DGoddessChardonnay
11-24-2008, 01:48 AM
It's that time of year . . . we've been getting out Christmas decorations and getting the house ready somewhat for the holidays.
Right now, we've got our wreaths hung out under the windows around the house, which we did last Saturday, as the temperature got up to around 60. I wanted to get that done then instead of freezing my butt off digging the boxes and totes out of the building.
Our Christmas tree is also in the house and has been set up for the last 3 weeks. Needless to say, I started getting it decorated a couple of weeks ago and got it finished last weekend.
Then I started playing with a small tabletop tree that Mom has had for a number of years now. It's a beautiful gold thistle tree with miniature lights. I plugged it up last Saturday evening and none of the lights would come on.
So, last Sunday I started checking everything good. Got out the light tester (which also checks the wiring and fuses) . . . wiring was fine. Checked fuses - they were fine.
So, I start delicately digging into the tree - this tree can be dangerous;) and wouldn't you know - I end up replacing burnt out lights.
After running out of the pack of spares I did have in the junk drawer of the kitchen counter, I found a mini set of 20 lights that had not been opened. So, I started plucking out lights from that strand, taking the bulbs carefully out of the bases and putting them into the bases that fit into the strand on the tree. I think I replaced over half the lights.
Plugged it up, it worked. Set it up in the dining room on top of one of the antique chests by the table . . . . and it stayed lit for almost 10 minutes.
Damn. So here we go again . . . I end up replacing another 4 or 5 bulbs, then plugged it back in. It lit up again. All was well on that end . . .
So then it was plug up the Christmas tree time . . . we have a pre-lit tree with 3 strands plugged in end to end and held in place with numerous PITA clips. The middle and bottom strands were lit up fine. The top strand, wouldn't come on at all.
So, I started digging through and found several burnt out - which I replaced. Checked fuses too - they were fine. Climbed up on the ladder and reached the top of the tree and had to change out a couple of other bulbs. Then I tried plugging it up.
Still nothing. I got disgusted, had a drink and decided to try again later.
Flash forward to today:
The gold thistle tree in the dining room went dark last night. And I'm sure it's my fault - according to Mom. I made a comment Friday evening about it still being lit up, to which Mom told me to hush or the tree would hear me.
Apparently the tree heard it and died last night. :doh:
So, instead of playing with it today, I tried to get the top part of the tree fixed. So, I ended up taking off all the decorations from that part of the tree and lifting up the top out of the tree and took it into the dining room to work some more on it.
I ended up replacing almost 10 more bulbs - meaning I probably replaced just about every single bulb in that strand. Mom double checked the fuses and they were fine, but that strand still would NOT COME ON.
So, Mom went and threw on some clothes and we made a run to Wallyworld. I grabbed a 50-count mini light set, 2 packs of replacement bulbs and another pack of fuses. Stopped by McD's on the way home to pick up lunch and came in, ate and got the new strand put on the tree. The other strand was too much trouble to take off due to all the clips holding the wiring in place that we just left it on there. Stuck it back in the pole of the tree and, voila - we now have a completely lit tree.:D
Now I"ve just got to redo that stupid gold tree . . . meaning I'll probably take the strand off the tree and put another strand on it.
And if that doesn't work, I guess I"ll go find a gun somewhere and shoot the damn thing.:devil:
Right now, we've got our wreaths hung out under the windows around the house, which we did last Saturday, as the temperature got up to around 60. I wanted to get that done then instead of freezing my butt off digging the boxes and totes out of the building.
Our Christmas tree is also in the house and has been set up for the last 3 weeks. Needless to say, I started getting it decorated a couple of weeks ago and got it finished last weekend.
Then I started playing with a small tabletop tree that Mom has had for a number of years now. It's a beautiful gold thistle tree with miniature lights. I plugged it up last Saturday evening and none of the lights would come on.
So, last Sunday I started checking everything good. Got out the light tester (which also checks the wiring and fuses) . . . wiring was fine. Checked fuses - they were fine.
So, I start delicately digging into the tree - this tree can be dangerous;) and wouldn't you know - I end up replacing burnt out lights.
After running out of the pack of spares I did have in the junk drawer of the kitchen counter, I found a mini set of 20 lights that had not been opened. So, I started plucking out lights from that strand, taking the bulbs carefully out of the bases and putting them into the bases that fit into the strand on the tree. I think I replaced over half the lights.
Plugged it up, it worked. Set it up in the dining room on top of one of the antique chests by the table . . . . and it stayed lit for almost 10 minutes.
Damn. So here we go again . . . I end up replacing another 4 or 5 bulbs, then plugged it back in. It lit up again. All was well on that end . . .
So then it was plug up the Christmas tree time . . . we have a pre-lit tree with 3 strands plugged in end to end and held in place with numerous PITA clips. The middle and bottom strands were lit up fine. The top strand, wouldn't come on at all.
So, I started digging through and found several burnt out - which I replaced. Checked fuses too - they were fine. Climbed up on the ladder and reached the top of the tree and had to change out a couple of other bulbs. Then I tried plugging it up.
Still nothing. I got disgusted, had a drink and decided to try again later.
Flash forward to today:
The gold thistle tree in the dining room went dark last night. And I'm sure it's my fault - according to Mom. I made a comment Friday evening about it still being lit up, to which Mom told me to hush or the tree would hear me.
Apparently the tree heard it and died last night. :doh:
So, instead of playing with it today, I tried to get the top part of the tree fixed. So, I ended up taking off all the decorations from that part of the tree and lifting up the top out of the tree and took it into the dining room to work some more on it.
I ended up replacing almost 10 more bulbs - meaning I probably replaced just about every single bulb in that strand. Mom double checked the fuses and they were fine, but that strand still would NOT COME ON.
So, Mom went and threw on some clothes and we made a run to Wallyworld. I grabbed a 50-count mini light set, 2 packs of replacement bulbs and another pack of fuses. Stopped by McD's on the way home to pick up lunch and came in, ate and got the new strand put on the tree. The other strand was too much trouble to take off due to all the clips holding the wiring in place that we just left it on there. Stuck it back in the pole of the tree and, voila - we now have a completely lit tree.:D
Now I"ve just got to redo that stupid gold tree . . . meaning I'll probably take the strand off the tree and put another strand on it.
And if that doesn't work, I guess I"ll go find a gun somewhere and shoot the damn thing.:devil: