![]() ![]() "One Light Goes Out, Rest Stay Lit" is a technology that uses an internal shunt within the bulb to continue the flow of electricity throughout a light string, even if a bulb has burned out. Each bulb is lit through a filament, which is contained within the bulb's glass case. Understanding the technology behind an incandescent bulb and a light string is helpful when trying to determine the cause of a bulb that won't light. If using a mini light tester, our resource page regarding Testing for Faulty Bulbs, will prove useful. Troubleshooting can be easier with the use of a mini light tester. When checking for broken fuses and replacing fuses, make sure the light string is not plugged into the outlet. A good fuse will have clear glass, while a broken fuse will cause the glass become tinted. Look for broken fuses in the male end of the light string, and replace using one of the extra light fuses that are included with the tree. ![]() Our light strings are fused for protection, so overloading the circuit will cause the fuse to break and the light string will go out, but will not be damaged. Common causes include cutting or damaging the wire itself, or overloading the circuit by plugging too many devices into an outlet or adding additional strings of lights without calculating wattage and amps. A short is caused when the wire's insulation breaks down, allowing charge to flow in an unintended path. If a short has occurred, the light string is usually not repairable. Look to find the loose bulb, check the wires to ensure they are properly aligned, and secure the bulb tightly within the socket. This often occurs through rough handling or improper storage of a tree. Most likely a bulb is loose, and the connection is getting lost as the bulb moves in its socket. If lights go on and off as the tree and branches are moved around, this is not always an indication that there is a short in the wire. If needed, simply realign the wires on each side of the bulb, or if one of the wires is missing, replace the bulb. These wires are actually part of the glass light bulb itself, which are guided through two small openings at the bottom of each socket and then folded upwards. To verify the wires are in place, remove the socket and make sure a wire is folded up to the left and right of the socket base. If one of the wires is misaligned, or if a bulb is pulled out from its socket, the current is broken and the light strand will go out. Two thin wires stick out at the bottom of each mini light bulb, which make contact with the metal connectors for current to the bulbs and shunts. If the shunt is broken when a bulb breaks, or if it is dislodged due to a loose bulb, the flow of electricity will stop.Īnother reason for light failure is connectivity lost at the base of the socket. A broken bulb will not affect the rest of the strand, unless the shunt is broken in the process. As long as current is flowing through each bulb the strand will remain lit. If I don't need a perfectly straight line, I just tack in a few nails, about every foot does it well, then hang the lights on that (nail going between the wires).The internal shunt does not have any effect unless a bulb's filament burns out, at which point the shunt wire activates to keep the current going. The best thing I do when hanging my lights, is I will staple a twist tie to the wood, then use the twist tie to hold the wire. I also separate the lights with ones used outdoors and ones used indoors (the bulbs aren't faded, and a little less abused). Although LEDs go fast and you better be there opening on the 26th to get any good sets. Since I was in high school, I've been buying after christmas clearance lights. Which also means more than one night of being outside. That way I can tell if there's any breaks in the wire. Usually at dusk, so there's still enough sunlight to see. If you're stapling the wires to the roof, it's very easy that you've broken the wire, so that's why it was on when they were down, but suddenly went off when they went up. I always fold mine, so it's easy to see if there's any missing or broken. Double check on the bulbs to make sure non are broken. But if a bulb is missing, the section will go out. As well, many strands are the "always on" meaning, if a bulb is burnt the rest remain lit. The strands are broken into sections, so if a section of wiring is bad, it'll cause the whole section to go out, but not the whole strand.
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