Christmas Tree Issues

[blueyedgirl5946]

On the day I stood my tree up and plugged it in, I discovered numerous lights burned out around the bottom area of the tree. With hubby's help, we used the replacement bulbs and replaced the burned out ones. They were working and then yesterday, I noticed more lights burned out around the bottom of the tree. We replaced some again. They worked the rest of last night and burned out sometime today. I think they might be the same ones that keep burning out. The instructions on the tree plugs say they use 2.5 volt, .43 watt. The replacement we used were 2.5 volt, .425. So that shouldn't be the problem. I decided to leave it alone as far as replacing them and turn the tree around to where the burned out ones are next to the wall. But I read the papers that came with the tree. It says replace all burned out bulbs immediately to prevent overheating and a possible fire hazard. Hubby said the problem is not with any of the fuses as the lights would not come on if the fuse was bad. Anyone with any electrical knowledge here that might have some suggestions.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

On the day I stood my tree up and plugged it in, I discovered numerous lights burned out around the bottom area of the tree. With hubby's help, we used the replacement bulbs and replaced the burned out ones. They were working and then yesterday, I noticed more lights burned out around the bottom of the tree. We replaced some again. They worked the rest of last night and burned out sometime today. I think they might be the same ones that keep burning out. The instructions on the tree plugs say they use 2.5 volt, .43 watt. The replacement we used were 2.5 volt, .425. So that shouldn't be the problem. I decided to leave it alone as far as replacing them and turn the tree around to where the burned out ones are next to the wall. But I read the papers that came with the tree. It says replace all burned out bulbs immediately to prevent overheating and a possible fire hazard. Hubby said the problem is not with any of the fuses as the lights would not come on if the fuse was bad. Anyone with any electrical knowledge here that might have some suggestions.

blueyedgirl5946 - Mixing SB type and ES type bulbs will cause problems:

"Within 2.5V bulbs there are two common current ratings as well, known as "SB" (super bright) and "ES" (Energey Saving). If you put a 2.5ES bulb into a string of 2.5SB bulbs, the new ES bulb will go out like a flashbulb. If you put an SB in an ES string, it will barely light up." - Google Search

For best results, stick with the wattage recommended for the string.

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[blueyedgirl5946]

blueyedgirl5946 - Mixing SB type and ES type bulbs will cause problems:

"Within 2.5V bulbs there are two common current ratings as well, known as "SB" (super bright) and "ES" (Energey Saving). If you put a 2.5ES bulb into a string of 2.5SB bulbs, the new ES bulb will go out like a flashbulb. If you put an SB in an ES string, it will barely light up." - Google Search

For best results, stick with the wattage recommended for the string.

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This post is very helpful. I looked again at the white sticker on the Christmas tree. There is nothing that designates SB or ES for the type bulb. The packages with the replacement bulbs in them does not designate whether the replacements are ES or SB. I am going to town today so I can look at the Super Wal Mart there and see what they have for the volts and wattage. All the packages I have say .425 for the wattage, not 0.43. When I did an internet search for the replacements non came up0.43, but I am going to do some more looking.

 

[weebeasties]

My electrical knowledge is basically nil, but my experience with fighting Christmas lights is VAST. I don't know what kind of lights you have, but most of ours have 2 fuses per strand. We have had strands that would only light up half the strand but after replacing both fuses they lit up perfectly. That being said, if the replacement lights lit up and then died again, I would think that there could be a short in the strand itself. If that is what you are dealing with, then the strand should be replaced.
Many years ago we bought a prelit tree and the lights only lasted one Christmas. The second year so many lights didn't work we decided to painstakingly remove all those preinstalled strands and use our own lights. It was a PAIN, but totally worth it because (in my opinion) I did a much better job of weaving them among the branches so you couldn't see the wires.

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

My electrical knowledge is basically nil, but my experience with fighting Christmas lights is VAST. I don't know what kind of lights you have, but most of ours have 2 fuses per strand. We have had strands that would only light up half the strand but after replacing both fuses they lit up perfectly. That being said, if the replacement lights lit up and then died again, I would think that there could be a short in the strand itself. If that is what you are dealing with, then the strand should be replaced.
Many years ago we bought a prelit tree and the lights only lasted one Christmas. The second year so many lights didn't work we decided to painstakingly remove all those preinstalled strands and use our own lights. It was a PAIN, but totally worth it because (in my opinion) I did a much better job of weaving them among the branches so you couldn't see the wires.

We have not replaced any of the fuses. I didn't think there was but one fuse in each strand of lights. For the time being I am leaving them alone. It is only ten days until Christmas anyway and the tree can be taken down. Then I will look at that bottom portion in detail and see if we can figure out anything else to try. If not, the choices are to toss it out and buy another tree, or cut out that strand of lights and add a strand there, then put it all away until next year.