If half the string is out, look for the dead bulb closet to the end. The only way to fix the problem is to find the bad bulb. 100 bulbs is a popular configuration.  If one of your light strings isn’t working at all, or if only half of the lights are working, unplug the string and look for a small access door on one side of the male plug (the one with the prongs). 100-light strings typically use 3A fuses, but it's best to confirm your fuses' rating with a store employee. this is the cheapest construction method dating way back from incandescent light strings. Those were NOT cheap! Hello: I just had my T8 florescent light fixture (ballast) changed to use with LED bulbs. Checked the outside circuit beaker box and said only hale of the current is coming in. Never use a fuse with a higher rating. Look for the lights that have a splash of red on the bulb near the bottom. Most net lights can be connected end to end and with LED net lights you can often connect numerous net lights together, which means you can outfit a large hedgerow utilizing only one plug outlet. If only 1/3 of the whole thing is off, it might just be a burned-out bulb or broken wire on that wired sequence. If one bulb dies, it can cause the rest of the strand to stop working. Net lights are also ideal for this application because they only need to drape the top and front. On a strand, there are usually multiple braided cords to bring power to the lights. If you replace the end bulbs and the string of lights still does not work another bulb is the problem. The plug at the end of the set works fine, so current seems to travel to the end of the wires correctly. Sometimes only a section of the lights will go out, making your job pretty easy. I have two animated outdoor lighted reindeer decorations that I bought last year and when I put them out this year I found that only half the lights work. The electrician installed the new ballast and capped off the constant hot and just made the light work with the switch that controls the other lights in the room. My understanding is that the individual branches are in parallel whereas the lights in each branch is in series. Many Christmas lights are sold with spare fuses for this purpose. Repairing these lights won't be easy, but with a little determination and know-how, it can be done. Find an exact replacement. These lights are key. If you find one, open it and inspect the very small fuses inside the plug. Lady Emma. Fix Christmas Lights That Are Half … My DIL just told me that the new commercial lights my DS bought last year are only half working! I have a set of Christmas lights for which the second half doesn't light up. Why? Gosh, the old outdoor lights we used to buy lasted for years and years! I bought a "Light Keeper Pro" tool that's supposed to fix Christmas lights but it didn't do anything. One of them was like that as soon as I plugged it in and the other one became that way as well after about 15 minutes. A bulb tester made for Christmas lights will be a worthwhile purchase. There should be two. However, I had a constant hot attached to the previous wiring so the light would remain on 24/7. Also half of the lights and receptacles didn't work either. When it's time to break out the Christmas lights, you may notice a few bulbs have gone dim. Find The Bad Bulb If one of your LED light strands isn’t working, it’s probably just because it has a bad bulb. The LEDs are probably strung in series. Only 1/3 of my 150 net lights are off. If your spares have escaped from the holiday box, take the blown fuses to an electronics store and ask for a replacement. Community Answer. 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