How to Reignite the Sparkle in Your Pre-Lit Christmas Trees: A Guide to Proper Maintenance and Repair
If the bulbs aren’t the problem, the wiring may be. If you wish, you can remove the whole string and replace it with a completely new one.
There may be a need to cut all the wires on some pre-lit Christmas trees–wire cutters make this job much faster. You can then re-string the tree using new lights.
When a light string experiences a short, it is usually not easy to fix. In this case, an exposed wire allows charge to flow in the wrong direction when it is uninsulated.
The most common cause of shorts is a damaged or severed wire, multiple devices plugged into an outlet at the same time, or plugging in lights without considering the amps and watts.
Assess the Cause of the Problem
The steps below describe how you can re-string your pre-lit Christmas tree. Read on!
- Check to see that your lights are plugged in properly, that the bulbs are not burned out, and that the fuses are working properly.
- The male connector and master bulb should be found when a section does not work.
- Install your new light strand by attaching zip ties to the master bulb.
- Be sure to discard the lamp’s master bulb.
- Follow the original light strand to replace all the bulbs attached to the branches.
- Tie the wires to each branch.
- Repeat the process until the strand is fully replaced.
You can replace burned out or damaged light bulbs with new ones. Pre-lit Christmas trees often come with spare decorative bulbs for replacement when they burn out. And they are usually the same as those found on the tree.
Alternatively, you can purchase a replacement bulb at a local store. However, ensure that the bulb you choose matches that on your pre-lit tree.
Since LEDs are incompatible and might cause problems, they cannot be used in place of incandescent bulbs.