LED Christmas lights are long-lasting, safe and strong

LEDs have been used for decades in a range of products, but LED Christmas lights are a recent innovation. This is because the original LEDs were only available in red.

Today LED lights come in every colour, shape and style. They produce a light that is brighter and more intensely coloured than incandescent bulbs. And unlike incandescent bulbs, the colour will not fade or change over time.

LEDs are longer lasting

Some manufacturers claim that LED lights will last for 200,000 hours of illumination. This is probably over-optimistic, but it’s true that LED lights last much, much longer than any incandescent or fluorescent bulb. The longevity of LED lights is due to the absence of a filament.

LEDs are safer

In incandescent bulbs filaments got hot and burnt out. This was not only a nuisance but a potential fire risk. Instead, a LED passes electricity through a semiconductor material that glows brightly in response. The fact that energy is not wasted in producing heat, means that LEDs use much less electricity, saving you money. No heat means the bulbs are easier to handle and are a lot safer.

LEDs are stronger

Instead of the glass bulbs used by incandescent lights, LED lights have a nearly unbreakable plastic casing. If you’ve ever broken a Christmas light bulb and had to deal with glass shards and spiky filaments on the floor, you’ll immediately see the value of unbreakable Christmas lights.

Outdoor LED lights

However, LED Christmas lights are unfortunately subject to moisture problems. In wet conditions, water can condense inside the bulbs, leading to the metal parts of the light becoming rusty and unusable. If you plan to use LED lights outdoors, it’s a good idea to invest in light covers. Consider installing them close to the walls of your house, where the eaves can help protect them from rain or snow.

If you’re in the market for Xmas lights this year, or if your old incandescent bulbs are starting to look faded and tatty, LED Christmas lights will brighten your Christmas.

Christmas lights brighten the festive mood

To get the most from your Christmas lights this festive season, here are some tips to consider.

Choosing the right type of Christmas light

The big question when buying lights is which type of bulb you want: incandescent or LED? Incandescent bulbs are cheaper and easier to find, but LED bulbs use less electricity and last longer. LED lights are the better investment if you plan to reuse the lights over several years. LED bulbs also produce much less heat than incandescent bulbs, meaning LED lights are safer.

Choosing the right style

Do you want single colour lights or multiple colour lights? Do you want flashing lights or novelty lights? Using only red or white lights will add a classical look to your Christmas decorations. Multiple colours can be used to match a decoration theme, with green, yellow and red lights being firm festive favourites. Novelty and flashing lights are great fun and are more eye-catching than standard lights. Icicle lights, bubble lights, mock candles, and other unusual designs are a great way to add some of your own humour and personality to a lighting display.

Be prepared with spare bulbs

Whatever type of lights you choose, be sure to stock up on spare bulbs. Improved cord design means that one bad bulb won’t make an entire strand go dark, but burned-out bulbs are still unattractive. So make sure you have some replacement bulbs handy to keep your lights shining bright.

How many lights to use

For decorating the tree, 75 bulbs for every foot of the tree’s height will give you the perfect illuminated look. Double that if you’re using miniature bulbs. When using multiple strands, get ones with end-to-end plugs to simplify connecting them. Try and use as few power points as possible, this will reduce clutter and avoid potential safety hazards.

Planning your outdoor lights

For outdoor decoration, don’t assume you can use indoor lights. Outdoor lights are designed to be safe in wintery weather, indoor lights are not. You’ll also need to consider how to get power to your outdoor lights. If you’re planning an large outdoor light display, talk with an electrician about installing an external power point. You may also want to look into solar-powered lights to help save on your electric bill.

Using light timers

If you’ve ever forgotten to turn the lights off, then consider a timer. Having a timer will save you the bother of switching your lights on and off. Automating the use of your lights will increase their lifespan and reduce the electricity used. By carefully controlling the time your Christmas lights are on, you can save money.

The most important thing is to have fun, and know that all your efforts will be rewarded with a beautiful and unique display of Christmas lights.

Question: How many people does it take to change a Christmas light bulb?

Answer: Just one. A person who knows what they’re doing.

Here’s the lowdown on Christmas light bulbs to save you from a festive headache this year.

Know Your Bulbs

Do you know your C7s from your LEDs? If not, here’s what you need to know.

C7 & C9 Lights

These larger, more robust 5 to 10 watt bulbs have been around for a while and are mainly used as outdoor lights.

Because of the high levels of heat these bulbs produce, it isn’t advisable to use them indoors.

A big advantage of the old-fashioned C7 & C9 bulbs, is that they’re wired parallel to each other, meaning that if one bulb goes it won’t effect any of the others.

Mini Lights

Invented in the 1970s, Mini Lights remain the most popular type of bulbs for festive decorations, both inside and outside the home.

They use much smaller bulbs than C7s and C9s (only 2.5 watts), making them cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly.

Unfortunately, the original Mini Lights were wired in a series, meaning that when one bulb blew or came loose, the whole lot went out. However,  later versions use what’s known as an ‘internal shunt’ to ensure the problem no longer occurs.

LED Lights

Light Emitting Diodes or LEDs are the modern way to light up your home at Christmas.

Despite only being tiny, LED Christmas lights are built strong and can last well in excess of 20 years.

They also use far less electricity than Mini Lights, making them even more environmentally and economically friendly.

Locate the Problem

If one bulb goes out out on your Christmas lights, it’s easy enough to buy a replacement bulb and fix the problem.

However, if all the lights have gone out, there’s a couple of things that could be causing the issue.

Check the Fuse

Checking the fuse hasn’t blown is a good idea. You can do this by carefully unscrewing the plug and pulling out the fuse.

Examine the inside and if you see the small thin wire connecting the two ends is broken then the fuse is blown. Similarly if it a small tubular bulb fuse you can see if the filament inside is connected or broken.

It’s worth noting that many sets of Christmas lights include a spare fuse, as this is a common problem, especially when multiple strings of lights have been connected together.

Check the Connections

As previously mentioned, some Christmas lights are wired in a series, meaning that if one bulb is loose or blown, then none of the lights will come on.

Turn the power off, ensure all of the bulbs are firmly in place and try switching them on again. You might find that one loose bulb was causing the problem.

If one of the bulbs has blown, then the problem is slightly more difficult to solve. You need to locate the faulty bulb, which is difficult to do without being able to turn the lights on. Fortunately, you can buy a Christmas light tester, which is purpose-built for this one job.

Buying Replacement Bulbs

Hunting down the replacement bulbs you need for your Christmas lights can be an arduous task. Fortunately, Snowtime have a fantastic range of Spare  Bulbs to save you from traipsing around.

Make sure you check the box that your Christmas lights came in, as spares are often supplied, which might well save you the added expense. The packaging should also tell you exactly what kind of bulbs you need to get, which saves you the job of having to find out.

But if you no longer have the original box or can’t find the information, fear not.

Most sets of 10 mini lights require 12 volt replacement bulbs to light up properly. Sets of 20 require 6 volt bulbs and sets of 35 and up need 2.5 volts. Make sure you have one of the original bulbs with you, so you can find a replacement that’s the correct style and size.

Changing a Christmas Light Bulb

Like anything to do with electricity, make sure you take special care when changing a bulb on your Christmas lights. Here’s a step by step:

1. Turn the power off and unplug your Christmas lights.
2. Grip the bulb by it’s plastic base and carefully maneuver it out of it’s socket.
3. You should now be able to separate the bulb from it’s base by bending the wire at the bottom of the bulb, until they’re straight.
4. Now slip the replacement bulb into the base and bend the wire at the bottom to fasten it in place.
5. Finally, reinsert the base with the new bulb into the socket, making sure the wires line up with the contacts.