Christmas lights, ugh!
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Christmas lights, ugh!
| Tue, 11-30-2004 - 9:54pm |
Someone please help me out here. I am having one of my "I CAN do this without a man" moments. Jen and I went outside this evening and hung Christmas lights on the house. We tried the roof clips and that stunk so we whipped out the duck or duct tape, whatever it is. That looked really stupid. Then my neighbor came home and offered her staple gun, that was cool. So, we froze out tails off and hung the lights, it took about 6-8 strands to get across the front of the house. Jen held the ladder, that was sinking into the grass because we have had rain lately, while I stapled the lights up. When we were done we wound pine garland around the posts and around the little lamp post in the front yard. I hung a prety wreath on the front door. We turned the lights on and they looked wonderful! We were so proud..
We went in and ate beef stew and warmed up and got ready to go to my nephews birthday party. Yes, I took my young girlfriend to my ex's family event, but thats another story.
Anyway, when we shut the door all the lights went out :(
I tried the outlet and it works. I know because I plugged a radio into it and it worked. Soooo, please tell me I don't have to check all the strands individually, while on the ladder, in the cold. Or worse, all the lights, they are icicle ligts, millions of them. HELP, I have them all up and it took so long and they looked so nice, I am sad now. My neighbors must think I am weird, hanging them and then not turning them on...*sigh*
Sandra
We went in and ate beef stew and warmed up and got ready to go to my nephews birthday party. Yes, I took my young girlfriend to my ex's family event, but thats another story.
Anyway, when we shut the door all the lights went out :(
I tried the outlet and it works. I know because I plugged a radio into it and it worked. Soooo, please tell me I don't have to check all the strands individually, while on the ladder, in the cold. Or worse, all the lights, they are icicle ligts, millions of them. HELP, I have them all up and it took so long and they looked so nice, I am sad now. My neighbors must think I am weird, hanging them and then not turning them on...*sigh*
Sandra

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Just heared it is gonna be the coldest night so far..below freezing. where in OK do you live? I have family in Meeker- if you know where that is-I dont but I can get there.
Mandi Jewell
Sandr
beth
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Since you did not use the gutter clip on hooks these will be a tos to get down as well.
I would try to jiggle a part of the wires at a time while holding the rest still. If they flicker on and off or come on then for sure you stapled through the wire.
Use something non conductive such as wood to touch the wire because you do not want to get electrocuted if you have a hot wire exposed to the staple etc.
if you find that you have stapled through the wire you can by wire connectors and recconect the wire by crimping it back togather and covering it over with electrical tape for now. Some connectors already come completely covered and you just cut the wire and stick each end in to the connector and simply crimp each end.
If it is a bulb, good luck. lol
I hope this will help,
Hugs,
Laurie
P.S. As an electronics engineer I need to say, "Never ever staple wires!!!"
P.P.S.S.- Make sure all power is turned off to that switch from the fuse box while reconnecting the wire.
I don't know if wiggling the wires will help because the wire would have to be able to shake back in to it's connection. Try pushing up on the wires with a stick or other wooden object.
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My web pages
http://homepage.mac.com/lauriedav/PhotoAlbum1.html http://hometown.aol.com/didoangst/myhomepage/photo.html
beth
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LOL, Hugs, Sandra
Sandr
Sandr
Ok, here goes,
1) Find your fuse box. I hope you have by now.
2) One person switches the fuses off and on (left or right, or up and down.) While the other one stands at the switch with something that works plugged in to the outlet. This is also the person who will be shouting, "Still on," OR No. When you flip the correct switch/fuse, the item plugged in to the outlet will turn off.
NOW IT IS SAFE-
Go to home depot and ask the man for some wire connectors and a crimper and come home and
cut the stapled wire, then cut and pull the wire covering off, about a 1/4 inch to a 1/2 inch, then put one side of the wire in to one end of the connector and the otherside also stripped of the covering into the other end. Crimp each side of the connector as you put the wire in. Give it a gentle tug to make sure it is tight, that will let you know that it is connecting.
Or just tear them down after you find and turn off the correct fuse?switch.
Do not forget to go back and turn the fuse?switch back on.
You will be turning other things on and off wile searching for the right fuse, so do not panic.
If the fuses are not labled already it would be a good idea to do it sometime before you blow a fuse. Make sure the fuse clicks back when turning it back to it's on position, that will let you know that it is reset from the off position.
This should work with no problems.
I would just unplug the lights before you use the outlet if you have not already. Then you can fix them in the day time.
Let me know how it turns out.
Hugs,
My web pages
http://homepage.mac.com/lauriedav/PhotoAlbum1.html http://hometown.aol.com/didoangst/myhomepage/photo.html
My web pages
http://homepage.mac.com/lauriedav/PhotoAlbum1.html http://hometown.aol.com/didoangst/myhomepage/photo.html
I'm just gonna say... GOOD LUCK! It sounds like a major hassle to me! LOL!
But I bet they looked great :) LOL!
Hugs!
~C
Sandra, I applaud you for making the effort. I have absolutely no patience for stuff like that. Getting the lights on my tree is bad enough! LOL
I couldn't help snickering when I first read your post because it reminded me of the scene in "Christmas Vacation" when Clark totally wraps the house in lights, and then they won't come on. Everything in that movie cracks me up! Anyway, I'm glad you found the problem and hope you can safely fix it. Be careful!
Ting![]()
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