Don Klipstein wrote:

In . net, Hybyd2 wrote:

For one who has the time but is low on funds ... how does one fix those
strings of Christmas tree / colored lights that have the bulbs in series -
presumably, if one bulb blows they all get knocked out? I have a
multimeter and several non-working strings (so hopefully there are plenty
of spare light bulbs).

Suggestions?


1. Do you have any audio equipment with a phono jack or line level jack?
Plug a cable in, clip onto the tip of the cable one of those alligator
clip jumper wires, and run it along the plugged-in string and see if the
hum changes as you pass one bulb.

2. There are now many strings that have means to bypass blown bulbs.
However, I fear that when a bulb blows the voltage across the others will
increase. Each burnout would make the remaining bulbs age faster.

3. Get LED strings. Fair sources are Target and Boscovs, last year I saw
good choices in the Brookstone online catalog. I saw a "basic" model at
Walgreens, but this year none at CVS, Rite Aid nor Eckerd.

I love the LED Christmas lights. They are a lot cheaper to operate too!
We replace a few strands last year and will replace more this year.
We will be using LED lights outside too. If we can get the look we want
using less electricity, why not! Two of our strands are programmable
for different flashes. We don't put lights on our tree as it is fiber
optic and uses one halogen bulb.

For reviews on some of these, check out:

http://ledmuseum.home.att.net/menutop.htm#21

- Don Klipstein )