How to Find & Fix the Bad Bulb on Incandescent & LED Christmas Light Strings in Seal Beach, CA

As a time-honored tradition, many people throughout the world will dig boxes of holiday decorations out of their attics, basements, or garages and discover strings of burned-out Christmas lights. As you hang your Christmas decorations and prepare for guests, the last thing you want to deal with is unlit Christmas lights. To help you find the bad bulbs on your Christmas light, we at Peterkin Electrical would like to offer some tips and suggestions.

Equipment Needed to Test Christmas Lights

– Voltage detector or Christmas light tester tool
– Strand of non-functioning lights
– Safety glasses
– Outlet
– Correct voltage replacement bulb

Christmas Light Troubleshooting

For starters, a pro tip is to start at the easier solution first and move on to the challenging issues. Loose bulbs, damaged or frayed wires, and/or damaged outlets or electrical plugs should be checked before you start looking for the burned-out bulb.

How to Find & Fix Bad Incandescent Christmas Light Bulbs

Incandescent string lights are designed in series. To complete the circuit, the electricity must pass through each bulb, resulting in a single bad bulb can make the whole string go dark. In some larger strings of lights, there can be two circuits. Incandescent Christmas lights’ faulty bulb can be found easily with a Christmas light tester. If the bulb is functioning, the tester’s indicator will light up once you bring the light tester close to each bulb. Should you opt to use a non-contact voltage detector, be sure to bring the detector close to the wire section between each bulb to test for voltage. The dead section will be following the bulb once the bad bulb is found. If you are concerned about light safety or constantly frustrated with incandescent bulbs burning out, consider switching to LED lights. Lasting longer, using less energy, and producing less heat, making LED lights more beneficial.

How to Test & Repair Bad LED Christmas Light Bulbs

Usually LED Christmas lights are made without removable bulbs to keep the circuit from failing from a single burnt out bulb. Should you have LED Christmas lights with removable bulbs, troubleshooting process is similar to incandescent bulbs. Beginning one end of your strand, or in the dark portion of your strand, use your voltage detector or light tester to locate the faulty bulb or dead length of wire starting one end of your strand. If you do not any voltage detectors or other tools, but you do have a replacement bulb you can go down the whole length of the string and switch out each bulb if you do not any voltage detectors or other tools.

Christmas Light Bulbs Replacement

Be sure to have replacement incandescent or LED bulbs with the correct voltage rating and color. Unplug your lights prior to removing or replacing any bulbs. You are better off replacing the strand should you have replaced the bad bulbs on your Christmas lights, but you still experience problems the issue may be bad wiring and if that’s the case.

Electrical & Lighting Services in Laguna Woods, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Irvine, Lake Forest & Orange County, California

Call Peterkin Electric and our certified experts can install more outlets for a safe and efficient holiday lighting should you find that as put up the interior or exterior lights, you may discover you simply do not have enough outlets. Call us for all your electrical wiring and lighting needs!

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