# Why do all the Xmas lights go out??

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-the-xmas-lights-go-out/606919>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 21, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-the-xmas-lights-go-out/606919 "2011-12-21T03:58:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-the-xmas-lights-go-out/606919/21 "2011-12-22T02:52:07Z")

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Loose, missing or broken bulbs.

Top causes which defeat the shunt feature and break the circuit clean.

100% LED here. Carry on.

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**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-the-xmas-lights-go-out/606919/22 "2011-12-22T04:49:53Z")

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> [@Mdcastleman](#):
>
> It wasn’t that much trouble just to simply take a known good bulb and try replacing them one by one, since the typical string had 7 or 8 bulbs and were easy to unscrew as opposed to 50 bulbs that you often have to pry out with pliers or your fingernails.

But it was hell when two bulbs had burned out or the known “good” one wasn’t.

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**Author:** ![Reginald\_Hobbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@Reginald\_Hobbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reginald_Hobbes)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-the-xmas-lights-go-out/606919/23 "2011-12-26T16:08:22Z")

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> [@johnpost](#):
>
> modern lights are wired in series thought if they say that “if one goes out, the rest stay lit.” then there is a shunt in the bulb to allow electricity to flow even with a burnt out bulb. these can be poor quality products and not always work.

My FIL bought one of [these](http://www.amazon.com/Lightkeeper-Pro-Miniature-Light-Repairing/dp/B0049CNW2S).  
I was skeptical, but it actually worked. Not 100% of the time, but we fixed all but one of the bad sections on our pre-lit tree.

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