Christmas Lights Troubleshooting Checklist
Where did I store those Christmas Lights?
I wonder what shape they're in.... time to inspect and troubleshoot!
It's only the middle of September, but now is the time to start planning for Fall, Halloween, and Christmas lighting.
Dust off your Christmas storage boxes and begin your assessment now.
Your Troubleshooting Checklist
Find those lights and start untangling them. Here is your maintenance checklist:
- Do a quick visual check of your lights checking for frayed insulation and wiring - discard any light strings showing visible wear
- Inspect for damage done by critters over the summer - discard if the sets have been chewed
- Visually check for partially unseated and missing bulbs - this can happen when you stored them away
- Replace missing bulbs
- After a thorough visual examination, plug your strings of lights in - one at a time - to test.
Be sure to record the contents of your lighting inventory as you go through the stack of lights.
Don't plug in light strings that have visible wear and damage. If the non-functioning strings are relatively new and identical to others in your lighting stash, pull a few bulbs to replace your other sets and discard the worn strings.
Repair tips for incandescent Christmas lights strings (and LED light strings with replaceable bulbs)
Check the fuses
Everything was great, but then the lights I was stringing together went out? What happened?
You might very well have blown a fuse by exceeding the maximum number of lights one can run in series for your style of lights. Check the specs, then verify how many lights you've run in series.
If you see that you've connected too many light strings in the same series run, reduce the number on the same circuit and start checking end-plug fuses one at a time and replace blown fuses as you find them.
Fuses more than likely came with your light strings, and you may even have that little package of replacement bulbs and fuses stuck to your cord end - lucky you!
Examine your end plug. While plugs aren't standardized, most Christmas light male plugs have a tiny little door on one of the wider sides.
Use a stubby screwdriver, gingerly ease it back (try to keep it straight to keep it "on the tracks"), and use a skinny long-ish screwdriver to remove and check the fuses.
These videos talk about the process.
Extra help to locate those fuses!
Check for missing or unseated bulbs
Many times, this troubleshooting step is the answer to the question:
What happened? My lights were working and suddenly, half the string went out.
or
What happened? My lights were fine but half the string went out when I was installing the light string.
As a first step, visually examine and press in each bulb on the part (circuit) of the light string that is out.
Do not remove and reinsert each bulb.
Aside from rubbing the skin off your fingertips, this can often make problems worse instead of better.
Find an empty socket or broken bulb?
Hopefully, you've stored your "extras" that came with your light string in a labeled envelope, and your next step would be to install or replace the missing or broken bulb.
If you have questions about how mini lights do or don't stay on when a bulb burns out go out, watch the quick video on this post.
This issue might be "electrical," or in other words, there could be a break in the copper in the string's wiring. Perhaps the set was tugged a little too hard at the end of the last season or damage happened during storage.
If your lights are the victim of a dreaded electrical issue, it's time to retire the set and purchase a fresh one. If the light string is relatively new, and the bulbs don't show evidence of being smoked or worn, consider cannibalizing the bulbs from this string to donate to identical light strings.
Troubleshooting tips for LED light strings with non-replaceable bulbs
One or two of my LED mini-lights have gone out. What gives?
If the light strings are past a 1-2 week burn in time, most failed bulbs on an LED light string are due to surges on electrical lines. The best solution here to prevent this from happening since light strings designed to be weather and water resistant by elimating connection prongs and the gaps between bulb bases and sockets can't be repaired if single lights go out.
Note: During those initial weeks, be sure to contact the manufacuter to explain the situation, receive troubleshooting advice and possibly get a replacement. (If you purchase your lights from Christmas Light Source, give us a call, we'll walk through troubleshooting. We warrant all our lights strings for 90 days of normal, seasonal use.)
My entire LED light string suddenly went out! What do I do?
Sounds like an issue with a blown fuse.
Even though LED lights can be run with many more light strings in series than traditional light strings, double check to make sure you aren't running too many strings in series and start checking fuses as described above.
These few steps solve 90% of the Christmas light string problems that folks encounter and allow you to plan and install this year's display with fewer slowdowns during the process.
Be patient. And whatever you do, don't pull those bulbs out one by one and reinsert them.
Just say no.
