Technical Questions and Answers
Technical Questions and Answers
Why are half my Christmas lights out?
More than likely, it’s a missing or unseated bulb. A few-minutes visual inspection will usually reveal the culprit.
Can you shorten a string of lights?
Short Answer: It depends on the type of Christmas lights. Smaller serially wired sets of Christmas tree lights should not be shortened. Traditional 18 AWG Christmas cord can be cut to fit.
Hanging Christmas Lights: Plan for Success
This article discusses the fundamentals of designing a Christmas Display.
How many lights can I string together?
Check the specification of your lights to see exactly how many can be run together. The UL rating is 210 watts in series.
How do you make lights twinkle?
Using a red-tipped flasher bulb can flash a light set on and off. Mix the set with steady burning strings to create twinkle.
What is the difference between C7 and C9 bulbs?
The short answer is that C7 bulbs are smaller than C9. They both screw into traditional Christmas cords but the bases of the C9’s are larger.
Latest Tech Q/A
Changing a Christmas Light Bulb
This is a question for our new "first time users" series. We receive this question several times during the season and thought a video would help with the answer. This quick pull, line up and replace process works for all incandescent Christmas tree lights (mini...
How many lights for a 20-foot tree? Which type of lights? How many can I string together?
Here is a customer question we received via email today: I need enough LED outdoor lights to light a 20 foot Colorado Spruce. How many strands can be strung together? Which ones are safe for outdoor use?Customer Question October 25, 2020 First, all of our LED light...
How long do incandescent Christmas tree lights last?
Short Answer: Incandescent Christmas lights (the glass kind with filaments) last about 3000 hours. Longer Answer: Because incandescent Christmas lights generate heat by heating up a tiny filament, their lifespan is not as long as their LED counterparts. Expect about...
Are Christmas lights in series or parallel?
Short answer Christmas lights are wired in both series and parallel configurations depending on their style and application. Slightly longer short answer Series Wiring Traditional incandescent and LED Christmas tree mini lights wired on a 2 or 3-harness are wired in...
How do you know if your Christmas lights are LED?
Or How do I know if my LED Christmas lights are incandescent or LED? Short Answer While it is sometimes confusing to tell them apart, there are a few differences between LED and incandescent Christmas lights. Knowing the signs will help you identify your style of...
Are LED lights waterproof?
Good question. Let's dig into it a little. Short Answer: LED Christmas lights are, in fact, NOT waterproof. Longer Answer: When I hear this question, I usually ask questions about applications and the questions behind the question to get to the real and helpful...
Parade of Lights: lighting cars for parades
The weather this past weekend was absolutely perfect for the Fort Worth Parade of Lights. John has a Model A and since we're friends he texted me about lights. 😀 His car runs on a 6-volt system so we decided his best option to supply power 1000's of lights was...
Why is half my light string flashing on and off?
Why is half my light string flashing on and off?Short Answer: You have a red-tipped flasher bulb installed in a socket or the wiring is faulty. The flasher bulb will only cause the circuit it is a part of to flash on and off. If your light string has multiple circuits...
Why are half of my Christmas lights out?
We hear this question from folks who are puzzled that their lights worked fine last season but are half out when they pull them out of storage. Or their lights suddenly half go out during installation. What gives? Incandescent Christmas tree lights (aka mini...
Do Christmas tree lights get hot?
Traditional incandescent Christmas lights do warm up under operation. Light from an incandescent bulb is actually created by heating that tiny little filament inside the bulb. Allowing airflow around the lights and not installing them on flammable materials are good...
How long do batteries last in fairy lights?
Great question! Battery-operated Christmas lights can last anywhere from 4-7 hours or well over 100 hours per battery set. Battery lights should come with an expected battery life usage time. Be on the lookout for this specification. A few tips to keep in mind about...
Can LED fairy lights catch fire?
Any electrical device or appliance can start a fire if it is damaged or used in poor operating conditions. That being said, LED Christmas lights do not heat up under operation so they are less likely to start a fire than lights that get hot when plugged in. Safety...