How To Fix Broken Xmas Lights Youtube

Notation: Nosotros're re-publishing this post (originally published Dec. ii, 2016 and written past Taylor Whitney) because, well, it's near that time again, and this mail is a perennially useful answer to a very common question. While you lot're gearing upwardly for the holidays, be sure to check out our latest Gift Guide and follow us on YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter to catch our holiday deals.

One-time in the near future you'll venture into your dusty cranium or musty garage and pull out a miserably tangled set of Christmas lights. Equally certain as Rudolph's olfactory organ is cherry, one of those light strings won't light up (if you ever manage to become them untangled in the beginning place). Millions will throw out their broken Christmas lights and buy new ones, but you lot volition not. You are a strong, independent person. You will save Christmas (lights) this twelvemonth.

Thankfully, it's non also hard to prepare Christmas lights. And iFixit's repair customs has already compiled lots of tips and tricks for how to practise it—which I'll be summarizing here.

Before you outset

Make sure the lights are completely unplugged from whatsoever electric socket before y'all offset your repair. (Or you'll exist the Christmas ham.) You as well need to know which kind of Christmas lights you accept: Incandescent Christmas lights or LED Christmas lights. Incandescent lights piece of work via a current running through a filament, which is different from their LED cousins. (Attempt here for LED light solutions.) This guide is for incandescent Christmas lights, and then brand sure those are the ones you take!

Earlier y'all tin repair Christmas lights, you'll need to identify the problem with them first. There are lots of different ways lights can interruption. If the entire chain is non-functional, a diddled fuse could be the culprit. If a department of the lite string isn't working, there might be a bad bulb or a bad connection between the seedling and the socket (similar a corroded socket). If replacing the bulb doesn't piece of work, it might be a bad socket or broken wiring that needs to be removed.

Hither are some common means to troubleshoot incandescent Christmas lights:

The string of lights won't light upwardly

Possible culprit: A blown fuse

The ready: Pick up the pronged "male" plug at the finish of the strand. There should be a pocket-sized door on the plug. Slide the door marked "Open" in the direction pointed by the arrow. Remove the two fuses, and inspect them by looking at them upwards against a bright groundwork (the heaven works). If the fuse is skillful, you lot should see an unbroken strand of wire running between the two metal contacts. (You tin too use a multimeter to examination for continuity.) Replace all blown fuses with new ones. Small fuses are inexpensive and can be found at about hardware, domicile improvement, or large box retail stores. Make sure that yous read the specs printed on the non-functioning fuse and so yous can purchase the correct replacement. Fuse extraction can sometimes be hard, stay patient! Try removing them similar you would a battery.

Fuse extraction to fix broken Christmas lights Tip: If you're blowing fuses in your lights repeatedly, it is likely not the calorie-free strand itself that is at fault. Often linking too many strands of lights together tin cause the fuse to give out. Effort plugging the strand into a different outlet, preferable i that is on a different circuit.

Seedling won't work or a section of the string won't work

Possible culprit: A bad bulb.

The fix for small lights where the bulbs pull out: Gently grasp each bulb, and pull away from the socket. Once removed, inspect the bottom of the bulb and ensure that the two bulb copper leads are in their proper location (see motion picture below), and not twisted or missing. (You can besides test bulbs for continuity with a multimeter.) Where you notice a problem bulb, supersede it with a new one. Continue with each non-functional bulb in the chain, upwardly until you detect the culprit(southward).

Christmas light copper leads — This is the proper position for copper leads.

The set for large lights where the bulbs screw out: Gently unscrew each bulb and remove them from the socket. Replace the 1 you but removed with a new bulb and test the light strand. If the strand nevertheless has the issue, you lot tin put the erstwhile bulb back in the socket and continue on downward the line until you observe the culprit(s).

String won't light up—replacing a bulb doesn't fix information technology

Possible culprit: Corroded socket

The fix: Over time, the contacts inside the socket can become corroded or filled with dirt and grime. This impairment can prevent proper contact between the bulb and the socket, which often results in no power to the bulb. Use a modest file or scratch brush to clean the wire contacts of the socket. In one case the socket is clean, insert a new bulb into the socket.

Fixing broken Christmas lights

I've tried everything and a seedling or section is even so not working

Possible culprit: Bad socket or wiring around a unmarried bulb.

The fix: If all else fails, the seedling socket may be broken beyond repair. Removing it isn't too complicated though, and should restore functionality to the balance of your lights! There are two potential ways to y'all tin approach this repair.

Using a wire connector: Use a wire cutter to remove the lacking socket from the calorie-free strand. Strip about 1/ii″ of insulation from both wires. Twist the wires together and insert them into a waterproof wire connector. Turn the connector several times until the cap feels secure, and yous tin can tug on it without information technology falling off. If replacing the bad socket stock-still the problem, consider putting in some silicone sealant into the cap in order to keep moisture out and prevent the wires from corroding.

Using weatherproof rut compress tubing: Utilize a wire cutter to remove the defective socket from the light strand. Strip about ane/ii″ of insulation from both wires. Solder the wires back together or make a western union splice. Then follow the instructions in our How to Use Oestrus Shrink Tubing guide to protect the wires.

Fixing broken Christmas lights wire Be sure to check out our step-by-stride Christmas lights guide. And if you lot have any tips or tricks to add, be sure to tell united states of america near them in the comments. Now, become along and salvage Christmas!