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Written by Lin Honeycutt
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Friday, 04 January 2008 |
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How do I find a bad or loose bulb?
Sometimes, this is more frustration than it is worth. Most of the time you are much better off to spend your time and money on replacing the entire string.  However, if you have the patience and time, first, push on and physically touch each and every bulb to see if it starts the string working. If so, then you have found the source of the problem. If you have multiple lights out, this technique will probably not work. The very best and quickest way is to invest in the tester pictured on the right. This tester comes with instructions and can easily find bad bulbs. Remember; always replace the bulbs with the same voltage bulb. Refer to the light string tag for voltage identification.
How do I animate my outdoor decorations?
There are lots of ways to animate electronically. Most ways can be very expensive.  For the average homeowner, we recommend a Channel Controller. The Controllers we sell are inexpensive, however, they are not waterproof. You are responsible for water- proofing controllers after you purchase them. We sell (1 Function) through (4 Function) Controllers. Each Controller is easily plugged into separate strings of lights that give you the animation you are trying to achieve. Each Controller can hold no more that 250 bulbs. Adding more bulbs will burn out the Controller prematurely.
Waterproofing the Controller.
The only method to achieve 100% waterproofing with a Controller is to install the Controller in a waterproof electrical box. We realize this can be expensive for the average homeowner therefore, we have found using a freezer zip lock bag, wrapped with duct tape where the Controller wires exit the bag, works fairly well. It is a good idea to check each bag after every rain to verify the seal has worked properly. In addition, a small hole at the bottom of the bag is good to allow any water collected to drain soon after the rain stops. This hole also will help with condensation. Tie the bag at the bottom of your decoration about 6 inches off the ground with a tie strap (cable tie), never letting the bag touch the ground. Another solution is to purchace a Waterproof Controller Box frum our Store. The item picture here is in the Assessories Catagory. 
How can I make my yard look better?
Homeowners have different tastes of how they feel a well-decorated yard should look. To some, the tackier the better! On the other hand, some homeowners go nuts when they see one bulb burnt out of the 800,000 they have in their yard! After doing this for more than 20 years, our experience, different and new, is the key to having a breath-taking yard at Christmas. Something your neighbors and community do not have. One consideration is having different themes in your yard. For example, having a Religious theme in one area, and perhaps a Santa theme in another, is a good starting place. Continue to add to those themes yearly until you achieve the desired look and then start another theme. Many homeowners spend weeks and months preparing their yard for the Christmas season. Always remember, what matters most, is continuing to share the light of the Christmas Spirit and not forgetting what the true meaning of Christmas is all about!
Tape vs. Clips
The Holiday Light Store is proud to use clips to attach our lights to the frame.  Some competitors however, use tape. We have found after years of experience, that clips last much longer than tape. Not only does the tape deteriorate after a couple of years, it is a lot more work to rebuild the frame after it has gotten in bad shape by having to cut the tape off of the frame. Don't make this mistake. You will regret that you purchased the product after 2 or 3 years.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 07 November 2008 )
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