| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| LED Christmas Lights | 11/25/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I went to purchase new LED C-9 outdoor Christmas Lights. Why are they smaller than the old C-9 ...
A: LED lights are LED lights. The manufacturers put a big plastic cover on them and call them C9. But ...
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| Hooking up multiple xmas decorations and lights | 11/22/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have 72 plugs in my yard both front and back. I dont want to get 72 cords and run them all into ...
A: You can't cut the male plugs off of Christmas decorations. That is where the fuse is. The wires ...
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| christmas lights | 11/20/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: In one strand of 3 connected together about 20 lights are not lit what can i do?
A: Miniature lights can be frustrating. You may want to see if you can replace the sets, because the ...
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| Tree Instructions | 11/18/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I purchased a Sylvania staylit tree from Target and I do not instructions for the tree on how to ...
A: Since I don't have access to the instructions either, all I can suggest is that you get a Christmas ...
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| string lights | 11/13/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have icecile string light. the last end row set of lights of almost all my lights are not working ...
A: Assuming you didn't do anything to them, like try to shorten them, then there is probably a bad or ...
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| LED christmas lights | 11/6/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I recently changed some of my holiday lights to LED, I have them around the garage, and wanted to ...
A: You should not connect anything to the female end of a light set other than 2 more sets of lights. ...
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| Holiday lights Year Round, selective colors!!!? | 10/16/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Ok, if they have not invented this idea i thought of just now, well i should be a millionaire! Does ...
A: I have thought of that, too. I have not seen them sold anywhere. They do have something like that ...
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| Talking Halloween Decoration | 10/9/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Bob, My family and I really get into halloween. I have a talking halloween decoration that ...
A: I don't know of any way to repair it. I have a bunch of things that my wife and I loved for ...
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| xmas / halloween outside lighting | 9/29/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I always check my strands of lighting before putting them outside. sometimes there's one bulb out ...
A: That is just the nature of miniature lighting. One twisted wire and the whole string will stop ...
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| Outdoor Xmas lights prestrung on a 1x2" board | 9/26/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I would like to staple my Xmas lights on a 1"x2"x6' board and be able to take them up & down easily. ...
A: When I was growing up in the Pittsburgh area, one neighbor made "strips" for several of the houses. ...
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| holiday lighting | 9/7/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: For Halloween, I was wondering if you can take a string of LED lights and cut them into individual ...
A: No, they will not work that way. When they are in series, they share the voltage. In other words, ...
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| No. of strings of lights in one outlet | 8/21/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Just purchased 8 strings of lights with 6 light sockets on each string that hold a 7 watt bulb. ...
A: Usually you can wire as many 50 C7's together. However, I don't want to be absolutely certain about ...
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| tree lights | 5/15/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have 22 Chancellor Pear trees going down my driveway. My daughter is getting married and the ...
A: You can probably find the lights online if you can't find them anywhere else. How many lights you ...
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| Halloween/Christmas Lights | 4/4/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I heard about some lights that you can put up for halloween (like an orange color) and have them ...
A: I have not seen anything like that, but it is technically possible with the new LED lights. There ...
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| in/outdoor Christmas lights | 1/20/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Why don't the last 50 lights work on this big string of lights? I believe the string is a 300 lights ...
A: Every 50 bulbs is a separate circuit. If one bulb is not making contact, all 50 will go out. If ...
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| in/outdoor Christmas lights | 1/20/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Why don't the last 50 lights work on this big string of lights? I believe the string is a 300 lights ...
A: If you are sure all the bulbs are good, and the wires on the bulbs are seated properly in the ...
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| RE; Pre-lit Christmas Tree | 1/6/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: We have had our pre-lit Christmas tree for about 4 years without any problems. A couple of weeks ...
A: You probably have a short somewhere in the wiring. If there are smaller plugs on the tree, try ...
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| Lights and Rain | 1/2/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I've had a problem forever w/ my lights. I put up about 50,000 lights and I wrap them up good in ...
A: I usually have the same problem with heavy rain. I sometimes try to reset it, if it trips again, I ...
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| incandescent minilight sets | 12/30/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Do replacement 3.5 V bulbs come in more than one variety, ie super bright, bright, standard ...
A: Yes, there are different types of 3.5 bulbs, but the hard part is that usually there is no way to ...
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| hanging outdoor xmas lights | 12/22/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: How can I hang outdoor xmas light along gutter when I have gutter guards? There is nothing to clip ...
A: It depends on how the guards are made. If they are mesh, you may have to get some wire and loop it ...
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| pre-lit christmas tree troubles. | 12/22/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: We've had this pre-lit Christmas tree for about three years or so now and it has worked well up ...
A: The wires that come out of the bulbs have to be straight down on the sides so they make contact. ...
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| Pre-lit Tree | 12/18/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Bob, Thanks for all the great info you share! I’ve read through the responses you’ve posted on ...
A: If the tree is new, or has always had one section dimmer, I would say that they put the wrong bulbs ...
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| led into a regular string | 12/17/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Can we attach a tree topper, with 10 mini lights, to 3 strings of the new LED lights? Thanks!
A: Normally you are not supposed to use more than 3 sets in a row. However, as long as the wires are ...
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| Christmas Icicle Lights | 12/16/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have 2 sets of Christmas Icicle lights that only operate 2/3 of eat set. One, the lights in the ...
A: Miniature lights can be frustrating. You may want to see if you can replace the sets, because the ...
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| Pre-lit Tree - lights not working | 12/15/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: We purchased a Sylvania Staylit tree from Target last year after Christmas. This is the first year ...
A: Getting decorations after Christmas can be frustrating. I have had the same thing happen. They ...
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| Repairing icicles | 12/14/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: is there no way to check the continuity to find your problem or do i have to go light by light
A: They make Christmas light testers. However, with so many wires, sometimes it picks up the power ...
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| christmas lights | 12/13/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: in strings of 100 lights, some sections dont light. They are the sections right after two adjoining ...
A: Yes, that is normal. When there is 3 wires, that section has lights that are in series with each ...
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| Every other light out | 12/13/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I just put the mini-lights on my tree, and it appears that all lights of one color are out on a ...
A: Most likely, this is a string of chaser lights, or other multi-function string. There is usually 4 ...
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| Every other light out | 12/13/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I just put the mini-lights on my tree, and it appears that all lights of one color are out on a ...
A: Miniature lights can be frustrating. You may want to see if you can replace the sets, because the ...
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| outdoor christmas lights | 12/12/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have my outside outlets on GFI breakers, and each time it rains, my Christmas lights pop the ...
A: It is OK for the middle of the cords to sit in the mulch. However, the ends of the cords have to be ...
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| outdoor christmas lights | 12/11/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have my outside outlets on GFI breakers, and each time it rains, my Christmas lights pop the ...
A: If it repels water, it may cause a poor connection between the bulb and socket. So, I don't know if ...
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| half of set of lights don't work | 12/10/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I can't get the end of my lights to light up in a probably 100 light set and am stumped... Any ...
A: The fuse should work for the whole set, so if half of it works, it is not the fuse. Here is the ...
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| Outdoor Lawn Christmas Lights | 12/10/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I put the C7 big lights on the yard on stakes all around the yard. I only used 50 lights which is 2 ...
A: Check and see if there is a GFCI for the outlet. If the outlet was wired less than 20 years ago, ...
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| Section of PreLit Christmas Tree | 12/9/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I very recently bought a prelit Christmas tree from Lowe's (about 3 weeks ago). I put it up and it ...
A: If it blinks off in a regular motion, then it has a blinker bulb in it. Look for bulbs with red ...
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| Icicle lights | 12/9/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: The string lights only half the string. One has the first half unlit. I've checked for missing and ...
A: Miniature lights can be frustrating. You may want to see if you can replace the sets, because the ...
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| Pre-lit tree replacement bulbs | 12/9/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: We bought a pre-lit tree with multi-colored lights but it looks dull and we would like to replace ...
A: I do not recommend doing that. First of all, just the bulbs will cost a fortune. A lot more than ...
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| hooking up multiple c-9 lights | 12/8/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: on your answer here you say to put a extension cord between the two strands of lights. does this ...
A: You need to be aware of the capacity of the wires. The wire that the sockets are attached to will ...
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| Martha Stewart Mountain Whistler #76 Christmas Tree | 12/7/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: We can not get all the lights to work on the tree. We can not figure out where all the plugs go. We ...
A: You may be able to see if you can get one from the customer service department. If all else fails, ...
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| C9 lights | 12/7/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have 100 c9 lights all one one cord and I attached a another string of 25,C9 bulbs with a orange ...
A: If you put a higher fuse in the plug, the wire will get hot and possibly catch fire. Christmas light ...
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| Mini-bulbs blow instantly | 12/7/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: you seem to really know this stuff. I hope this will not stump you, I am at wits end. I have a ...
A: Sometimes the resistance is difference in the same voltage bulbs, and with the resistance being ...
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