3 minutes on the phone.
@@LRN2DIY thanks for the quick follow-up! We are having our home built and the roof line is very high so I have been worried about getting them up and down each year so this is definitely an option for us!
Very cool.
Hi Nils, are the Channels available at home depot? Thanks
The channel is not but you can do a DIY version. You can purchase, for example, aluminum J-Channel and drill it yourself instead, like this: www.homedepot.com/p/1-2-in-x-12-ft-White-Aluminum-J-Channel-Trim-77012/204103159.
@@LRN2DIY Thank you.
While the price isn't very attractive, the lack of hassle is.
Love it, wish I could afford it!
The most painful thing with this. I was looking at developing a similar product for our house.... 15 years ago! .. Man I should have ran with it!!!
Never too late
Some people in New Mexico keep their lights up year round- and keep them lit! 🤔🤔🤔
Drzzs youtube videos using Permatrack and WLED with xLIGHTS would have been so much better though. I'm sure more cheaper as well and everything completely local and not reliant to a company
I think what Drzzs does is awesome. I looked into it a ton and may still try it out myself but I think the required programming and configuration is more than what most people will be willing to try... for now. I think in the coming years some of the tech around the DIY options will be significantly more accessible. The DIY installation I show in this video is certainly not for everyone but it's another option for people to be aware of and works so easily once installed, plus I could switch it over to a homebrew option if there was an issue with the company. Have you had a chance to try any of these lighting solutions yourself?
@@LRN2DIY I haven't tried anything as big as this. We don't really do lights like that in Europe. It's certainly a lot bigger in the US. I have however looking an the DIY options and been playing significantly with Home Assistant. I haven't tried any indoor DIY LEDs either. Although I would not consider WLED (especially when used with Quindor's Digi-uno/quads) to require a significant amount of coding or physical configuration, since it WLED itself has app for the phone and a lot of the effects are already build-in. Then setting up a digi-uno there are a ton of guids from Quindor himself. Sure you can automate and control it from Home Assistant if you wanted but it is not a requirement. You could just use the WLED app. And I think that a lot of people would rather spend a couple more hours setting it up and spending less money on the parts than buying a ready solution.
@@DWTHAN Quindor seems like the LED wizard! 😁
Can u give me the site name for these
Sure - you can always find links in my descriptions but here it is: bit.ly/everlights-lrn2diy. The company is called Everlights.
Question: The lights in your video are very attractive, more like actual Christmas lights and less like the Vegas strip. Are you operating them at 100%? Is that feature even an option? Or do you achieve that look by aiming the lights out instead of down?
The lights can be dimmed but EverLights are designed to look like Christmas lights. They are spaced 9 in. apart.
My neighbor just leaves his Christmas lights up all year round and only turns it on from October-December.
7:38 isn't that a bad sign?
They keep screwing up and have to push out updates all the time :-D
Just buy led strips online and use free software you could do this project for like 300 bucks if you don't use a kit by some borderline scammer
Spent $150 on 100’ running on WLED 🤷🏽♂️
As someone who has both .. an led strip is programmable but there is a difference these diodes are five time the size and brightness .. so you may be able to get a strip from Amazon and one that is cut to your size it isnt the same the amount of light and you wont be able to buy the things to mount them in a good fashion not on the roof line at least.. but I do love using the led strips from Amazon to tuck into the corners bv of the siding lighting up the house
@@ptravers9077 You can also buy bullet pixels that are more reliable than strips. I would also recommend 3" between pixels as 9" seems like too much distance between. If someone really wants a DIY project such as this they can buy vinyl J-channel (cheap!) but they would need to drill their on holes. May be worth it in order to save money.
@@thompsonnickc bullet led would be better than strips 100 percent bullet led are also much brighter the only downfall they has is the rubber sleeve they use to protect the connections it being open allows moisture in if not installed correctly.. plus using a bullet light system gives you the ability to adjust light distance and feels more like you've accomplished something after
@@ptravers9077 Agreed
It’s been 3 years now. How’s the lights holding up?
They’re actually great. I literally just scheduled some different patterns on them this morning. I’m thinking about adding more to the sides of the house this year.
@@LRN2DIY they look great!
Very nice but couple things.
1 HOA seeing them and fining you unless you take down
2 What do you do if a couple of lights go out or pixels go out? Do you have to replace entire section?
3 What or How do you control with app if company goes out of business and no longer supports app?
Just seems to good to be true. But love the look
All great questions.
1) I don't live where there's an HOA but for real - these things are nearly invisible during the day. You can see what they look like during the day here (scroll to the bottom): lrn2diy.com/permanent-christmas-lights/. If an HOA still has issues with this, it's worth fighting that fight. These will only become more popular and Everlights are even LESS visible than most competitors, which use larger channels and use them everywhere.
2) If a pixel goes out, you can replace that specific pixel only, but it's suggested to replace the pixels on either side of it just in case. Also, there's a backup line that runs to every light, meaning that if one does go out, it doesn't take any others out down the line. They'll continue to work.
3) I've done some experimenting and you actually can run these lights with 3rd party software. The software/hardware setup Everlights provides works beautifully out of the box but the option is there. Additionally you can run 3rd party lights with Everlights software. Not sure I'd want to mess with that unless I had good reason but it does work, so I'm not at all worried about that one either.
I hope that helps with your questions!
Thsnks. Very cool. Unfortunately I have an HOA that is a stickler for everything. But I will ponder this.
@@LRN2DIY Thsnks. Very cool. Unfortunately I have an HOA that is a stickler for everything. But I will ponder this.
Merry Christmas!!!
@@anthonyz5671 these lights have been installed in 100s of HOAs. They aren't the Christmas lights that HOAs have rules about.
@@LRN2DIY what is the 3rd party software you've used to run the lights?
Well damn!! Looks good
Several things come to mind, not that I’m totally against the idea.
1. Never use ‘never’ in your title. Everything breaks. My best guess for this is about 3-5 years. How repairable?
2. Mounting in the gutter and gutter cleaning could be problematic. Are the wires covered?
I’m sure I’ll have more questions after checking your website.
Never tell someone how to word their title. It has absolutely nothing to do with you, you mong
@@bcryan9465 never tell another man what to do, your not that boys daddy. You are a b***h tho.
My problem is lights stop worrying after 1 season. Even brand new, year after year, LEDs. Stop working next year and I'm replacing 20-50% EVERY FLIPPING YEAR
I don't see this being fixed by putting up permanently lights. Fact that sounds WORSE
Im a bit surprised a gutter company has not come up with a Christmas light gutter
I too love the idea, but living here in Chicago Midwest area, wonder how the wear and tear from our extreme weather. Any data on how long it will last? I think if I spend under $600 for 5 years I would do. Thanks for your videos.
Hi Reymundo. This technology (outdoor LEDs) has probably been around for 10+ years but these commercial options are more like 5-7 years, so we don't have a ton of history to draw from. The lights themselves are all capped in a thick plastic cap to hold them in place, which would provide a lot of protection so I think these will hold up quite well.
Millionaire Information This is the future.
People been leaving lights up all year since I was a kid in the 80s
In my neighborhood, you get a letter from the HOA on January 2nd.
@@Mark-gg8xx Our State band Hoa. We have zero Hoa in our State. When u buy a house. Karen's don't pay your mortgage. Hoas r rip offs
@@Mark-gg8xx traditional Christmas lights left up all year won't last more than 2 - 3 years as the UV light will damage the plastic and the lights will fall off the roof in severe weather.
Really wish this stuff was available in canada, I had a local company price my house 87 Linear feet 3800 CANADIAN!!!
Just clone him lot cheaper.
Do you have Gemstone Lights in your area? I got mine installed at about $22 linear foot. They are awesome!!
Go watch some videos by DrZzs or The Hook Up. They have great DIY options for much cheaper.
"Never have to remove again" LOL, so you think.....
Great idea, but cringe watching you smash barrel connectors with needle noise pliers. Use the auto crimp tool for less than $10. Also, some barrel connectors have built in shrink tubing to make them even more water proof.
$4000 I can’t even afford to watch this video
What if you move ?
This is similar to many home improvements, like landscaping, bathroom remodeling or others - it stays with the house so that needs to be considered when undertaking a project like this. I suppose you could remove it and try to use it a new home but that doesn't seem worth it to me, especially considering that this will raise the value of the house when it comes time to sell.
I put my xmas lights in less than a half hour, with the clips and stick its never been so easy. 30 bucks for that extendable stick and clips, no ladder so easy anyone can literally do it.
Until the 5th PIxel on the left dies and you are up there soldering a new one in :P Also, for a truly DIY look into xLIGHTS
If he just has pixels lining the house, I say try Vixen. Much easier for smaller displays
@@jackdennis9286 what are Vixen lights?
You should never say never.
Who says you gotta take down regular lights...
It's going to suck when the company goes under and their app stops working because the server is permanently down
I'd be worried about wyoming weather and the sun wearing them out my mom has spent hundreds if not thousands of $$$$ on upgrading to led lights for her house over the past decade or so and I put them up and take them down every year to make sure they last for decades to come so that my kids can enjoy them for years to come and maybe if they do the same when I'm old and they do the decorating their kids will be able to enjoy them too
Lights are hidden and protected from the sun by the wire channel or gutter.
Two years from know price would be 300 a kit China already has Pattens.
Possibly but software is their obstacle. These have been out for 6 or 7 years now.
"Must. Have. Power" - Top Gear?
So what happens when you have to replace your gutters
The gutters good for Twenty years Thirty if Leaf guard installed.
Wled is true DIY
What a huge upgrade when selling your house.
For 35 dollars 16.5 feet on amazon for rgbic , no need to pay 1200....
Not the same thing
Move to Saudi Arabia?
How do you replace a single bulb in the middle of a string, should it go out?
You should of went with Govee
Good job on making it look 1000x easier than it was. We know this was an absolute nightmare every step of the way to the point of being basically not worth it.
If you are hanging lights every year then just think of it as 2 years of regular light hanging.
It's not for the average homeowner but for the DYI person that doesn't mind being up on ladders and/or roof, the average house can ve done in a day or two after some research & education on the company website.
I was checking out the company you recommended. I see the color changing lights (which are the ones you have) and for the same 100’ they are $1600.00. Im wondering if I’m checking the right place or if they have just gone up over the last year?
I just took a look and I see the bundle you're referring to for $1600 but that's not what I went with. Check out this one: myeverlights.com/collections/color-changing-lights/products/color-changing-starter-kit that has most of the tools you need minus the lights themselves. The lights have gone up - they were $200 per 25 feet and now they're $225. So my same setup would cost an additional $100 since I needed 4. I'm not sure how much of a deal the $1600 starter bundle is but piecing it out seems to be the way to go.
@@LRN2DIY thank you for replying to me. I certainly appreciate it. Would you mind sending a cart full of the exact stuff you bought? I’m having a hard time knowing what I need for piecing it together. My house front is actually very similar to yours as far as the peaks/gutters.
@@myqwerty20 My pleasure. If you check the link in the description there’s a link to my website where I include each of the items I bought.
@@LRN2DIY awesome. I must of just missed it. Thank you.
@@LRN2DIY hey I actually just thought of some other questions. How long have you had the lights now and have you had any issues at all? Plus, how many zones do you have and how does that work?