Hooking up Christmas lights to a Molex cable. HA

[rynz101]

I did about 10 minutes of research as to how much voltage each light on a string of christmas lights runs. About 2.5 volts. A string of 48 lights at 2.5 volts each adds up to 120 volts on the string. These lights will accept AC or DC power. good, good.

So! A 12v Molex divided by 4, 2.5 volt lights equals 10 volts. I am planning on hooking up 4 lights in series and I was wandering if anyone out there thinks this would be potentially harmful to my psu? If I hook up 5 lights the draw would be 12.5 volts. I don't wanna go over 12 volts. It just seems safer to go with the 4 lights. I am sure the extra 2 volts spread out over 4 lights wont hurt the bulbs.

Another way I thought of doing this is to use a usb port on the back of my board. I would rig the wires through a grommet hole in the back. I understand that usb power is 4.5 volts. I would only be able to hook up 2 lights this way and they would be under volted by a half of volt. I am just guessing on the usb voltage but maybe it's 5 volts? otherwise, how would devices charge on it eh?

So should I do this or is there some horrible unforeseen specific I am not accounting for? I personally think using a usb port would be safer. What do you guys think?

 

[MU_Engineer]

I did about 10 minutes of research as to how much voltage each light on a string of christmas lights runs. About 2.5 volts. A string of 48 lights at 2.5 volts each adds up to 120 volts on the string. These lights will accept AC or DC power. good, good.

So! A 12v Molex divided by 4, 2.5 volt lights equals 10 volts. I am planning on hooking up 4 lights in series and I was wandering if anyone out there thinks this would be potentially harmful to my psu? If I hook up 5 lights the draw would be 12.5 volts. I don't wanna go over 12 volts. It just seems safer to go with the 4 lights. I am sure the extra 2 volts spread out over 4 lights wont hurt the bulbs.

Another way I thought of doing this is to use a usb port on the back of my board. I would rig the wires through a grommet hole in the back. I understand that usb power is 4.5 volts. I would only be able to hook up 2 lights this way and they would be under volted by a half of volt. I am just guessing on the usb voltage but maybe it's 5 volts? otherwise, how would devices charge on it eh?

So should I do this or is there some horrible unforeseen specific I am not accounting for? I personally think using a usb port would be safer. What do you guys think?

Using purpose-designed LED lights or CCFLs to light up your computer case would be better than using old incandescent Christmas lights. The LEDs or CCFLs are much brighter and will last much longer than old Christmas lights.

 

[rynz101]

Ok thanks. I'd rather not put chopped up x-mas lights in there after I sat on the idea for a few days. It would look terrible