DFW Christmas Lights (214) 257-8155

By Maria Bargellini of DFW Christmas Lights

Looking for a beautiful, hassle-free lighting display this holiday season? Here’s a few tips to help you out.

Decorating Your Christmas Tree

The most recognizable symbol of the holiday season is the family tree. Whether you call it a Christmas tree or a Holiday tree, decorating  it can be a challenge. Keeping that in mind, we suggests 3 simple tips to make your tree more beautiful―and your decorating easier―than it has ever been.

Tip #1: Keep replacements on hand

Some of us like to change it up every few years by simply switching things like the lighting. Such as clear bulbs on year 1, multi colored on year 2 and maybe all red in year 3. Whether you change them or not-when you find the perfect light sets for your tree, you want to make sure that you have replacements that match. Buy a set or two more than you need in case a string goes bad sometime over the holiday season. You can also wait until the Christmas season ends and get a few on sale as back ups or to change out colors in the future. Also make sure you keep all those little packages of replacement bulbs. Unfortunately you can not “borrowing” bulbs from another set as they may cause early burnouts and can be potentially dangerous. For more on replacing bulbs click here.

Tip #2: Test your lights first

Now I hate to admit this but I too have does this before (way way way in the beginning ). So you’ve decorated the entire tree and like any good Griswold you go to light it only to notice afterward that 1 or more light strings are dead. Now you have to go in search of the culprit. But no worries, this can very easily be avoided.  Simply roll out and plug in each set of lights in to make sure they work before hand. Test for burned out bulbs, partially dead strings, any flickering, fuses etc. You can use a tester to make it easier to find which bulbs are causing the problems. Save yourself the hassle and embarrassment of having to redecorate your tree again.  For more on how to maintain your lights click here.

Tip #3: Light your tree section by section

The decorating standard is to use a 100 light strand for every 1 foot of tree. Almost all pre lit 6′ trees will have 600 lights on them. Of course if you have a narrow tree or some form of Charlie Brown Tree you will need less lights. Don’t light the entire tree all at once. To make sure your tree is evenly lit, hang the lights section by section and make corrections as you go. You might also try following an “S” or “wave” pattern instead of simply “tornado wrapping” your tree.

Please search our archives for more articles on Holiday Lighting and samples of our work. DFW Christmas Lights and The Outdoor Lighting Expert are owned and operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc, a full service landscape contractor.

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By Maria Bargellini of DFW Christmas Lights

So you have a great tree in the front and you want to light it this Christmas but you haven’t a clue as to what it cost or how to do it–No worries. This short article will help you figure out if your tree is a good canidate for lights, different lighting techniques and other details you ‘ll find interesting.

Large Lit Trees

Live Oaks, Red/White Oaks, Cedars, and many more types make for great lighted trees. These trees are usually around 15-20 feet tall and 12-20″ in diameter. They often have a large trunk,  low lying branches and enough electricity available for 60 set of lights.

Trunks: The larger the trunk the more lights will be needed to wrap around them. If the branches of your tree don’t start until 20 feet you will most likely end up with a lit trunk only.

Branches: Trees like Live Oaks have limbs that can extend up to 40 feet. Now you don’t have to go all the way to the ends for a good looking tree — but if you’re not hiring a professional Christmas Light installer do please

Ornamental Trees

These are typically 6-12 feet tall

You can light any tree with the right technique. The most striking trees are large trunked with low lying branches. If the tree has very high limbs it will take many lights to reach them. In most cases people just opt for a trunk wrap.

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Unfortunately Holiday Lighting comes with a bit of maintenance. There’s bulbs, fuses and sometimes even wires to be replaced. If you have light sets from different manufactures it’s important that you keep the extras that come in the packaging labeled so that you don’t mix the bulbs as they do not all burn at the same amperage and are not to be used with other sets. Say you have a set that uses .01amp bulbs and you replace it with a .3 amp bulb. This will cause your set to eventually malfunction.

How to Replacement a Bulb

1. Hold the plug and remove it from the receptacle or other outlet device. Do not pull on the cord.
2. Pinch the grooves on the sides of the socket. Gently pull the lamp base upwards. Some can be tight and you may need a tool like a needle nose plier. Don’t squeeze too hard.
3. Align the grooves in the base of the replacement lamp with the grooves in the socket.
4. Gently push the lamp into the socket until you hear a snap.
5. Replace the lamp only with a matching lamp from the set. Try to keep your extras labeled to avoid confusion in later years.
6. In case the lamp base of new replacement lamp does not fit lamp holder:
   • Remove the lamp from its base by straightening the wires and pulling the lamp out of the base.
   • Insert the new lamp into the base by fitting wires thought the two holes in the bottom of the base and then bending the wires up onto the sides of the base.
   • Insert the completed lamp/base unit into lamp holder.

Fuse Replacement

1. Hold the plug and remove it from the receptacle or other outlet device. Don’t pull on the cord.
2. Open the fuse cover. Slide the open panel located on the top of the attachment plug towards the blades to expose the two fuses.
3. Remove the fuse carefully by turning the attachment plug over.
4. To avoid the risk of fire, replace the fuse only with the correct amperage replacement fuse (check packaging).
5. Close the fuse cover by sliding the panel on top of the attachment plug.

Disclaimer

Please note: This information is just a general guideline to assist you in your project. With any electrical product or situation there is a risk of electrical shock. DFW Christmas Lights and it’s parent company, Dallas Curb Appeal accepts no liability for the content of this article, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this e-mail are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company-Risk of fire. Do not replace attachment plug. Contains a safety device (fuse) that should not be removed. Discard product if the attachment plug is damaged.

DFW Christmas Lights and The Outdoor Lighting Expert are owned and operated by Dallas Curb Appeal.

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Click here for Part I of this article

Power Setup

You don’t need to read your electric bill to know that outdoor Christmas lights can draw a huge amount of power. 100 feet of incandescent C9 bulbs, for instance, draw 3 and half times more power than most televisons! Needless to say, if you plug too many light strings into one plug, you will quickly overload that circuit.

Most homes have a 16 amp plug in the front and back yard; however, that circuit is usually shared with a room in the home, so not all 16 amps are usable. If you are planning a large Christmas light display, it is wise to calculate the number of amps your Christmas lights and decorations draw to make sure it is far less than 16 amps.

Amperage is usually posted on the UL tag at one end of your light string. If it is not, use this formula to determine the amperage of your light strings:

Number of Feet x Number of Watts Per Bulb / 125 Volts = Number of Amps

Using the example above:

100 Feet of C9 Bulbs x 7 Watts per Bulb / 125 Volts = 5.6 Amps.

Assuming other electrical devices are not using this circuit, you could plug additional lights or decorations into your outdoor plug. However, you should check the UL tag for maximum connections (usually 3) before plugging additional lights in end-to-end.

Note: Most Mini Light strings are not rated in watts, but amps, so the math is done for you.

Disclaimer

Please note: This information is just a general guideline to assist you in your project. With any electrical product or situation there is a risk of electrical shock. DFW Christmas Lights and it’s parent company, Dallas Curb Appeal accepts no liability for the content of this article, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this e-mail are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company-

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Maintenance

To date there aren’t any Christmas lights that are manufactured here in the US, but we use millions of lights. Manufacturing so many lights for consumption with only months to prepare has led to holiday decorations notoriously being poorly manufactured and unreliable. Our Christmas lights are commercial grade, with greater durability and quality than our competitors. The following guide offesr advice and solutions to the most common Christmas light problems whether you’re using our lights or your own.

WHEN LIGHTS FAIL

1. Check that all circuits are on and that all plugs are plugged into a sufficient power source.
2. Check the plug fuses of the light set. If the filament within the fuse is broken, replace the fuse. It is also sometimes necessary to spread plug prongs of plugs to insure circuit contact. This is a common problem.
3. While the light set is plugged into a sufficient current, run a finger slowly over the bulb tops. If the light set comes on while touching a particular bulb, this bulb is most likely causing a short in the circuit. Remove and replace this bulb. In this case, the wire was not making contact with the light socket.
4. Check that the appropriate amount of light sets are plugged into each other, end to end. There should be no more than two (2) sets of lights plugged into each other.
5. If the lights are plugged into an extension cord, there may be an overload. Make sure there are not too many lights plugged into the cord. Also check the plug fuse of the extension cord. *NOTE* It is always best to check any light set while it is plugged into a wall plug outlet.
6. Should a light set be burning brighter than normal, there are most likely more than eight (8) to fifteen (15) bulbs that have burned out. Find and replace those bulbs that are not working. Do not replace burned out bulbs while the light set is plugged in. This will cause a current surge and will burn out the new bulb.
7. When replacing a burned-out bulb in a mini light set, it is helpful to use a tester. This will dramatically simplify the repair of light sets on both trees and displays. To use the tester, plug one light set into the plug outlet on the light tester. Push the test button on the tester; a buzzing sound will come from any defective bulbs. Remove and replace the bulb(s). On light sets of over fifty lights (light spheres, 100 light sets, etc.), remove one bulb from the end of the set or sphere, and plug the light into the tester. Push the test button. Remove and replace the bulb. Continue testing each light until the defective light is found.

Power Setup–Click here for Part II of this article

You don’t need to read your electric bill to know that outdoor Christmas lights can draw a huge amount of power. 100 feet of incandescent C9 bulbs, for instance, draw 3 and half times more power than most televisons! Needless to say, if you plug too many light strings into one plug, you will quickly overload that circuit.

Most homes have a 16 amp plug in the front and back yard; however, that circuit is usually shared with a room in the home, so not all 16 amps are usable. If you are planning a large Christmas light display, it is wise to calculate the number of amps your Christmas lights and decorations draw to make sure it is far less than 16 amps.

Amperage is usually posted on the UL tag at one end of your light string. If it is not, use this formula to determine the amperage of your light strings:

Number of Feet x Number of Watts Per Bulb / 125 Volts = Number of Amps

Using the example above:

100 Feet of C9 Bulbs x 7 Watts per Bulb / 125 Volts = 5.6 Amps.

Assuming other electrical devices are not using this circuit, you could plug additional lights or decorations into your outdoor plug. However, you should check the UL tag for maximum connections (usually 3) before plugging additional lights in end-to-end.

Note: Most Mini Light strings are not rated in watts, but amps, so the math is done for you.

Disclaimer

Please note: This information is just a general guideline to assist you in your project. With any electrical product or situation there is a risk of electrical shock. DFW Christmas Lights and it’s parent company, Dallas Curb Appeal accepts no liability for the content of this article, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this e-mail are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company-

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