It always happens on the night you have guests coming: you walk outside and part of the display is dark. The good news is that most outdoor Christmas light problems come down to a short list of causes, and you can usually find yours in a few minutes.
Work through these in order — easiest first.
The whole display is dark
Start at the power, not the lights.
- Check the timer. Is it set to the right time and still on the right schedule? Timers get bumped, and power outages can reset them.
- Check the GFCI outlet. Outdoor outlets have a reset button, and so might an outlet in the garage or a bathroom that's on the same circuit. Press reset.
- Check the breaker in your electrical panel.
- Plug something else in to make sure the outlet works.
It went dark after rain
This is the most common problem in South Florida. Water got into a connection and the GFCI outlet tripped — exactly as it should.
- Let everything dry out (often by the next afternoon), then reset the outlet.
- Find connections sitting on the ground, in a gutter or in a puddle, and lift them up.
- Make sure the outlet's cover closes over the plug.
If it trips again as soon as everything is dry, a strand or cord is likely damaged. Unplug strands one at a time to find which one trips it. More on this in our weatherproofing guide.
Half a strand (or one section) is out
On many LED mini-light strands, the bulbs are wired in sections. When one section goes dark, the cause is usually:
- A loose or missing bulb in that section. Push each bulb in firmly.
- A broken bulb — replace it with the same type.
- A blown fuse in the plug. Many strands have small replaceable fuses behind a sliding door on the plug.
If none of that works, the strand may have a broken wire inside. On store-bought strands, replacing the strand is usually faster than repairing it.
One C9 bulb won't light
- Unscrew it and screw it back in snugly.
- Swap it with a bulb that works. If the new bulb lights, the old one is dead. If it doesn't, the socket may be corroded or damaged.
Everything after a certain point is out
If every strand past one spot is dark, the problem is at that spot: an unplugged connection, a blown fuse in that strand's plug, or too many strands chained together. Check the label for how many can be connected end to end.
The lights flicker
- Loose bulbs or loose plug connections are the usual cause.
- Water in a connection can also cause flicker before it trips the outlet.
- If lights on several outlets flicker together, that's worth mentioning to an electrician.
When to stop and call someone
- An outlet that keeps tripping with everything dry.
- Any plug or socket that's melted, scorched or warm.
- A fix that means climbing onto a two-story roofline or a tall palm.
Don't climb to fix lights in the dark or in wet weather.
If you're our customer
You don't need any of this. If a bulb or section of your display goes out, call, text or email us and we fix it within 48 hours, free, all season — weekends included. That's part of every display we install.
Not a customer yet? See what a done-for-you season costs with our instant quote, in about two minutes.
Rather skip the homework?
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Tell us what you'd like lit and the quote shows your all-in seasonal price right away — design, commercial-grade lights, installation, maintenance and January takedown included.
