DIYbanter - View Single Post - Christmas Light Puzzler

Bill Jeffrey

wrote:

The only result will be slightly brighter lights since
you've removed a little resistance form the series circuit.

Merry Christmas! Dish

And that, of course, is the whole purpose of the safety bulb. When one
shunt bulb burns out, the shunt shorts it, and each remaining bulb gets
a little bit more voltage. When another shunt bulb burns out, it happens
again - and again and again. Pretty soon, there are only a few working
bulbs left, and the string is drawing more current than it was designed
to. The question then becomes which burns up next - the remaining bulbs,
or the wire connecting the bulbs.

Bill