Max Power 200W Waterproof Outdoor String Lights Wireless Remote Control, 150Feet Range, Memory, Stepless Dimming, IP68 Waterproof. UL 3 Prong Remote Control Dimmer

First, my setup: I have a fully covered (but not enclosed) 24’ x 24’ outdoor porch with an electrical outlet roughly 8’ high on a brick wall. My objective was to hang dimmable string lights that could be controlled via remote control. (The electrical outlet on the brick wall is NOT controlled by a wall switch.)My list of product needs included string lights, bulbs, a remote controlled plug-in dimmer switch, and a guide wire so my two 24’ strands of lights didn’t sag. I discovered in my research that the remote controlled plug-in dimmer switch was going to be the biggest challenge, as there are not many available on the market and many people had difficulty finding any dimmer (even wall outlet types) that would work with string lights. Thus, I began my endeavor shopping for a plug-in, remote controlled dimmer switch, preferably one that is waterproof. Once I found one, I followed many threads, Q&A’s, Reviews, etc. to piece together a setup that looks good and WORKS WONDERFULLY!Here’s a review of all the components that went into my setup. I’m listing everything on reviews for each individual product in hopes that it’ll save others from having to piece things together the way I did as that process took a good deal of time.Dimmer - SUNYE Max Power 200W Waterproof Outdoor String Lights Wireless Remote Control, 150Feet Range, Memory, Stepless Dimming, IP68 WATERPROOF.UL 3 Pin Plug Remote Control Dimmer (ONLY FOR LED DIMMABLE BULB). (B077NZG1K3)The important thing to note here is that this dimmer works only with DIMMABLE LED BULBS. This concerned me at first because I wanted Edison style vintage bulbs to achieve a warm, cozy feel on my porch/deck. I had no desire for the harsh white light beaming from typical LED bulbs. Turns out this wasn’t an issue as LED bulbs now come in many varieties. However, note that not all LED bulbs are dimmable with this switch. With the right bulbs, this switch works like a charm. When I first tested the switch, it effectively turned my string lights on and off but wouldn’t dim them one bit. I had read that many string lights flicker when dimmed. Mine didn’t, they just remained either on or off. When on, they were far brighter than would be desired on most occasions. Fortunately I knew of this issue and had purchased specific bulbs separately. As for the switch, it works great. Construction is heavy-duty and the remote works from 50 feet away or more. It even works from inside the house, through a brick wall to the outside where it’s mounted. Presets of 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% work as expected. The fine tuning up/down switches only work from the 25% mark downward. In other words, you can dim from 25% down to maybe 10-15% and back up but you can’t dim from say 100% to 85% and back. With all the operability available and the right bulbs, there is zero flicker and no need to replace a bulb with a standard incandescent bulb as some people offer as a solution to flicker.String Lights - Hyperikon LED Outdoor Commercial String Lights, 24ft with 10 Hanging Sockets, 2W LED S14 LED Bulbs included - Weatherproof Vintage Edison String Lights for Patio, Backyard, Party Wedding decoration. (B072PYWT48)Again, solid waterproof construction that should hold up well against rain and snow. These are commercial grade and don’t look like cheap holiday lights. These are the kind you’d see hanging above restaurant patios. They are heavy so I highly recommend using guide wires, even for my pair of 24’ runs. The vintage Edison style lights look great and are very bright. If you’re looking to brighten up an area with beautiful string lights, this set works great right out of the box. HOWEVER, with my chosen remote control, plug-in dimmer switch, these bulbs DID NOT dim as expected. Using the plug-in remote control dimmer switch, these lights merely went on and off. If you’re looking for a setup like mine, you could probably save a few bucks by purchasing strings that don’t have bulbs included. I replaced all of my bulbs with the ones listed below. As a side note, I ran numerous tests during setup. One test involved installing some of the included bulbs on the string along with some of the separately purchased bulbs. Using the dimmer, the bulbs included with the Hyperikon string light sets glowed constant and bright. The separately purchased bulbs dimmed as desired.Bulbs - Newhouse Lighting Outdoor Weatherproof 2W S14 LED Filament Replacement String Light Bulbs | Standard Base. (B01MSXGFAO)These bulbs look identical to the ones included in my Hyperikon string light sets. Same size, same vintage Edison style, same brightness. The one major difference is that these bulbs DIM when controlled by my plug-in, remote controlled dimmer switch. Worth noting is that everything I purchased, including bulbs, arrived in perfect condition. Many people complain about broken bulbs. These are packed quite well and all worked upon arrival.Guide Wire - Senmit Globe String Light Suspension Kit, Outdoor Light Guide Wire,Vinyl Coated Stainless Steel Steel Cable, 82 ft.With Turnbuckle and Hooks. (B07CTLB5VV)This kit included everything I needed and more to hang two 24’ sets of string lights. The vinyl coated cable looks much nicer than bare wire and is extremely strong. Sure, you can acquire most of the included components cheaper at your local hardware store (e.g. eye hooks, turnbuckles), but this kit made everything easy. I couldn’t find the vinyl coated cable elsewhere, either with or without the easier to find parts, so I bought the kit and am happy I did.All in all, I couldn’t be happier with my purchases and the final setup.

Until I stumbled upon the SUNYE "LED Only" dimmer, I had almost given up on finding a dimmer that adequately controlled LED lights to be acceptable. All of the dimmers I experimented with were advertised to work with either incandescent or LED lights; however, all of them seemed to use a lame modification of the old triac-controlled "wave clipper" design that began causing a very noticeable light flicker with LED bulbs at a medium intensity level that got much worse as the intensity level was reduced. Additionally, all of the dimmers I experimented with became noticeably warm to uncomfortably hot after operating at minimum light levels for only an hour or so.Upon hooking up the SUNYE "LED Only" dimmer, I was pleasantly surprised beyond all expectations over its excellent control of light intensity at all levels with no flickering whatsoever. The small wireless remote-control unit not only has a much greater operating range (distance) than my other wireless remote controls for "switch modules" (that only turn things on or off), but also has a number of "preset intensity" buttons that provide one-button power-up of a LED light or string of lights at either a 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% or "Minimum" level. There are also Up/Down buttons that provide linear control of the brightness level to any point between maximum and minimum level along with a few "DIY" buttons that can be programmed to save different "custom level" settings so those levels can also be one-button operated in the future. Additionally, I can run a 25 unit string of 2-watt LED bulbs all night long without the control module getting any warmer to the touch than ambient air temperature.There is only one minor caveat that I discovered when I ordered another unit to control a separate light string in my back yard area. Even though the second unit was supplied by a different vendor, it had same digital operating code as the first unit - which was fine if I wanted to control both light strings at the same time and same brightness intensity, but completely eliminated individual control of each separate light-string (either on or off and/or at different brightness levels). Each dimmer unit comes packaged with a large informational card that guarantees complete satisfaction with the product and promises a total refund if any problem can't be instantly resolved. Upon emailing the manufacturer, I received a reply in only a few minutes from the other side of the planet where it was midnight at the time. The customer service is just as excellent as the product, and I was informed that such a problem hadn't been considered because independent control of multiple lights at the same residence had not been considered either. I was promised to be sent another unit (at no charge) in a few weeks when they were due to change the digital code (that happens after each 7000 units are manufactured) so I could have independent control of both light strings.So, as of March 27, 2018, this dimmer is pretty much limited to one per household because each run of 7000 units has the same digital code. However, the issue was well taken by the customer service representative that stated their design is ever-changing to meet market demand and that work would soon begin on a user-select/multiple-code unit that would solve the problem. Unless one must independently control multiple light units at the same location, this dimmer cannot be surpassed in quality or efficient operation by anything I've found to date. Customer service is also totally 5-Star as well.

Like many others I found LED light strings to be uncomfortably bright, but while searching Amazon for compatible dimmers I read several reviews claiming that the manufacturer of Costco’s lights, Feit Electric, had warned buyers that their bulbs were not dimmable. After checking the lights’ box, instructions, and bulbs in vain for confirmation, I emailed Feit. After a few days the only reply I’d received was an automatic one stating how Feit prides itself on its prompt customer response.So I kept looking... eventually deciding to try the Sunye 200W dimmer. In addition to its favorable reviews, I needed a dimmer with incremental brightness steps and memory so it would retain its last set brightness setting when my outdoor light timer turns off and on again.‘Happy to report this dimmer works great on my two strings of Costco LED lights. I took off one star because the remote control is a little flakey and cheaply made..