Troubleshoot broken lights
Don’t let burnt-out bulbs darken the holidays
HOLIDAY | Laura Depta, CTW Features
There is perhaps nothing more frustrating around the holidays than attempting to fix a string of broken lights. Luckily, there are a few quick steps to take before simply trashing the whole strand and buying them anew.
There are two main types of holiday lights – incandescent and LED. While there are many benefits to LED lighting – longer lifespan, energy-efficient, cool to the touch – incandescent lights are still king when it comes to the holidays, according to Noah Johnson, team leader of the tree department at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan.
“The most traditional light that everybody tends to go for yet is still incandescent,” says Johnson. “LEDs haven’t caught on as much just because there is a difference in color variation.”
During Johnson’s four years in the tree department, he has found that while incandescent lights are more likely to malfunction, they also are easier to fix.
First, before the lights are hung, check for and replace any burnt-out bulbs. Look for a faint black ring around the inside of the bulb – these are either burnt out or on their way. Johnson cautions that if any such bulbs are not replaced, it could cause a chain reaction.
“Say, for example, you’ve got 10 black bulbs that will not work in that section of 50 – that puts 20 to 30 percent more power to the remaining bulbs,” says Johnson. “That’s when your lights will get really bright, and they’ll blow out the entire section.”
If there are no black rings and an entire string goes out, it generally is the result of wire misalignment on the bulb or in the socket, according to Johnson.
“You want to make sure that copper wire on the outside of the bulb lines up on each side,” Johnson advises. “Because if those are turned, and you put it back in the socket, it might not be making the connection – that’s what will kill that section of 50.”
Johnson also recommends one last check – of the fuses on the plug. Those can be easily replaced just like blown bulbs.
Ultimately, if no lights are black, all wiring is lined up and the fuse is working, that’s when it is time for a new strand of lights.
For quicker testing, Johnson suggests using what he calls a “light gun.” These affordable products test lights and fuses automatically for quicker troubleshooting.
