Pre-lit Christmas Tree repair Hack
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- Опубліковано 25 лис 2016
- How to fix a Pre-Lit Christmas tree that has non-removable lights. Black base bulbs that are not replaceable. Don't buy a new tree just repair this one. Simple fix, it only takes minutes to do it! No special tool needed. Just wire cutters/pliers and some tape.
Disclaimer: I am not an electrician. I just worked for one once. Very simple hack. - Розваги
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Green shrink tubing works great....I've used them on amplifier wires... Good job
JUst so everybody knows, when you remove one of the bulbs from the series circuit you are actually increasing the voltage across the balance of the remaining bulbs.The voltage increase is insignificant on the first couple that you may remove using this fix ....but after cutting out 3 or 4 I would replace the string of lights or the whole tree.
James Jedamski hytg
I think the black bulb holders you are finding indicate that the bulb is fusible. If you clip it off and splice the wires, you are in effect bypassing the fuse protection.
True.
I have fixed a lot of light strings with my Lightkeeper Pro. That thing is awesome. Once you learn how to use it properly, it's a huge time saver.
That is the first time I have ever seen a bulb you can't replace. Kid of defeats the purpose of a pre lit tree. I bought a nice tree years ago and eventually my wife removed all the old light strings and did like others have said and put new lights on the tree. You pay extra for a pre lit tree and it seems like the way to go but I wouldn't pay for another one.
Thanks for posting your video, I have had a light keeper pro for years and it is nice to have one tool to do many jobs.
padroooo it was our first year with one, but it's definitely a keeper.
My LKP does a double beep, they don’t talk about that anywhere in the instructions, what does a double beep indicate.
Likely just 2 single beeps in rapid succession. I'm not familiar with a double beep.
Thanks great info.
We've had our prelit tree for 11 years and just have to replace a few bulbs each year.
Could you splice in a new bulb from another strand of lights?
Also, just to be clear - Christmas lights are NOT low voltage; they're the same voltage coming out of the wall - 120 volts in North America, which can give you quite a shock. Some LED lights have a transformer that converts them to low voltage, but not incandescent lights.
Yeah my safety detector went off here.
I have a strand where every bulb is burnt black. I do not have a black bulb holder as you have for some reason. I've replaced every bulb with no success. The fuses checked fine. Using the prokeeper I get both steady beeps and further down the strand it will beep twice, then steady again and further along two beeps, happening all along the strand. No consistency. Could there be a problem at the bulb holder where three strands lead out of a green bulb holder or is this strand just shot. I have not spliced anything as with the inconsistent beeps and not having a black bulb holder, I don't know where to begin. One strange thing is when I test this strand with the prokeeper at the wall plug-in using an extension cord so not plugged into any plug-ins on the tree, one strand does not work, but when I flip it around into the plug, it works but the other then doesn't. Any insights?
I'm having this issue right now! Clark Griswald moment. So frustrating. My issue is finding the problem. I will get one of those little guns I guess. I'm a little scared that if I cut a wire....the while tree will be toast.
Bridgette Jensen I wouldn't cut the cord unless it was a last resort. If the tree is useless though, what do you have to lose?
You can also use thermo tubes instead of tape
The trouble with the gun/tool to find the bad bulb is that you guys have to understand what the heck the gun does: it detects the eField in the wires, coming in and out of the lights AND also important, is that it only works if the wires coming in and out of the bulb is the LIVE wire... so, you have to start with the lights plugged in and if you are not detecting crap, or, detecting everything along the string, flip the plug on the wall.
Now with that information, you also should "hold" the bulb such as only the bulb and its two wires (in/out) are in your hand.
Of course, if your string went dead after a power spike, you will go mad trying to replace many bulbs, yours truly.
After untangling 3 strings from our tree, that was an ordeal in itself... I separated them in the 3 strings and that was only one of the sections..... Two of the strings were ok, but to find out the bad and still keep the others working, yeah, I had to take them out of the tree.
I found then that the dead one had almost 20 dead lamps, so I threw the string away after salvaging the good bulbs - some just had oxidized contacts... yup, I took them all 50 bulbs out and tested one by one - I cut one of the little sockets with the longest pair of wires and connected to a 2.5V power supply to quickly test them.
In the end, our Christmas tree is now 30% less lighted :-) ... but I already told wife: next burn out, I will throw away, don't bother asking me to fix.
And finally... whoever came up with the idea of 50 light bulbs in series is burning in hell !!!!
BTW1: the more lights you short like that, the more voltage the other bulbs will have over them and if it goes over 2.5V too much.... you will have very bright lights, for a short time :-)
BTW2, here's a good video showing how to use the "gun" : ua-cam.com/video/H65hf7pTjbM/v-deo.html
Where do I put sticky tape?
Just so you know a wire nut doesn't look tacky if you have the right size wire nut but a better alternative would be a heat shrink butt connector and they do make those for 22 gauge wire which those Christmas lights more than likely have as far as the wire. The electrical tape may be a decent insulator but just twisting them together isn't all that safe. The part that burned out in the bulb by the way is called a filament. One summer working as a helper doesn't make someone an electrician. When you've worked 21 years in electrical work, that might qualify a person as an electrician.
Liam Zoilin Wire nuts still look tacky if they're visible, even if they are the right size. Heat shrink is definitely better than electrical tape. This video is not an elegant solution, but it worked with the materials I had on hand.
Probably safest just to buy a new tree or string it with new lights.
Thanks for the comment!
@@FarmerJim mouldable plastic
Low voltage? It's a 120 circuit. Low wattage bulbs at 2.5 volts per bulb typically. By removing bulbs you are increasing the amperage on the line and could become highly dangerous. Great way to get by on 1 or 2 but not long term. You can buy a few dollar set of lights and rewire the tree to be prelit still
I thought he said he can’t do that?
Lynn Adore he couldn’t replace the individual bulbs in certain sockets but he can very easily string a set of lights where the old ones don’t work.
I'm a lil confused, I must've missed something. You first said that none of the lights worked not one single one. Then you plugged it in and some lit up........how or why?
I must've mispoken.
I've replaced several lights and still have a strand out.
my whole tree blew out so i just cut all the lights off the tree. went to walmart brought $30.00 of 100 light bulbs at $2.28 a box and wired the tree.
David Lynch that's what I would do
If you have to go to that trouble why buy a prelit tree? The point is to plug and go.
@@doeeyedfaun4020 Yeah but what do ya do when the lights go bad on your $300+ Tree that still looks has life left in it? 🕵🤔🤷🏻? 🙋= Watch DIY Vids.
@@doeeyedfaun4020 Welcome to UA-cam buddy. Take a look around. You'll be surprised what u can find on here
My prelit tree suddenly is only 10% lit. It consists of prelit as well as lights I’ve added. Now only the bottom 10% of my tree is lit. Where do I begin to repair it? The tree is completely decorated. HELP, please!
Start at the bottom and work up. Find where it stops and just fix each section. Worst case, get some cheap lights and restring it. 🥺
I took out all the bad fuses and replaced some and tried clicking it with the gun and the lights blinked for a sec but now nothing turns on with the gun help please?
Did you check the batteries in the gun?
@@FarmerJim yea the gun works and beeps and all but nothing works only half of the top section lights up
I have a piece of shit balsam prelit tree that cost 1k and has 1/4 of the lights working. Every year there's less lights working. Ive only had it for 4 years.
You can replace bulb..I did...pull under green split comes right out.
Donna Freeman We were able to remove all the bulbs except the black bulbs. I looked them up with the manufacturer and those lights are not able to be removed. They claimed it was a safety issue, but I think it's just so that you have to buy a new one.
What a pain in the ass.....
Another thing I would recommend is you could buy LED's and use those to replace your lights because as we all know LED's last you a lifetime
they are still pretty bad if they are outdoors because of water and rusting but for inside they must last much longer
They dont wire these in parallel? Wtf
WHAT HAPPENED AT 0:02?
It’s not a hack it’s just something you can buy
You are correct. But when I bought it a few years ago, it felt so cool that I thought it was a hack. (And it still works. 😜)
Hi
Hello Daisy!
I hate pre-lit trees I buy real trees and put bulbs on it they are RGB and I hook to my lap top and have my tree dazzle.
I also recommend that you buy a LED lights kit that would blow your mind check out this video on what I am talking about.
ua-cam.com/video/4fBTx47AjL4/v-deo.html
You can replace the bulbs I have done it a trillion times before you have to use a tree light bulb puller for the lights you can actually make your own to pull them out or you can buy it online.
Using a fucking needle-nose pliers is the wrong way to fucking remove them.
You can actually use a small screwdriver to loosen the housing that the bulb sits in.
Joe Calandra These bulbs are hardwired into the cord. They cannot be replaced even with a tree light puller. Or a screwdriver. Or pliers. Or anything. Thus this video. 😊
Very disappointed...receiver only lasted three seasons! When I called for advice I was told nothing could be done, when all you have to do is by-pass the receiver and plug the lights into any socket. You can buy a standard remote for twenty dollars. I was told I needed to buy a whole new tree ...terrible way to do business!!
Totally agree