We got 32 boxes of Christmas "stuff". Don't ask.

I got to get the lights going this year. I am amazed that there are so many
different bases, and looking at the filaments, so many different filament
configurations.

Where can I get info on all these so that next year, if there is one, I can
get some of these fixed? I have so many reversed and out of place now, I
wonder if I will ever get some of the strings going.

I have a tester that has a beeper sensor. It helps. It also has a bulb
tester on it.

Did I mention I love Christmas. I didn't ............. I wonder why.

Steve

On Dec 29, 3:58*pm, wrote:
On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:36:01 -0800, "Steve B"





wrote:
We got 32 boxes of Christmas "stuff". *Don't ask.

I got to get the lights going this year. *I am amazed that there are so many
different bases, and looking at the filaments, so many different filament
configurations.

Where can I get info on all these so that next year, if there is one, I can
get some of these fixed? *I have so many reversed and out of place now, I
wonder if I will ever get some of the strings going.

I have a tester that has a beeper sensor. *It helps. *It also has a bulb
tester on it.

Did I mention I love Christmas. *I didn't ............. *I wonder why.

Steve

There are basically 3 types of the old style. C-9 "outside" lights,
C-7 candelabra and the mini candelabra C-4 that had 7 bulbs in series
on the string.
Newer strings use a series bulb that is not standardized or so it
seems., The bulbs seem to be in several different voltages or wattage
and when you get the wrong one it won't work. Usually you just throw
the string away once you lose the spares shipped with that string.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Steve:

I have a big jar full of scrapped bulbs, I also have a small battery-
operated tester that you push the bulbs into to see if they light.
Once the spare bulbs are all tested ok, and I locate a bad bulb on the
string I am repairing, I remove the bad bulb and then rem,ove it from
the plastic socket. I then take a random bulb from the scrapped ones,
and insert it into the plastic base and then plug that into the
string. If I am lucky, the bulb lights normally. If I get one that
runs at either a higher or lower voltage/current, then it is dim or
overly bright. Then remove it and try a different bulb in the same
socket. Sometimes I can try a replacement bulb before I put it into
the plastic socket by spreading the wire leads from the bulb a little
bit and putting the bulb into the socket so that the two wires touch
the side of the socket and the bulb lights up. Of course, I am
retired and so have enough time to do this without sacrificing my
family life.G

Sometimes I even comment on how to remove paint from stained.leaded
glass.G

hr(bob) wrote:
On Dec 29, 3:58 pm, wrote:
On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:36:01 -0800, "Steve B"





wrote:
We got 32 boxes of Christmas "stuff". Don't ask.
I got to get the lights going this year. I am amazed that there are so many
different bases, and looking at the filaments, so many different filament
configurations.
Where can I get info on all these so that next year, if there is one, I can
get some of these fixed? I have so many reversed and out of place now, I
wonder if I will ever get some of the strings going.
I have a tester that has a beeper sensor. It helps. It also has a bulb
tester on it.
Did I mention I love Christmas. I didn't ............. I wonder why.
Steve
There are basically 3 types of the old style. C-9 "outside" lights,
C-7 candelabra and the mini candelabra C-4 that had 7 bulbs in series
on the string.
Newer strings use a series bulb that is not standardized or so it
seems., The bulbs seem to be in several different voltages or wattage
and when you get the wrong one it won't work. Usually you just throw
the string away once you lose the spares shipped with that string.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Steve:

I have a big jar full of scrapped bulbs, I also have a small battery-
operated tester that you push the bulbs into to see if they light.
Once the spare bulbs are all tested ok, and I locate a bad bulb on the
string I am repairing, I remove the bad bulb and then rem,ove it from
the plastic socket. I then take a random bulb from the scrapped ones,
and insert it into the plastic base and then plug that into the
string. If I am lucky, the bulb lights normally. If I get one that
runs at either a higher or lower voltage/current, then it is dim or
overly bright. Then remove it and try a different bulb in the same
socket. Sometimes I can try a replacement bulb before I put it into
the plastic socket by spreading the wire leads from the bulb a little
bit and putting the bulb into the socket so that the two wires touch
the side of the socket and the bulb lights up. Of course, I am
retired and so have enough time to do this without sacrificing my
family life.G

Sometimes I even comment on how to remove paint from stained.leaded
glass.G
You also need one of these:
http://www.lightkeeperpro.com/
They really work well at "fixing" series
bulbs where the shunt doesn't
short out. I built my own tester/fixer
a bunch of years ago, but this
unit is now my 1st grab. Of course, I
have nothing to do with the
company, except that I am a satisfied
customer. I do use my home
built tester for the real hard cases as
it has probes for finding an open
in the string.