Was up all last night troubleshooting my pre-lit tree

[steppinthrax]

I guess this is what happens when you never change a bulb. Had to change around 100 burnt out or blacked incandescent bulbs in my tree last night. Now it glows as beautiful as it did when I bought it from the store. First part was understanding that mini-lights had two different voltages. Installing the wrong bulbs and they burned out immediately (not knowing why). Given the circumstances it was cheaper to simply buy a cheap string of lights and pull the bulbs from there.

I used the light keeper pro (gun) which is the only reason why I didn't throw the whole tree away.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/LightKeeper-Pro-Light-Keeper-Pro-Miniature-Light-Set-Repair-Tool/3097713

Now I have sore fingers and blood under my sore thumb nails!!!

 

[vraiblonde]

I admire your tenacity. When my string of lights goes kaput, I throw them away and get a new set.

 

[GWguy]

I used to debug and repair everything.

I'm so over that now.

 

[frequentflier]

I guess this is what happens when you never change a bulb. Had to change around 100 burnt out or blacked incandescent bulbs in my tree last night. Now it glows as beautiful as it did when I bought it from the store. First part was understanding that mini-lights had two different voltages. Installing the wrong bulbs and they burned out immediately (not knowing why). Given the circumstances it was cheaper to simply buy a cheap string of lights and pull the bulbs from there.

I used the light keeper pro (gun) which is the only reason why I didn't throw the whole tree away.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/LightKeeper-Pro-Light-Keeper-Pro-Miniature-Light-Set-Repair-Tool/3097713

Now I have sore fingers and blood under my sore thumb nails!!!

The husband bought a prelit tree years ago with white only bulbs which I HATE...pulled a majority of them out and replaced them with colored ones. Ended up with trigger thumb and had to have surgery to make it right again!

We rarely put up a tree or decorations and that is just fine with me.

Signed,
Scrooge

 

[steppinthrax]

I admire your tenacity. When my string of lights goes kaput, I throw them away and get a new set.

It was a fight between me and the tree. Or really me and planned obsolescence. If it were just a strand I would just buy a new one. But the tree was in great condition.

 

[calvcopf]

What a PITA! I will not buy another pre-lit tree!

 

[Grumpy]

What a PITA! I will not buy another pre-lit tree!

 

[RoseRed]

Or a fake tree.

 

[calvcopf]

Or a fake tree.

I always liked a fresh cut tree. But as I get older I get more lazy and don't like the needle mess on the floor.

 

[HeavyChevy75]

I light a Christmas tree smelling candle at night to give me the appearance of having a tree.

I have moved so many times in the last few years that my decorations are packed up and who knows which box they are in.

 

[GWguy]

I dig my 18" ceramic tree out of the basement, plug it in and I'm done.

 

[HeavyChevy75]

I always liked a fresh cut tree. But as I get older I get more lazy and don't like the needle mess on the floor.

Buy a glade candle - smell like a real one.

 

[RoseRed]

I always liked a fresh cut tree. But as I get older I get more lazy and don't like the needle mess on the floor.

I didn't do any Christmas decorating the last 4 years, so this year was a real treat to do so!

 

[Kyle]

My tree is up.