Light strings

While I think of it pick up some of those small trash can bags while you're out snatching up the post-Christmas sale items. We coil the light strings, secure with a twist tie or two, and put in the bag, one string per bag. Help keeps the lights from tangling, plus packs flatter.

- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

  • I've seen the Ghost of Christmas Past and he's shaped like a credit card.
Reply to
barry martin
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i just take some carboard boxes and cut some pieces out like dog bones about4 inches by 18 in. long and run about four or five sets of light onto each one, dont have to unplug then at all and next year you just unroll them like pulling a thread from a spool... the take all the "bones" and put in a large plastic storage box and stack the boxes in the garage.. worked well for the past five years or so...

Reply to
jim

No need to buy trash bags. Recycle the plastic shopping bags. One string in one bag, fold the top, and pack into xmas storage box.

Reply to
Phisherman

Another neat trick -

Get yourself a voltage detector, about 10 bucks at the Borg. It looks like a yellow magic marker with a red tip.

When you have a string that doesn't light, plug it in and find which way the power is coming from - either one end or the other (since mini lights are a series "loop") pass the tip of the voltage detector along each bulb until you get to the one that doesn't light the detector, the bulb before that is the one that's bad.

I just fixed about 12 strings of old lights in under 20 minutes. So now I don't need to shop the 75% off sales =:-)

Reply to
HA HA Budys Here

if you talking about the cheap one go out they all go out lights there here is the question: do you attache the volt detector to the socket of the burned out light or do you just pass it over the bulb??? similar to a clamp on amp meter????? i know how to use an amprobe clamp on(over) to test for draw on the amps, but never hear of a voltage that would show up via inductange???? is this how it works???? thanks....

Reply to
jim

Yes, though more like - one bulb gets LOOSE they all go out. Burned out bulbs, no problem the set still works.

there

No connection, it's like a pen. No attaching anything.

Yes, somehow it detects probably it senses the 60hz.

I see now Noma and GE are making "Stay-Lit" sets which will continue to light even if you pull bulbs out. There's a shunt built into each socket. By next year the cost of these should come down considerably. BUt I still like my older sets which have thinner more flexible wiring thats far easier to work with.

Reply to
HA HA Budys Here

More like $15.62 + tax at Lowes in Georgia.

Does work, however.

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Reply to
Bill Reynolds

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