Facts About Indoor Christmas Light Sets By Joe Willmeth At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Christmas Light Construction.

Most Christmas lights today use a parallel wiring system. Parallel wiring provides more than one path of electricity for each light bulb to follow. The parallel lights have two wires and each light bulb has its own positive and negative wires.. After the current leaves the light bulb it follows two or more paths before returning to the main electrical source. With a parallel wire system if one light bulb burns out the rest of the lights remains on.

Safety Instructions for Christmas Lights.

To reduce the risk of overheating the lights, you should always replace any burned out light bulbs promptly. The same wattage replacement bulbs as the original strand of lights should be used. The voltage of the light strand does not change when another set of light strand is added. What does change is the number of watts used. This increase in wattage increases the amount of current that passes through the electrical wire and light bulbs. Too much current flowing through the electrical wires and the light bulbs will cause excess heat causing the light bulbs to burn out sooner. Most Christmas lights have fuses to limit the amount of current that passes through the light strands. Over heating of the electrical wires may cause electrical fires.

When using Christmas tree lights these basic precautions should be followed.

o Holiday Christmas lights are not intended for permanent installation or use.
o Do not puncture the insulation of the light sets with staples or nails.
o When hanging the holiday lights do not place the insulated wire on sharp objects.
o Do not let the Christmas holiday light bulbs rest on the light string supply cords or other electrical devices.
o Do not mount or place Christmas lights near electric or gas heaters, candles fireplaces or other heat sources.
o Unplug the lights when leaving the house, if the Christmas tree lights are left unattended or when retiring for the night.
o To avoid risk of fire, burns, personal injury and electric shock the Christmas holiday lights should not be played with or placed where small children can reach them.
o Do not mount or support the light sets in a manner that can cut or damage them.
o Do not close your doors or windows on the Christmas holiday lights or the extension cords since this may damage the wire insulation.
o Do not cover the Christmas holiday light bulbs with paper, cloth or any other material.
o Always unplug your Christmas lights before installing or replacing the Christmas light bulbs.
o If your Christmas lights are equipped with push-in type bulbs, do not twist the light bulbs. Pull the light bulb straight out of the light socket.
o If you’re Christmas lights are equipped with the threaded screw in bulbs. Make sure that you do not over tighten the glass bulbs causing the protective glass covering to crack or break.
o To reduce the risk of overheating, replace any burned out bulbs promptly. Use the proper light bulbs with the same voltage and wattage.
o Do not overload the electrical wiring by adding to many additional light sets. Only connect up to the recommended amount of light sets [usually three sets if not stated in instructions] on one continues light string.

Christmas Lights With Overload Fuses:

A blown fuse indicates an overloaded circuit. You will need to reduce the amount of wattage that flows through the electrical wire and bulbs. Reduce the number of light sets that are connected to the circuit. A blown fuse may also be caused by a short-circuit and this light short-circuit set should be discarded.

1.) Always unplug your lights before installing or replacing the fuses.

2.) Slide the fuse access cover open.

3.) Remove the fuses carefully making sure that you do not break the glass protective cover.

4.) To avoid the risk of fire replace the blown out fuses with the same amp and volt fuses that were provided with the original holiday lights.

5.) Slide the light fuse cover closed so that all fuse metal tabs are latched into place.

6.) To avoid the risk of fire do not replace the factory plug itself. The factory plugs contain a safety device (fuse) that should not be removed. Discard the holiday light set if the plug is damaged in any way.

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