posted on December 12, 2000 03:22:33 PM new
I'm a first-time homeowner this year and I'm having problems with my outdoor Christmas lights. I strung together four strands -- three with the big bulbs and one with the little bulbs -- and lined my roof and hedge with them. The problem is the fuse keeps blowing.
I figure I probably strung too many together, but I see so many houses with just gobs and gobs of lights outside. They can't possibly have that many outlets, so don't they have to string a bunch together? Or do they use some kind of outdoor power strip? I don't even have an outlet outside my house in the front, so I have an extension cord coming out of the garage.
How do you do it with your outdoor Christmas lights?
posted on December 12, 2000 03:27:48 PM new
You DO have to use several extension cords. Usually you can only get away with 3, possibly 4 strings of lights. The real art is in keeping them hidden, finding outlets (as you suggest), and hoping the bill at the end of the month hasn't tripled.
posted on December 12, 2000 03:49:05 PM new
Ahhhhhhhh, I can answer this as a 30yr. homeowner. It took us 28 years of constantly dealing with blown fuses, tripping over extension cords, at least 1 set of lights that wouldn't work, and frayed tempers to find the solution to this problem.
2 lights, 1 for Santa and 1 for Frosty who stand vigil in the front yard. Tree lights showing through the window.
cariad
posted on December 12, 2000 04:02:01 PM new
OK, I'll go home and unhook some of those puppies... well, actually I'll probably do it this weekend during the daytime when it's light out. I'll see if I can rig up a second extension cord for the second pair of light strings, just so we're not the "lame dark house" this year!
Lswanson, cariad, femme -- thanks for the advice.
Next year I'll have a strategy in place! There are some very impressive light displays in my neighborhood which I can never hope to equal, but at least I can improve upon this year's setup (although cariad's idea sounds easier! )
Femme, you're right, it's very special having Christmas in my own house for the first time! My cats are loving the Christmas tree.
posted on December 12, 2000 06:25:57 PM new
rainy bear, for every long extension cord you have a greater the power drain.... it is better to have several short extension cords with not a lot of lights on each one, otherwise you will just keep blowing fuses all nite long.
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES attempt to put a differently rated fuse or a penny in place of a fuse. You can burn your house down. Spread the load over several outlets. You will find in an older home that your electric meter will start zizzing faster than an alarm clock on speed.... We did a modest display in our antique home and our electric bill would go up $150 dollars a month with and with/out lights.
If you use a power strip, please be sensible and do not use it outside or in your climate you will electrocute yourself. Also cover any junctions in cords/lights with plastic wrap to keep any moisture out.
posted on December 12, 2000 06:54:46 PM new
RainyBear, are you still using fuses, or are you on breakers? Our Christmas lights use to blow everytime I turned on the microwave. We ended up upgrading our electrical panel this year and adding new circuits to take the load. In our case, it wasn't just the Christmas lights. If I had the dining room light, the kitchen light, and the garage light on at the same time, the breaker would trip, and the lights on that circuit would all go out. Of course this always happened in the dark, in the rain, when I was barefoot, and after the dog pooped on the path to the electrical panel outside, where I'd have to go to flip the breaker. When we had the electrician upgrade our panel, we also had him put 3 exterior outlets in the front, and a couple in back. Electricians aren't cheap, but those exterior outlets make it so much easier for the Christmas lights, since we always put up lots. It was worth every penny!
posted on December 12, 2000 07:17:51 PM newOf course this always happened in the dark, in the rain, when I was barefoot, and after the dog pooped on the path to the electrical panel outside, where I'd have to go to flip the breaker.
KatyD, I'm sorry, but... LOL! Isn't that always how things work, going wrong at the worst possible time?
We have breakers in the house (built in 1978, so relatively modern), but the fuses that are blowing are the ones in the Christmas lights themselves.
Dejavu - good advice about not using a power strip outside or differently rated fuses. I'll be careful about what I do. I had no idea Christmas lights were such an undertaking! Then again, that seems to be the case with lots of home-related projects, though I wouldn't trade home ownership for apartment dwelling again if given the choice.
When we had the electrician upgrade our panel, we also had him put 3 exterior outlets in the front, and a couple in back. Electricians aren't cheap, but those exterior outlets make it so much easier for the Christmas lights, since we always put up lots. It was worth every penny!