QA

Question: How To Troubleshoot Christmas Tree Lights

How do you know which bulb is out on Christmas lights?

You can tell which bulb is out on your string of traditional Christmas lights by looking for the bulb that is “burned out” by looking at the tiny little filaments in the light bulbs to see which bulb is “burned out” or has lost it’s filament. Many times the bulb will be “smoked” as well.

How do you troubleshoot Christmas tree lights?

Checking Faulty Christmas Tree Lights Plug the lights into an electrical outlet. Turn the light switch and the circuit breaker on. Check the fuse or fuses from the plug at the end of the light strand (usually the glass-cylinder type with a wire filament). If the fuse isn’t the problem, there’s a problem with a bulb.

How do you fix a prelit tree that won’t light?

This often occurs through rough handling or improper storage of a tree. Look to find the loose bulb, check the wires to ensure they are properly aligned, and secure the bulb tightly within the socket. This should fix the issue. If a short has occurred, the light string is usually not repairable.

How can I test Christmas lights without a tester?

Pull out one bulb at a time, and stick a piece of folded up foil into the bulb socket. If the lights come on, you know that’s the bad bulb. If they don’t, put the bulb back in and move on to the next one.

Why did half my Christmas lights stop working?

If half a strand is working and the other half is not, you probably have a loose or broken bulb. Start with the first unlit bulb and work your way down, wiggling them to check for looseness. If it flickers, that’s your cue to replace it.

Why did my Christmas lights stop working?

Individual lights usually stop functioning for one of two reasons: they’re loose or they’re burnt out. When bulbs loosen from the string, they may disconnect from their housing. All you’ll have to do in that case is tighten them a little bit. They should turn back on as soon as they’re housed properly.

Why does half a string of lights go out?

1. A light bulb has come out of its socket or is half out of its socket and it has brought down the circuit. For light strings that commonly have over 50 bulbs, they are constructed in 2 or more continuous circuits. If a bulb is missing in a circuit only the bulbs in series of it will go out.

What causes a whole string of lights to burn out?

Often a single bad bulb will cause a whole section of a strand to go out because they are in series. One open circuit (bad bulb) will stop current flow through the whole section of the string. There is a different type of bulb that has a shunt wire in it.

What to do when half a string of lights is out?

Remove the first bulb that is not working in the half strain of lights. Take the bulb you just removed and replace it, then remove the second bulb in the string and repeat this process until you have taken out each bulb and replaced it with another bulb in the entire strand of lights.

How long should a pre lit tree last?

Most Americans plan to keep their artificial trees for ten years; however, the average usable lifespan is six years. It’s a good idea to research the company and product quality before making your purchase. Artificial trees can last for years and even come with 1-10-year warranties.

How can you tell if a Christmas light fuse is blown?

Check the Fuses You can sometimes tell by sight if a fuse has blown; the metal filament inside the glass cylinder will have a break in it.

Can you replace lights on Prelit tree?

If you find a damaged bulb, it must be replaced since it breaks the circuit, and the remaining bulbs won’t light. While the remaining bulbs on the prelit tree will light, replace burnt-out bulbs as soon as possible with the replacement bulbs that came with the tree or a compatible bulb with the same type of connector.

What is the white bulb on Christmas lights?

The bulb provides the connection between the “in” and “out” wires. The filament which creates the light is the path that allows the electricity to pass through the bulb from the “in” wire to the “out” wire.

Why are my Christmas tree lights flickering?

Your Christmas lights flicker because they aren’t traditional incandescent lights that create lights based on heating a small wire element in the presence of an inert gas inside the little glass bulbs. This is what creates a flickering, choppy light result especially when the light string is moving.

How do you find the bad bulb on LED Christmas lights?

Simply bring the light tester close to each bulb. The tester’s indicator will light up when it’s near a functioning bulb. If you have a non-contact voltage detector, bring the detector close to the wire section between each bulb to test for voltage. The dead section of wire will be the section after your bad bulb.