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CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.

CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
edited November 2016 in General Discussion
Why do all the bulbs on a string of Christmas lights burn out? Voltage drop? Fuses aren't blowing in the string.
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  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Never heard of that happening.

    The usual reason an entire string stops working is that ONE bulb burns out, & the cheap Chicom string is wired in series. (Better quality Chicom strings are wired in parallel.)

    Consider throwing out old lights & replace with LED's. GE LED strings are great quality, I haven't checked out other brands.

    Neal
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  • CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    50 to 90% of the bulbs or brown and blown.
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  • ruger41ruger41 Member Posts: 14,665 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Lucked out...no outside lights this year and I am fine with that!
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  • WranglerWrangler Member Posts: 5,788 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
    Why do all the bulbs on a string of Christmas lights burn out? Voltage drop? Fuses aren't blowing in the string.


    Cheap Chinese filaments. Go with LEDs.
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  • CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    These are inside lights on the fake tree. Checked the house voltage. It was at 130 to 137 on an older fluke 30. That doesn't sound outrageously too high.
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  • riflemikeriflemike Member Posts: 10,599 ✭
    edited November -1
    cant help dont do Xmas lights anymore
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  • woodhogwoodhog Member Posts: 13,115 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I never take mine down, that way I'm the first in the neighborhood to get mine up!!
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  • select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,494 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Line coming into our home. I checked inside plugs and they were high. WTH so I pulled panal box and checked the 240 coming in.. it was high. Pulled the panal outside and bingo the same reading below..... I freaked out.. going to burn up all my electric motors no doubt. Called an electrician ..he said transformer to house letting too much in... called another one... he asked if I had checked the battery in my tester... sure enough the 9volt battery was bad. Changed it and got a good reading.


    DSCN0876_zpsnu5qei4w.jpg
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  • Smitty500magSmitty500mag Member Posts: 13,623 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Back in the old days that was a Christmas ritual. After you got the lights down out of the attic and untangled, somehow they would wad up in a knot just sitting in the box by themselves, then you start replacing light bulbs until you finally found that burnt out bulb that was causing the problem.

    And when the string of lights were on the tree when a bulb burnt out it was always on the back side of the tree where it was impossible to reach.
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  • CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    SF that doesn't surprise me. I first tested with a Fluke 36. It had a lead going bad and finally died. The readout was fading, like a dying battery. That was 147v. Went looking for my Harbor Freight tester to steal the cheap leads. Found the Fluke 30 tester. That came up lower on both testers but still 133volt. I'll get 2 9volt batteries tomorrow.

    I do like the Fluke 30 and Fluke 36. Most Fluke's are too complicated. The 36 is AD and DC volt, amps, and ohms. What more to you really need. Amps are with a clamp. It always surprised me they 30 Series never gained popularity

    I am on the end of the line single phase residential.
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  • woodhogwoodhog Member Posts: 13,115 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    sounds like selectfires situation must have been a 'fluke'
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  • LesWVaLesWVa Member Posts: 10,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by woodhog
    sounds like selectfires situation must have been IS a 'fluke'

    Fixed it for me...
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  • CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Flying Clay Disk
    Flukes are, by far, the best meters on the planet, IMHO.

    I've never seen a Fluke give an erroneous reading, regardless of battery status.

    edit...I've got 75 guys who work for me whose lives depend on Fluke meters!!

    I've seen Flukes shut down on low-batt, but never read incorrectly.








    It was probably the lead just about to crap put causing the 36 to read 147 volt. After about the 8th outlet, the lead lost continuity. That probably was an attribute.

    I did buy both of these on eba y. So, I can't guarantee their accuracy. I forget the reason. It was 12 volt. I think I stuck it on a glow plug and this lead got red hot 2 years ago. That was probably why it finally went bad today.

    The 133 volt is with the good leads.
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  • cnsaycnsay Member Posts: 1,373 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Flying Clay Disk
    Flukes are, by far, the best meters on the planet, IMHO.

    I've never seen a Fluke give an erroneous reading, regardless of battery status.

    edit...I've got 75 guys who work for me whose lives depend on Fluke meters!!

    I've seen Flukes shut down on low-batt, but never read incorrectly.








    I have seen the Fluke T5-1000 meters read off when the battery is low. Was in use for over four years and had not had the batteries changed and was reading about 10% low. Readings correct after battery change.
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  • CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    124.5v 124.7v with the 2 voltage meters and new battery. Another outlet was 123v. Normal.
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  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,404 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
    Why do all the bulbs on a string of Christmas lights burn out? Voltage drop? Fuses aren't blowing in the string.
    to get you to buy new ones.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
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  • kissgoodnightkissgoodnight Member Posts: 4,063 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Last year was my last time to do Christmas. My wife would do nothing about a tree or decorations. So this year, I quit.
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  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well,.................Fluke me!!
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