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`The FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)`
Q: How many mini lights can i plug into one outlet. A: it depends on the rating of the circuit breaker controlling that outlet and how many other devices are on the same circuit Most 100 bulb mini sets take around .34 amps... so 3 sets of 100 is about 1 amp. my recommendation is do not use a circuit to it's full capacity... try not to go over 75% of the rating, or if your house is old enough to have fuses instead of circuit breakers or aluminum wiring don't go over 50% - its not worth risking a fire just to have some lights on. lets say for example you have a circuit rated at 20 amps: ..... 20 amp circuit ... - 75% --------- ... = 15 amps max load you have 15 amps to work with. if there's nothing else on that circuit, you can put 45 sets of 100 on it but there's a good chance there's more. the best way to find out is to simply turn off the breaker that controls the outlet you wish to use. so lets continue this example saying more devices are on the circuit (following is example only - look on back of actual device for rating) .......... 15 amps max load TV....... - 2 VCR........ -.5 Shoplight - 1 Radio...... -.5 ------------- .......... 11 amps available in this example you can connect 33 sets of 100
Q: How many sets of mini lights can i connect together A: look at the box the set came in (or on the tag near the set's plug), On most sets it will say "do not connect more than 3 sets" no matter how many bulbs are in the set... to be fully safe you should follow those directions that came with it. ...but you may be able to exceed what the say... if you live where its cold you can probably connect 4 sets of 100. note that most 100 bulb sets have 2 groups of 50 bulbs, so a set of 50 is just half of 100, there should be no problems with connecting 6 sets if you need to go a long distance, the best way to do it is to run a extension cord to the center of it then string out both ways from there, this is better than overloading sets note if you really need to connect allot of lights, some stores sell sets of 200 'heavy duty' or 'commercial grade' lights that allow connecting 6 sets - for a total of 1200
Q: I do a somewhat large display at Christmas, and a large portion of the lights flash all together. This causes a slight, but noticeable dimming of the entire house. So I was wondering is this normal? A: People i've asked about this (including the power company) say this is really not normal... non the less it happens, and there's probably not much you can do about it. if you have this problem, try e-mailing your power company and see what they recommend Q: Why does blinking allot of light sets cause this dimming of the entire house, not just the one circuit the lights are on? A: when a bulb is off it has a low resistance, once it heats up the resistance goes up...this takes well under a second time. but for that brief period of time the lights are drawing more current. this causes a slight drop in voltage in the line leading into the house. the root cause of this may be because the transformer for your house or the line leading form it to the house is under-powered, over loaded or maybe even defective/damaged. If this is highly noticeable, do not run your computer (or other electronics) while the lights are on or flash smaller amounts.
`Q: where can i find 6v bulbs? -or- where can i find 12v bulbs? A: in both cases (in the US) try Target or Walmart... but be aware that these higher voltage bulbs usually sell out faster due to the fact that stores get less in than the standard 2.5v bulbs Q: where can i find Orange mini bulbs A: the Halloween aisle... but note they will be solid orange instead of clear orange`
Q: I need a set of miniature lights with 74 bulbs. Is it possible to remove 26 lights from a string of 100 lights? A: with many of the older (1980's or before) sets you could do this because 35 & 50 lightsets used the same bulbs (100 is usually just 2 50's together).. in that case you'd just remove 13 sockets from each section. with newer sets the 35's & 50's/100's use different voltage bulbs.. you can't remove more than 2 or 3 from each set of 50 or you'll blow the entire set. but you can add bulbs with no risk of blowing bulbs. so in this example of 74 bulbs needed, just get 2 sets of 35 and add 2 sockets to each see 'modifying lights' for how to do this
`Q: I have a 140 bulb chase light set (35 per strand, 4 strands). I want to reduce the number of total bulbs in the set to 40, 10 per strand. Can I do this? A: It can be done, but you'd have to replace all the remaining bulbs.. i am planning to add a new section to my page for shortening sets in the future, because this question has come up a number of times`
Q: I would like to make custom-length C7 (or C9) sets for runs along rooflines, etc... can i just cut the wire and add a female plug to the end? A: Yes! unlike mini lights C7/C9 sets can be shortened to any length because each bulb is 120volts and operates independent of the others but before you cut note: adding a female plug at the end of a set is no problem... but when adding a male plug to the beginning of the remaining portion, it should have a fuse of the same (or less) rating as the one fuse in the original set.
Q: when i put up icicle lights only part of the set lights. how can i fix this and help prevent it A: before even bringing the sets outside to put up, test them as it'll be allot easier to fix any non working ones on the floor rather than on the roof (or even worse on a ladder) while putting up, keep the lights on. this seems to reduce problems, and if there is one you'll know about where happened. to fix non-lighting sets see the 'fixing lights' section another suggestion: keep a spare set around, its probably easier to swap out a entire set should all or part of it go out after being put up, rather than trying to fix it while its up
`Q: Do you have any tips for getting icicle lights to straighten out? No matter how long I let them hang, they never do. A: Remove the set from any cardboard box or plastic bag its in (note if its a new set and is in a flat plastic holder leave it in that) then plug it in and sit for 15 minutes or so.. this will make the wire more flexible. then gently pull each icicle straight. while putting sets up keep them plugged in also leave additional sets plugged in and on the sunny side of the roof.`
Q: How can i keep my icicle from blowing fuses and popping the breaker???... I try not to sting more than 3 or 4 sets of lights together but i still blow fuses. I see other houses with tons of light so i know there must be a way that i can stop the problem and even add more lights to my house. A: see the first question in this list! but as a additional note specifically related to icicle lights... if you are having problems and nothing is overloaded: are these lights form the first generation (ie: first year or 2 they were made?) if yes, you should discontinue use of these sets.. many of the early sets were recalled because they were causing short-circuits and fires
Q: I would like to decorate my car with mini Christmas lights to use in our local Christmas Parade. I plan to use 3 strings of 100 lights What size inverter should I buy? Is there any way I can connect these directly to the car battery and not use a inverter? A: most sets of 100 mini lights take about .34 amps (40 watts) of power. it should say exactly how much on the set or box it came in.. but lets say its a standard set here.. 3 sets of 100 is 1 amp (or 120 watts) you will need a inverter that will handle at least 150 watts continuous power (ignore anything that says just 'max' or 'peak' power as that is meant for just a very short period of time - it needs to be continuous power) you could also re-wire the sets to run off 12volts so they could be directly connected but i would not recommend doing it because it would be allot of work
this pertains to sets in countries that use 220v mains power. unlike those sets in the US & Canada that connect directly to the 120v mains, these sets use a transformer to convert the 220v down to (usually) 24v. Q: My AC Adapter has failed. How can I replace it? Everyone tells me it's not possible and I'll have to buy a whole new set of lights. A: What people are telling you is simply not correct! you can replace the transformer. Just make sure that the output voltage rating is equivalent to the original. The output current rating (amps) on the new transformer should be the same (or even better if its higher)
Q: My outdoor receptacles are GFI circuits with plastic covers. When we get heavy rain the GFI circuits blow. The receptacles are dry but the lights are wet as they are out in the rain. Do you have a recommendation on how to deal with this problem? A: GFI's are designed to prevent you from getting shocked they work by sensing current that's flowing out of the hot but not back into the neutral then they cut the power to help reduce this problem try to keep the ends of all extension cords as well as all sets (the whole set) from contacting the ground or metal items such as a fence that also make ground contact
`Q: Traditionally, in America, when should outdoor Christmas lights/decorations be turned off/taken down? A: Traditionally i can't say... but i'd say it depends where you live. in my area most people turn off by the first weekend after New Years day... but it may be a while before taking down due to the fact that its cold and roof may be icy in January`
`Q: I'm looking for light sets with fade proof/resistant bulbs. The sunlight causes colored mini-light sets I currently use to fade. A: I've never seen one. the only thing that would come close is LED lights - the colors will not fade because the color you see is generated by lighting a gas inside the LED... The LED lights made these days are still expensive, and the quality is poor so i simply can't recommend them`
`Q: Do you know of anything that I could buy that would allow me to connect Christmas lights to my stereo and have the tree blink to the beat of the music? A: its called a 'color organ' or 'sound to light' there's a schematic of one that you can build on my page. if you do buy a completed unit from somewhere, make sure that it uses a microphone to pick up the sound (does not connect directly to stereo) and that it uses Triacs (not SCRs) to flash the lights`
`Q: Why is the end of a group of sets dimmer than the beginning (and all the sets are the same type)? A: This is caused by resistance in the wires and is called 'line loss' or 'voltage drop'. The longer the run of lights, and the more overloaded it is, the dimmer the last set will be.`
`Q: How do i keep Squirrels (or some other animal) form chewing my lights? A: I don't know a good way to take care of this one, except to say you must 'get rid of' the problem... meaning leave a set of set of lights (plugged into a non-GFCI outlet) near the ground & get the ground wet where the thing will find it then .. bzzzzt - or maybe attach a peanut to a live wire for it - or go buy a 'rat zapper' off ebay - or get a bb-gun - maybe rat poison? note i haven't tried any of these.....yet`
`Q: Why are some sets dimmer than others? A: Some sets use lower wattage bulbs, they aren't quit as bright, but you can connect more sets`
`Q: Why does the fuse on my C7 lights blow often, and the set is not overloaded? A: some C7 lights have a design flaw that sometimes causes a short when a bulb dies.`
`Q: When its real cold, why don't some flasher control 'boxes' work right? A: Many flasher controls use a microchip and other electronic parts, and can be affected by temperature - try to turn them on before it gets dark`
`Q: Why does the wind burn out C7 and C9 bulbs A: The filaments on these bulbs are fragile (especially when on) Make sure they are attached so that the bulbs can not be shaken by the wind`
`Q: What's the best way to keep the wind from blowing decorations off the roof? A: Wind can put a massive force against stuff - see the Tips Page for more info, scroll down to the section on wind`
`Q: Do you sell any of the circuits or lights mentioned on your page? A: No.`
`If you have any questions not listed here e-mail me NOTE: to help ensure i get your mail please put 'xmas' or 'lights' in the subject line`

Home / Main Page Lights Web-Board / Forum Lights LiveJournal Community FAQ Full Menu / Site Map About This Page [under construction] This is where a you may be able to find the answer to some questions the following list was compiled form questions i've received in e-mail, seen posted elsewhere on the net, or just thought of due to problems i've had I can NOT be held responsible for any problems resulting from the use or misuse of this info The FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Q: How many mini lights can i plug into one outlet. A: it depends on the rating of the circuit breaker controlling that outlet and how many other devices are on the same circuit Most 100 bulb mini sets take around .34 amps... so 3 sets of 100 is about 1 amp. my recommendation is do not use a circuit to it's full capacity... try not to go over 75% of the rating, or if your house is old enough to have fuses instead of circuit breakers or aluminum wiring don't go over 50% - its not worth risking a fire just to have some lights on. lets say for example you have a circuit rated at 20 amps: ..... 20 amp circuit ... - 75% --------- ... = 15 amps max load you have 15 amps to work with. if there's nothing else on that circuit, you can put 45 sets of 100 on it but there's a good chance there's more. the best way to find out is to simply turn off the breaker that controls the outlet you wish to use. so lets continue this example saying more devices are on the circuit (following is example only - look on back of actual device for rating) .......... 15 amps max load TV....... - 2 VCR........ -.5 Shoplight - 1 Radio...... -.5 ------------- .......... 11 amps available in this example you can connect 33 sets of 100 Q: How many sets of mini lights can i connect together A: look at the box the set came in (or on the tag near the set's plug), On most sets it will say "do not connect more than 3 sets" no matter how many bulbs are in the set... to be fully safe you should follow those directions that came with it. ...but you may be able to exceed what the say... if you live where its cold you can probably connect 4 sets of 100. note that most 100 bulb sets have 2 groups of 50 bulbs, so a set of 50 is just half of 100, there should be no problems with connecting 6 sets if you need to go a long distance, the best way to do it is to run a extension cord to the center of it then string out both ways from there, this is better than overloading sets note if you really need to connect allot of lights, some stores sell sets of 200 'heavy duty' or 'commercial grade' lights that allow connecting 6 sets - for a total of 1200 Q: I do a somewhat large display at Christmas, and a large portion of the lights flash all together. This causes a slight, but noticeable dimming of the entire house. So I was wondering is this normal? A: People i've asked about this (including the power company) say this is really not normal... non the less it happens, and there's probably not much you can do about it. if you have this problem, try e-mailing your power company and see what they recommend Q: Why does blinking allot of light sets cause this dimming of the entire house, not just the one circuit the lights are on? A: when a bulb is off it has a low resistance, once it heats up the resistance goes up...this takes well under a second time. but for that brief period of time the lights are drawing more current. this causes a slight drop in voltage in the line leading into the house. the root cause of this may be because the transformer for your house or the line leading form it to the house is under-powered, over loaded or maybe even defective/damaged. If this is highly noticeable, do not run your computer (or other electronics) while the lights are on or flash smaller amounts. Q: where can i find 6v bulbs? -or- where can i find 12v bulbs? A: in both cases (in the US) try Target or Walmart... but be aware that these higher voltage bulbs usually sell out faster due to the fact that stores get less in than the standard 2.5v bulbs Q: where can i find Orange mini bulbs A: the Halloween aisle... but note they will be solid orange instead of clear orange Q: I need a set of miniature lights with 74 bulbs. Is it possible to remove 26 lights from a string of 100 lights? A: with many of the older (1980's or before) sets you could do this because 35 & 50 lightsets used the same bulbs (100 is usually just 2 50's together).. in that case you'd just remove 13 sockets from each section. with newer sets the 35's & 50's/100's use different voltage bulbs.. you can't remove more than 2 or 3 from each set of 50 or you'll blow the entire set. but you can add bulbs with no risk of blowing bulbs. so in this example of 74 bulbs needed, just get 2 sets of 35 and add 2 sockets to each see 'modifying lights' for how to do this Q: I have a 140 bulb chase light set (35 per strand, 4 strands). I want to reduce the number of total bulbs in the set to 40, 10 per strand. Can I do this? A: It can be done, but you'd have to replace all the remaining bulbs.. i am planning to add a new section to my page for shortening sets in the future, because this question has come up a number of times Q: I would like to make custom-length C7 (or C9) sets for runs along rooflines, etc... can i just cut the wire and add a female plug to the end? A: Yes! unlike mini lights C7/C9 sets can be shortened to any length because each bulb is 120volts and operates independent of the others but before you cut note: adding a female plug at the end of a set is no problem... but when adding a male plug to the beginning of the remaining portion, it should have a fuse of the same (or less) rating as the one fuse in the original set. Q: when i put up icicle lights only part of the set lights. how can i fix this and help prevent it A: before even bringing the sets outside to put up, test them as it'll be allot easier to fix any non working ones on the floor rather than on the roof (or even worse on a ladder) while putting up, keep the lights on. this seems to reduce problems, and if there is one you'll know about where happened. to fix non-lighting sets see the 'fixing lights' section another suggestion: keep a spare set around, its probably easier to swap out a entire set should all or part of it go out after being put up, rather than trying to fix it while its up Q: Do you have any tips for getting icicle lights to straighten out? No matter how long I let them hang, they never do. A: Remove the set from any cardboard box or plastic bag its in (note if its a new set and is in a flat plastic holder leave it in that) then plug it in and sit for 15 minutes or so.. this will make the wire more flexible. then gently pull each icicle straight. while putting sets up keep them plugged in also leave additional sets plugged in and on the sunny side of the roof. Q: How can i keep my icicle from blowing fuses and popping the breaker???... I try not to sting more than 3 or 4 sets of lights together but i still blow fuses. I see other houses with tons of light so i know there must be a way that i can stop the problem and even add more lights to my house. A: see the first question in this list! but as a additional note specifically related to icicle lights... if you are having problems and nothing is overloaded: are these lights form the first generation (ie: first year or 2 they were made?) if yes, you should discontinue use of these sets.. many of the early sets were recalled because they were causing short-circuits and fires Q: I would like to decorate my car with mini Christmas lights to use in our local Christmas Parade. I plan to use 3 strings of 100 lights What size inverter should I buy? Is there any way I can connect these directly to the car battery and not use a inverter? A: most sets of 100 mini lights take about .34 amps (40 watts) of power. it should say exactly how much on the set or box it came in.. but lets say its a standard set here.. 3 sets of 100 is 1 amp (or 120 watts) you will need a inverter that will handle at least 150 watts continuous power (ignore anything that says just 'max' or 'peak' power as that is meant for just a very short period of time - it needs to be continuous power) you could also re-wire the sets to run off 12volts so they could be directly connected but i would not recommend doing it because it would be allot of work this pertains to sets in countries that use 220v mains power. unlike those sets in the US & Canada that connect directly to the 120v mains, these sets use a transformer to convert the 220v down to (usually) 24v. Q: My AC Adapter has failed. How can I replace it? Everyone tells me it's not possible and I'll have to buy a whole new set of lights. A: What people are telling you is simply not correct! you can replace the transformer. Just make sure that the output voltage rating is equivalent to the original. The output current rating (amps) on the new transformer should be the same (or even better if its higher) Q: My outdoor receptacles are GFI circuits with plastic covers. When we get heavy rain the GFI circuits blow. The receptacles are dry but the lights are wet as they are out in the rain. Do you have a recommendation on how to deal with this problem? A: GFI's are designed to prevent you from getting shocked they work by sensing current that's flowing out of the hot but not back into the neutral then they cut the power to help reduce this problem try to keep the ends of all extension cords as well as all sets (the whole set) from contacting the ground or metal items such as a fence that also make ground contact Q: Traditionally, in America, when should outdoor Christmas lights/decorations be turned off/taken down? A: Traditionally i can't say... but i'd say it depends where you live. in my area most people turn off by the first weekend after New Years day... but it may be a while before taking down due to the fact that its cold and roof may be icy in January Q: I'm looking for light sets with fade proof/resistant bulbs. The sunlight causes colored mini-light sets I currently use to fade. A: I've never seen one. the only thing that would come close is LED lights - the colors will not fade because the color you see is generated by lighting a gas inside the LED... The LED lights made these days are still expensive, and the quality is poor so i simply can't recommend them Q: Do you know of anything that I could buy that would allow me to connect Christmas lights to my stereo and have the tree blink to the beat of the music? A: its called a 'color organ' or 'sound to light' there's a schematic of one that you can build on my page. if you do buy a completed unit from somewhere, make sure that it uses a microphone to pick up the sound (does not connect directly to stereo) and that it uses Triacs (not SCRs) to flash the lights Q: Why is the end of a group of sets dimmer than the beginning (and all the sets are the same type)? A: This is caused by resistance in the wires and is called 'line loss' or 'voltage drop'. The longer the run of lights, and the more overloaded it is, the dimmer the last set will be. Q: How do i keep Squirrels (or some other animal) form chewing my lights? A: I don't know a good way to take care of this one, except to say you must 'get rid of' the problem... meaning leave a set of set of lights (plugged into a non-GFCI outlet) near the ground & get the ground wet where the thing will find it then .. bzzzzt - or maybe attach a peanut to a live wire for it - or go buy a 'rat zapper' off ebay - or get a bb-gun - maybe rat poison? note i haven't tried any of these.....yet Q: Why are some sets dimmer than others? A: Some sets use lower wattage bulbs, they aren't quit as bright, but you can connect more sets Q: Why does the fuse on my C7 lights blow often, and the set is not overloaded? A: some C7 lights have a design flaw that sometimes causes a short when a bulb dies. Q: When its real cold, why don't some flasher control 'boxes' work right? A: Many flasher controls use a microchip and other electronic parts, and can be affected by temperature - try to turn them on before it gets dark Q: Why does the wind burn out C7 and C9 bulbs A: The filaments on these bulbs are fragile (especially when on) Make sure they are attached so that the bulbs can not be shaken by the wind Q: What's the best way to keep the wind from blowing decorations off the roof? A: Wind can put a massive force against stuff - see the Tips Page for more info, scroll down to the section on wind Q: Do you sell any of the circuits or lights mentioned on your page? A: No. If you have any questions not listed here e-mail me NOTE: to help ensure i get your mail please put 'xmas' or 'lights' in the subject line This page and the images on it (c) 1999 - 2006 James K