How to Fix Christmas Lights on a Pre-Lit Tree
For most who celebrate Christmas, the season isn't complete without lighted decorated trees. The convenience of buying a pre-lit Christmas tree cuts down on the time-consuming light-stringing process, but it might be a different story if your tree is having lighting problems. There are a couple of tricks that can save your lights, as well as the tree. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Pre-lit tree
- Replacement light bulbs
- Christmas tree light-bulb tester
- Small flat-head screwdriver (optional)
Instructions
-
-
1
Identify the problem area of the tree. It may be just a bulb, or it could be the whole light strand.
-
2
Use a Christmas tree light bulb tester while the lights are plugged in. This will save time by identifying the specific problem lights quickly, especially if the whole string is out because of one or a few burned-out bulbs. Put the light into the tester and if it lights up or beeps, it is working. This indicates the bulb is getting the electrical current it needs. If it does not light up or beep, then that bulb is bad and needs to be replaced.
-
-
3
Unplug the strand from the outlet before repairing. You don't want to give yourself an electric shock while doing the repairs.
-
4
Use your fingernail or a small flat-head screwdriver to loosen the problem light bulb from the string. Pull the bulb out gently and replace it with a bulb that you know works. This will fix individual bulbs as well as illuminating the whole string if the problem bulb was preventing the whole string from working.
-
5
Replace the whole string if it still doesn't work. You can either remove the broken string now and replace it, or you can just wrap another string on the tree and remove the bad string after you take the tree down. All you have to do is plug the new strand in where the old one was connected. Removing the damaged string may prove to be a bit difficult to remove if the the tree is still assembled, due to the ties that keep the lights in place. Waiting to remove it until it is disassembled will allow for better access.
-
1
