Half Wave Rectified or (half wave) LED string light sets flicker or turn on and off at the rate of 60 times per second (AC-Alternating Current). Although this is very fast it is still detectable by the human eye. Thus, most people can detect a faint flickering in non-rectified sets of LED string lights. The flickering or strobing effect is especially pronounced when the lights or the person viewing the lights is in motion. This is the most common complaint from consumers about LED Christmas lights. Non-rectified light sets are generally of lower quality than the rectified sets and can be found in most box stores.

Full Wave sets are a superior style of light sets. The LEDs get more consistent and constant power than they would in a half wave set. This means they don’t flicker as much and can better handle use on light controllers, such as faders. Typically Full Wave sets are brighter as well. The longivity of Full Wave is superior to Half Wave Lights

Fully rectified or (full wave) LED string light sets produce a steady flow of light without the flicker or strobing effect. In contrast, rectified or “full wave” LED lights use a device known as a rectifier which essentially converts alternating current to DC (direct current). The result of the rectification is a LED Christmas lights that is substantially brighter and has no visible “flicker.” Our LED Christmas lights use fully rectified technology to ensure steady shine and true color. Rectified sets allow you to connect to any control box to fade in or out and/or set your choice random twinkling. Fully rectified sets are generally used for commercial application and can be found through commercial wholesale Christmas suppliers or high-end garden centers.