I'm in Australia but this may also apply elsewhere.

Many sets of flashing

fairy lights come with a little control box that has a push-button on it. You
can select one of 8 different settings like: Combination, Twinkle, Slow-
glow, Hard-on etc. The problem is they don't remember the setting from
one night to the next so you have to push the button again every night to
select the setting you like. If you have lots of sets of lights it becomes a
real nuisance.

This how-to tells you how to modify the controllers so they remember the
setting from one night to the next. It basically involves cutting open the
case and installing a large value capacitor to keep up power to the
controller chip (often marked LS-11).

Step 2 : Safety

Most sets of flashing fairy lights like that in Australia are powered from a
35v or 24v transformer. There are no safety concerns with those ones.

Some sets (eg. some rope lights) run direct from 240v. In the USA I
presume most sets run direct from 110v. BE VERY CAREFUL with those
ones!!! There is high voltage at ALL POINTS within the controller,
including in the "low voltage" (5v) area. It is not 5v with respect to
ground but is 5v with respect to 240v or 110v. eg. one side of the IC is
240v and the other side is 235v. SO BE CAREFUL!

- Unplug from power point before opening case.
- Close and re-seal the case before testing.

Step 3 : What do I need

- Hacksaw
- Soldering iron and solder
- Duct tape
- Small piece of connecting wire
- 1000uf, 10v capacitor or 1F, 5V memory backup capacitor
- 5.6K 1/4W resistor (for 1F cap)
- 1N4004 diode (maybe)

Step 4 : Terminology

In relation to the controller case:
"Front" - the big side with the button
"Back" - the big side without the button
"Bottom" - the short side where the wires enter
"Top" - the short side where the wires don't enter
"Sides" - the long sides between the front and back

Step 5 : Opening the case


The case is normally glued together so it has to be cut open with a
hacksaw.
- DISCONNECT FROM POWER SOURCE!!!
- Secure the case gently in a vice
- Cut all around the case (sides, top and bottom), 5mm
(3/16") from the front. (See white line on photo). Be careful
not to cut too deep.
- Cut across the back parallel to the top and bottom, at the
bottom of the square with the writing on it. ie. about a
third of the way up from the bottom. (See next photo)
- Remove the front (see photo further down)
- Continue the cut on the back so it goes around and across the sides as
well.
- Remove the top half of the back. You now have three pieces, the front
with button, the bottom rear third with wires and circuit board attached,
and the top two thirds of the back. Use a screw driver to gently pry apart
the pieces if the saw did not cut right through the case.



The white line shows the second cut. It goes across the back at the
bottom of the indented square with the writing on it, then down each
side.

Leave the front on the case when cutting across the back then remove
the front before cutting down the sides.

Step 7 : Front of the case


This photo shows the cut off front of the case with button plus
about 5mm of the sides.

Step 8 : Opened case


Bottom third of back with board attached. This is a fairly standard board
using a normal DIL type IC (LS-11). I have removed the SCR's and
capacitor from this board as it was faulty.

You can see that there is plenty of spare space above the existing
components to install more components. They don't get installed through
the board in the normal manner but just lie on top of the existing
components, insulated with some duct tape.

Step 9 : Circuit overview


I'm not an electronics expert but am self-taught so if what I say isn't
strictly correct, don't worry. The end result is all that matters.

The circuit inside a low voltage 8-function controller (24v or 35v) is
something like the following. It varies slightly from one model to another.
For 110v or 240v ones it should be similar, normally with the addition of a
large 400v greencap capacitor to cut
down the power.

The circuit consists of:
- A section to convert the AC to DC and
drop it to around 5v.
- A controller IC which is either a 14-pin
DIL (sometimes marked LS-ll) or one of
those blobs of black plastic on a small
vertical daughter board.
- Four SCR's or Triacs (the things that
look like transistors) to turn the lights on and off.
- The push-button (that grounds one pin of the IC to change functions).

(NB. the push button may not ground the IC pin completely. Sometimes
the bottom of the rubber button is resistive so when pressed it may insert
say 100 ohms between the IC pin and ground. So when testing make sure
you use the rubber button, don't just short out the grid under the button
with a screwdriver etc. or you could damage the IC.)

In more detail, the AC input goes through a bridge rectifier, normally
consisting of 4 discrete diodes, to rectify it (make all the AC pulses go in
the same direction). It then goes through a dropping resistor, (30k for
35v controllers) to reduce the voltage and then into the IC +ve pin. There
is a 100uF cap at the IC +ve pin to turn the rectified AC pulses into
relatively flat DC.

If you turn off the controller briefly then turn it back on again it will
remember the function setting because the 100uF capacitor keeps up
enough power to the IC. But over time it cannot maintain sufficient
power. The circuit modification involves increasing the charge so power is
maintained to the IC. All the power it needs is the smell of some electrons
on an oily rag (From memory about 7uA at 1v).

Depending on the model of controller, 1000uF may be sufficient to run the
chip for the required 20 or so hours each day while the power is off. Other
models may need more charge, such as a 1F, 5V memory backup cap. I
got lucky and recovered about 20 of those from some discarded circuit
boards. Failing that they cost about $5 (or they did until the local supplier
stopped supplying them.)

Step 10 : Blob type IC


This is a controller with a black blob type IC on a daughter board. It has a
couple of extra components because this one also does sound.



The easiest change is to simply remove the 100uF capacitor and replace
with a 1000uF, 10v one. It will fit inside the case if you leave longer leads
and lie it down. Two possible problems. The first obviously is that it may
not maintain power to the IC for the required 20 hours. The second is that
it delays the initial turn-on of the lights while the cap charges. It can
delay it by up to 30 seconds or more. Gives you a fright the first time
because you think the lights have stopped working. But just be patient. If
you leave the lights on all evening once turned on, who cares. If they are
part of a computer controlled sequence it is no good.

If the turn-on delay is not a problem but the capacitor doesn't last the
required 20 hours, it may because some of the power is draining out via
the dropping resistor and light string. To avoid that, unsolder one end of
the dropping resistor and solder in a small diode. The cathode (with the
line) faces towards the IC. (It all depends on whether the small charge
the capacitor supplies to the IC is sufficient to turn on the SCR's, which it
normally isn't, or whether the SCR's are "leaking" at all, or if your circuit
design is different. Normally the diode is not necessary.)

You cannot use a 1F cap with this option. It delays the turn-on for much
too long.

Step 12 : Diode on Dropping Resistor


Photo of diode inserted in series with the dropping resistor, as in option
1b.

Step 13 : Circuit Modification Option 2


Solder a 1F, 5v memory backup capacitor in parallel with the 100uF cap,
with a 5.6k resistor on one lead. The cap is flat and is small enough to fit
inside the case. The negative lead can go to any negative rail on the
board. Use a short length of insulated wire to connect it. The positive lead
goes to a 5.6k resistor then to the positive of the 100uF cap (which is also
the +ve pin of the IC.) The resistor stops the 1F cap stealing all the power
at start-up and thus avoids the turn-on delay. You may need to vary the
resistor up or down in value. Wrap the cap and resistor in some duct tape
to insulate it from the rest of the board. You can
also insert the diode as in option 1 to stop
power being lost via the lights if necessary.

I have been running about 20 sets with this
option for 3 seasons now with no problems. All
but one use the diode option. The first time I
turn them on for the season I have to select the
required function. After that they remember. (I had one this year that had
remembered for 9 months and didn't need to be re-set!)

Step 14 : Circuit Modification
Option 3


This is a cheap and nasty solution but it
works fine. Buy a single AA battery
holder. The little plastic ones with two
wires attached. Solder the black wire to
any negative point on the board. eg.
the negative of the 100uF cap. Solder a
diode to the red wire, with the cathode
(line) furthest from the battery holder. Solder the cathode end of the
diode to the +ve side of the 100uF cap (+ve pin on the IC). The battery
holder will not fit inside the case so you have to route the wires outside
the case and tape it on the outside. Install a 1.5v battery at the start of
the season and remove it at the end. It will last the season and longer.

Step 15 : Circuit Modification Option 4

Neater then option 3 but a nuisance. Get a 3v lithium memory backup
battery and install as for option 3. Advantage is it fits inside the case. It
will last for ages but when it does eventually run flat you have to open the
case, unsolder it and install a new one. This option is ok if you happen to
have some spare lithium batteries lying around but if you need to buy
them then option 2 is better.

Not as good as option 2 but
neater than option 3. Install a
nicad or NMHi battery so the
battery gets trickle charged while
the mains power is on then runs
the IC when the power is off.

When the power is on the battery
trickle charges via the 1k resistor
(about 5mA). When the power is off the battery runs the chip.

A good source of batteries is old mobile phone batteries . The sort that were
about 4 inches long by 2 inches wide. Disposal stores here sell new ones for
about $1. They contain 7 very thin 1.2v NMHi batteries inside. Break them open
by hitting them gently on the edge with a hammer.

The battery may fit entirely inside the case but usually doesn't. If not just run
the wires to the outside and tape it to the case.

The only drawback with this option is that at the start of the season the battery
will be drained. When you turn it on the battery draws all incoming power and
the lights don't come on. Just be patient. After about 5 minutes it will all work.
Leave it on all day to charge up the battery. If not, try changing the 1k resistor
to a 2.2k.

You could remove the battery and charge with an external charger but that
defeats the whole purpose of this option which is to be able to tape it all up and
leave it. If you do that you might as well use option 3.

Step 17 : Sealing the Case

To seal the case again, put it back together then seal with duct tape. I run one
piece up one side, over the top and back down the other side, then another
piece up the front, over the top and down the back. I tape straight over the
button. You can normally still operate it. If not, just cut a round hole in the tape.
After making sure it works properly I sometimes also use some silicone between
the joints before adding the tape (not for option 4).

Good luck.

Step 18 : Changing controller speed

It is also possible to change the speed of the controller. It changes the speed of
all of the 8 functions. Can be handy for some special effects.

Inspect the circuit closely. You will discover one resistor that purely connects
one IC pin to another IC pin. That is the timing resistor. Reduce its value to
speed up the controller. Increase it to slow it down. Or change it to a variable
resistor so you can alter it at will.