Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Holiday Outdoor Decorating - Let's Get Down To It!, 2 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Happy--

Many times, when lights quit working, there are likely 2 reasons why.

1--The itsy bitsy little fuses that are inside the plug-in part of the cord need replacing
(Did you know there were 2 of these inside the plugs?).
OR---
2--If you pull out the light--there are 2 wires that are folded back on each side of the bulb.
These make the "contact" so the electric can flow from light to light--uninterrupted.
if even ONE of these little wires slip off of the side of the bulb--the chain will not work.
Even if a bulb just burns out (will have black inside)--the line will still work as the base of the
bulb still provides the needed contact.

It is a tedious job to pull each light out and look at the lights. But--you can do it while watching TV.
When I am packing up my lights for the next year--I check each string as I fold it up.
I plug in the string as I work--and when I touch the faulty-connected bulb--the string will go out.
Then, all you have to do is pull out the bulb, check the little wire, straighten it out and replace the bulb
Or--if the bulb is burned out--replace the bulb.


NOW! Before you throw out a whole chain of lights--remove a bunch of bulbs that you can use as replacements.
Also--remove all those little fuses from the plug. You will then have a good supply for replacing the ones that are used up.
Look for a little "drawer" on one side of the plug. Use the tip of a knife, of similar, to pull it open.
There is a small ridge that will give you a place to pull by.
If your string of lights comes with that small plastic baggie with a few extra bulbs--there will also be a couple extra fuses in there.

Judy--I do the same thing as Jen--I cut up my cards for gift tags. Takes a trained eye to visualize where you can fold it
and still have a nice picture on top--and all blank inside. I have a box-full--as I seldom use tags.
Need to donate these away--somewhere. Any ideas???

Look here: Now--IF you already knew this--please ignore! Gita