Christmas Lights Burned Out? Here’s An Easy Way To Fix It

We've been decorating for Christmas ever since Thanksgiving night. We put Christmas lights on our porch, up on the ceiling of our main floor, and even around door frames. Of course, we have multiple strands on the Christmas tree as well. We have a very festive home.

Every year it's a struggle to find a string of lights that is completely lit up. We've even been buying LED lights in recent years, hoping that will help with the problem. It does help some, but it still happens.

Read More: Your Holiday Decorations Could Win You $500!

So how do you fix the lights? Some people just throw them out and buy a new set (guilty as charged). This year I decided to try to save a few bucks and actually replace the burnt-out bulb.

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So, I went to YouTube and realized I already have a really useful tool for finding the burnt-out bulb. It's called a non-contact voltage tester. 

You can get one for as little as $20. You can really find them anywhere, even at Walmart. The way it works is you work your way along the Christmas light string with it plugged in and press the voltage tester to the wire before and after each bulb. Eventually, you'll find a spot where it won't light up. Bingo! There you have it.

In traditional lights, you can sometimes spot the burnt-out bulb because it may have a burn mark.

YouTube Gadget Reboot has a handy video that shows you how to do it. He even explains how the wiring works in a diagram.

Hopefully this will help alleviate holiday decorating stress. When you're done with your decorating, make sure you submit your photo to our Light Up The Northland contest and you could win $500!