Introduction: Get Your Christmas Lights Back in Full Shine!

As the year comes to a close, we’re all hoping to inject some much-needed cheer. You may find yourself tangled in Christmas lights this year regardless of your religious affiliation. Bulbs that have burned out, strands that only glow partially (or not at all), and, of course, those pesky knots.

If you dig deep enough into the subject of Christmas lights on the internet, you’ll find DIYers offering advice on how to rewire your plugs and sophisticated electrical schematics. Fascinating? Yes. What do I hope to accomplish this December? No.

Here are some frequent issues with string lights and how to fix them, for those of us who aren’t as adept in the electrical field.

There’s a problem with one of the lights, but the string as a whole still functions.

To your good fortune. A new light bulb is all that’s needed for this easy remedy. If your lights are replaceable and not permanently attached to the string, as is the case with some LED lighting, then you should find replacement bulbs in the packaging. If you need more light bulbs, you could always buy a string of identical lights.

Here’s some further guidance from the experts: Don’t just disregard a strand of lights with one or two out of order bulbs and assume it’s fine. The remaining bulbs may be experiencing difficulties due to the high voltage levels.

Only a portion of the strand is broken

A loose or faulty bulb is likely the blame if only one half of a string lights up. Check for loose connections by jiggling each unlit bulb one by one, beginning with the first one. If it blinks, you know it needs to be replaced. If not, you will have to replace each of the unlit bulbs in the row with a known good bulb until you locate the problem. When the string begins to glow again, you will know.

…if the entire strand is broken.

There are a lot of potential causes for a strand of lights that won’t turn on. A first step would be to try it with a different wall outlet. If that isn’t the case, a cracked or loose bulb may be to blame. Guidelines are provided in the preceding paragraph.

A faulty fuse is another possible explanation. It’s common practice for the plug of a string of lights to house two small fuses. In most cases, spare fuses are included with a set of lights in the box.

A pair of needle-nose pliers or a small flathead screwdriver will work to pry open the cover and reveal the fuses. Carefully remove the old fuse and insert the new one. Simply plug it in and slide the top back over it. Try switching out the fuses one at a time if you just have one spare. During the holiday season, most hardware and craft stores will have replacements available if you happen to lose or break your originals.

Specialized repairs that could potentially save time

Finding the faulty bulb that killed your entire strand is tedious job unless you’re just replacing one burned-out bulb.

The Light Keeper Pro light tester costs only $20, is easy to use, and will save you a ton of time. It’s also a good idea to have some spare bulbs and fuses lying around; just make sure they’re the right kind for your strand.