• A top reason that indoor Christmas tree lights malfunction is an overloaded electrical circuit.
  • Discard damaged bulbs promptly and supercede them in order to extend the life of Christmas lights.
  • Give your string lights an end-of-the-season check-up to prevent futurity lighting problems.
  • Visit Insider'due south Abode & Kitchen Reference library for more than stories.

Lighting and trimming an indoor Christmas tree is i of the most treasured — as well as potentially troublesome — vacation traditions. If function of that tradition is the inevitable failure of a strand of lights, in that location are a few easy solutions you should endeavor before you toss them into the trash.

Below, Eddie Bello, owner of Illuminations Holiday Lighting, and Gary McCoy, shop manager for Lowe'southward, walk us through how to troubleshoot Christmas light problems, so y'all tin can await forward to a bright vacation season.

1. Check the excursion breaker

Reset the circuit by turning the switch off and on once more.
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When to try information technology: When none of the lights piece of work.

If none of the bulbs in a cord of Christmas lights piece of work, and you also notice that other lights in the same department of the firm go out, you've likely tripped the excursion billow, says Bello. An overloaded electrical circuit — a state of affairs where more electrical demand is placed on an outlet than it can handle — is the most common (and to the lowest degree serious) reason for this, he explains.

To cheque the excursion breaker, plug the lights into an electric outlet. Adjacent, reset the circuit breaker. To do this, locate the labeled circuit in the metal excursion box panel, which is ordinarily plant in your dwelling's utility room, basement, or garage.

In one case yous locate the circuit you lot believe is tripped in the panel, move the switch all the way to the "off" position, and so to the "on" position. You can oft tell which circuit was tripped because the switch will be slightly out of alignment with the others.

If the bulbs light back up, an overloaded and tripped electric circuit was likely your problem. This is proficient news, and yous don't need to exercise anything further, other than taking care not to plug in multiple high-voltage electrical items simultaneously in the same surface area of the house.

2. Supervene upon the fuse

String light fuses are under a minor panel on the plug.
JJ Gouin/Getty Images

When to try it: When the entire cord won't light upwards

"If yous have power coming from the outlet but your lights are non illuminating, it could be the result of a blown fuse," says Bello. Replacement fuses are often included when you purchase lights, but you tin can likewise purchase them at most stores carrying holiday lights, says Bello.

To replace the fuse, slide open the chapeau on the back of the plug that inserts into the outlet. If the fuse is diddled, one of the fuse tubes volition likely announced black in colour or take visible burn marks, he says.

Take a small tool, such as an eyeglass screwdriver, and pry out the fuses. So, gently printing in the new fuses. Close the cover, plug the lights in, and they should work.

Bello notes that if the fuse blows again, it is likely due to harm in the light strand. If this happens, he says yous should discard the lights and supersede them.

3. Supplant burnt-out bulbs

When to try it: When individual bulbs or parts of the string won't low-cal upward

If the fuse isn't the problem, there is probably a trouble with a seedling, says McCoy. To fix burnt-out bulbs, untangle all string lights and check for frayed wires, damaged sockets, or broken bulbs.

Discard any damaged bulbs, and so replace them with spare ones. "Only be sure to utilise bulbs with the same voltage rating every bit the rest of your string lights," says McCoy.

four. Test bulbs for damage

When to try it: When no bulbs are visibly damaged and the lights aren't working

If no bulbs are visibly damaged, and your lights are not working, use a bulb tester, says McCoy. Follow the manufacturer'due south instructions to test each seedling. One time you lot find the faulty bulb, unplug the associated light strand from the outlet and supersede the faulty bulb with a new seedling. Be sure to firmly seat each bulb in its socket when replacing it.

Give lights a mail service-vacation check-upward

Audit lights for any signs of damage before and subsequently utilise.
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A great mode to prevent future bug is to examination your lights at the end of the flavor, says McCoy. Equally you take down each strand of lights, supervene upon any burnt-out or broken bulbs. Throw away strands with broken or frayed cords. When it's time to trim the tree next twelvemonth, your lights should all be working.

Insider'due south takeaway

Christmas light problems tin quickly bleed the joy out of your vacation decorating happiness. Tripped circuit breakers, blown fuses, and burnt-out bulbs are the almost common problems, and thankfully, each one has a uncomplicated gear up.

Before you pack your Christmas decorations away at the end of the season, give your string lights a post-holiday checkup. That way, you'll expect forrard to a brilliant and trouble-free holiday next yr.

A consumer-focused journalist with 20 years of feel, Jackie Perrin has covered home, health, parenting, food, travel, and business topics for publications ranging from TripAdvisor to Gannett News Service.