Repairing Christmas Tree Lights?

Pixiedust7
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January 23, 20110 found this helpful

If you still have the box the lights came in, check to see the wattage of the bulbs it takes. Assuming you are talking about mini-lights, you can't mix wattages. Some take the 2.5 - 3.5 watt bulbs, and others take 6 watt bulbs. Also, some bulbs are "super bright" and others are regular. You might also want to check the fuses - most light sets have the tiny fuses somewhere in the plug. I have a feeling you mixed the wattages and that's why you have a mix of dim and bright bulbs. The string won't last long that way.

After Christmas I sometimes buy new strings at 75-90% off and cannibalize them for bulbs for older strings. Today I got a 100-bulb multicolor string for nothing at a supermarket, because it was the only one left and no one knew what price to charge, so they gave it to me! I plugged it in and it works perfectly.

You could see if you can still get post-Christmas discounted lights and either replace your old string or cannibalize the new string for bulbs - just make sure they're the right wattage. Usually strings of 35 lights or more take the 2.5 - 3.5 watt bulbs. Shorter strings and tree toppers may take the higher wattage. If the bulb bases in one string won't fit the other, you just unbend the two wires and pull the bulb out of one base and transfer it into the base that fits.

It also helps to have a bulb tester on hand. The whole string can go out if 5 or more bulbs burn out, and then you have to find the blown bulbs by hunt and peck. There's a bulb tester that slips over the bulb and reads it. I have another kind that requires me to pull the bulb out of the socket and insert the bulb into the tester, which takes a 9-volt battery. These things help a lot when fixing a light string. Good luck!