If one light bulb make the rest go out how do you find which lightbulb burned out?

Question

I have a spiral christmas tree and one whole row has burned out, how do I find the one I need to replace without replacing them all? You can't replace them one by one because what if two of them burned out? ANY IDEA OR REMIDY WILL HELP!!!!

Answer 1

You can purchase a Christmas light tester for under $5 that you can keep and use for other purposes as well.

You plug a strand of lights that is not working into a wall socket and point the left end of the tester at a bulb. If the bulb is getting power (even if it is not lit), then the LED on the tester will light when you push the button. If the bulb is not getting power -- because a bulb upstream is loose or burned out -- then the LED on the tester will not light.

Here's an example of a tester for $3.99
http://www.acehardware.com/sm-christmas-light-tester-809420ai--pi-1870388.html

Wishing you a wonderful holiday...

p.s. It might seem easier to buy a new strand of lights than to pay for bulbs and a tester, but keep in mind that you will have this tester for years to come. Also, these testers can be used to tell you whether the outlet has power or not and can sometimes help you find where wires are running through the walls as well.

Answer 2

The best way to find the burnt bulb would be with a multimeter that measured resistance/continuity. Start by unplugging the lights and putting one lead on one of the terminals . Put the other inside the outlet where the first bulb would be. If you have continuity then you are on the right terminal , if not then just switch the lead to the other prong on the terminal. Now I would replace the bulb in the first light and take one out in the middle of the strand. Check for continuity, if you have it then the burnt bulb would be further down the strand. If you do not then it would be before that bulb. Continue checking in 50% increments and you will soon find your burnt bulb. You can also check the bulb itself by putting the leads on each side of the bulb on the metal contacts. After replacing the bulb then you can check it by putting a lead on each side of the plug or by simply plugging it in. You can pick up a cheap multimeter at Sears starting out at around ten bucks. It will save you hours of frustration.

Answer 3

very often you could tell which one is undesirable by employing examining each and each bulb - some bulbs are tiny ones, some are extra beneficial and lined, yet conserving each and every physique as much as the mild mutually as nevertheless interior the socket often discloses a suspect. yet interior the top that's much less aggravation to get a field of alternative bulbs and replace the lot of them. Then flow in the process those you took out, and empty a socket interior the working lights and placed each and every physique into it and toss the single(s) that don't artwork.

Answer 4

It's a tedious task, but take one bulb out and put in the replacement. If it still doesn't work, put the old bulb back in and move on to the next bulb. Keep doing it until the strand works again.

Answer 5

If you suspect two or more bulbs are bad in the same string you simply take one bulb out of a working string and systematically put a bulb from the not working string into that empty socket. When you find a bad bulb replace it with a good one and continue on until you reach the other end of the string or until it lights.

Answer 6

My Christmas lights did the same. My tree was only lit up in the middle area only. I ended up taking the lights off my big tree to use on my 4 foot tree. Now everything is fine.

Answer 7

if it's just one strand of lights, you'd be best off just replacing that strand, but I suggest finding a replacement light bulb and switching it with each one on the strand until it works again, tedious, but its the only way.

Answer 8

you unscrew them get a baseball bat beat them to a pulp(this realives frustraition), and put in new ones! ^_*