How can I fix Christmas lights without a tester?Ī Christmas light tester is the preferred option but, if you don’t have a tester, it is still possible. However, a bulb tester – or a tool that includes one of these, such as the LightKeeper Pro – is generally the simplest solution. ‘Frequently, the bulb will appear to be smoky as well.’ ‘You can identify which bulb on your string of traditional Christmas lights is out by looking for the bulb that is burned out or has lost its filament by looking at the tiny small filaments in the light bulbs,’ explains Imani Francies, home decor expert with USInsuranceAgents (opens in new tab). You might be able to see which bulb is out on Christmas lights simply by looking. ‘A consumer might also plug too many incandescent sets end to end blowing a fuse in the first set but giving the appearance that all of the following sets also don’t work because they won't illuminate.’ How do you know which bulb is out on Christmas lights? Alternatively, squirrels for some reason love the insulation on light set wires and often chew on them, causing a break in the circuit and a nonfunctional light set. ‘Old LEDs often had corrosion issues due to weather elements building up within the socket and keeping the bulbs from making a proper connection. That doesn’t mean the entire section is bad or needs new bulbs, but it means you’ll need to find that one to get the rest illuminated. If one bulb goes out, the entire section becomes unlit. ‘The more common light sets work in series fashion, meaning each bulb depends on the rest. ‘There are many components that make up a light set and therefore there are many factors that can lead to failure,’ explains John DeCosmo, president of Ulta-Lit Tree Company (opens in new tab). (Image credit: Getty) What causes a section of Christmas lights to go out? If the lights still don’t work, you can use the tool’s detector according to the manufacturer’s instructions to locate the problem area, then replace the bulb here. Use the Christmas light repair tool (opens in new tab) available at Amazon as directed in the instructions. The problem with Christmas lights may be a faulty shunt. Make sure they’re screwed in tightly then plug the lights in again.’ 4. Unplug the lights and check each bulb in the set that isn’t working. It may be tempting to do this while the lights are plugged in to get quick feedback on what you’re doing, but you could electrocute yourself if you do this. ‘This is easy to fix, but you need to be careful. ‘Usually the culprit is a bulb that's come unseated from contact with the circuit,’ he explains. ‘Strings of at least 50 lights typically have between two to four circuits, which is why the whole string doesn’t go out. Perhaps the problem is that a whole section of the lights isn’t working? ‘Christmas light strings share a circuit so when one isn’t firmly attached, it throws out the entire circuit which means the others aren’t going to light up either,’ explains Andre Kazimierski, CEO, Improovy (opens in new tab). Make sure you follow the rules on Christmas light safety and do so with a bulb with the correct voltage rating. If that wasn’t the problem, replace the bulb. Simply twist the bulb if it moves then this may have been the issue and you can plug the string in to check if it now works. ![]() Wondering how to fix Christmas lights if the problem is that one bulb isn’t working?įirst of all, check the problem isn’t a loose connection. As you hang your last strand, make sure the plug is at the bottom near an outlet or power cord.(Image credit: Getty) 3. The vertically-hung lights will remain on the tips of the branches, as opposed to being hidden on the inside. Repeat the top-to-bottom process until the entire tree is flooded with lights. Leave three to four inches between the vertical rows of lights so they're spread evenly throughout. ![]() When you've reached the bottom, start working the strand back up the tree in the same "S" shape. Position the lights toward the tips of the branches so no bulb will be blocked by the fluffy needles. Starting at the top of the tree, let the lights cascade down to the bottom and drape the strand in an "S" shape down the front. To hang lights vertically, take the end of the strand without the plug (you can hide this end in the branches, or you could connect it to a tree topper later). Hanging Christmas lights vertically is a relatively fast method, and it's easier to remove vertical lights when it's time to take down your tree. Instead of hanging lights side to side, try stringing them up and down from the top of the tree to the bottom.
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