How to Troubleshoot Holiday Lighting

Those little twinkling lights are so inexpensive that you may be inclined to buy a new set. But you can easily avoid making yet another trip to the store when you're already busy. The following tips will help you locate and fix the problem.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Replacement Bulbs
• Replacement Fuses

1. To check for and fix a bad plug connection, unplug and plug the nonworking strand, or plug it directly into a wall socket or working extension cord. If this doesn't work, keep looking for the problem.

2. To fix unwanted blinking, look for clear bulbs with a red tip or a different-looking base (these are blinker bulbs), and replace any you find. If that fails to solve the problem, go on to the next step.

3. To locate a missing, broken or burned-out bulb for replacement, check the nonworking strand from end to end, looking for a missing bulb and examining each bulb for visible damage or blackness.

4. To locate a loose bulb, tap each bulb to see which one flickers or causes the strand to flicker. Unplug it for reinsertion, but while it's out inspect the wire at the base of the bulb and the bulb itself for damage. If it's damaged, replace it; otherwise plug it back in securely.

5. To locate and replace a bad bulb in a strand that won't light, use a bulb that you know works and substitute it for the first bulb on the string; continue down the line, replacing each bulb with the previous socket's bulb until the strand lights.

6. To locate a bulb with a broken or misaligned wire in a strand that flickers, hold one end of the lighted strand on the floor. Starting at that end, run your other hand over the strand until you hit a bulb that causes a flicker (or until you need to reposition your hands). Remove that bulb and the next few. Replace any that have a damaged wire, or straighten the wire and reinsert the bulb.

7. To locate a blown plug fuse, plug a working light set into the one that doesn't work. If the test set doesn't light up, replace the fuse in the nonworking strand (if it's replaceable) or replace the strand.

8. To solve shorts caused by water in sockets, make sure the lights are not sitting in water or located where water from a roof or gutter can spill on them.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't throw away a bulb you think has caused a problem until you have retested the strand.
• Handling a broken bulb can cause a shock, so it's best to unplug the strand once you've located the problem.

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on 12/8/2008 Instead of visually checking each bulb, use a tester. Touch it to each bulb that is not lit. When the tester doesn't light, you've found the problem. Replace that bulb.