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How to Prevent Christmas Lights From Tripping When it Rains Plug the Christmas lights into your Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI), or outdoor outlet. Alternatively (instead of using electrical tape), use plastic wrap or a plastic bag instead to cover the receptacles.
Why do my Christmas lights keep going out when it rains?
Unfortunately, when it comes to Christmas lights and decorations and GFCIs, generally all it takes to trip a circuit is for a little moisture to get into the outlet, cord, or lights. If this happens and the power is on, the circuit will trip, causing the lights and décor to go out.
How do I stop my Christmas lights from tripping?
Instead, follow these tips to keep from overloading your circuits: Unplug electrical appliances that are not in use. Spread out heated styling tools. Only use extension cords for added length. Use LED Christmas lights. Use multiple outdoor circuits. Know your amp usage.
How do you protect outdoor Christmas lights from rain?
As for how to protect outdoor Christmas lights from rain – put them on stakes or other elevated positions above ground as well. You can hang them on trees, bushes, on your fence, or on your yard furniture but make sure they are not just lying on the ground.
Is it OK to leave Christmas lights on in the rain?
“Make sure where everything plugs in is dry and not exposed to the elements because the electricity still goes through the equipment and the light portion, what goes outside is what’s important.” He said Christmas lights are meant to be used outside, they will be fine in rainy conditions.
Why do my outside lights keep tripping?
When a circuit breaker trips it often means that there is a short somewhere on the line. Wires are likely touching. When this happens the fixture is old and the insulation has worn off the wire. If the fixture is bad sometimes we can replace the socket assembly and that often fixes the problem.
How do you seal Christmas lights?
Make sure to seal off the back of your Christmas light connection with a gasket and weatherproof plug. From there you can daisy chain multiple Christmas light strands together by applying a gasket to the male connection and firmly pressing it into the end female connector.
Does rain affect outdoor Christmas lights?
The possibility of several inches of rain, could mean all those outdoor Christmas lights and decorations become electrical hazards. “If your lights go out this time of year, don’t go out in the rain and try to fix them,” said Elias. “Wait until it dries out. You can get an electrical shock from water transfer.
Why does my outdoor GFCI trip when it rains?
Moisture in the Receptacle Box The accumulation of moisture is another major cause of GFCI tripping. Outdoor installations are the most vulnerable, and rain is the most common culprit. The presence of moisture can expose you to the risk of accidental electric shock.
How do you protect your lights from rain?
How to protect outdoor lights from rain Think about location. Make sure your lights are rated for the outdoors. Only use outdoor-rated extension cords. Be aware of material that can catch fire. Only use decorative lights made for outdoor use. Use solar lights.
How do I waterproof my outdoor light fixture?
One of the easiest ways to waterproof outdoor lights is to apply an extra silicon seal (caulk) during installation. There are other methods such as choosing high IP-rated fixtures or using light shields. In addition to a watertight lamp, you also want the outlet to be secure.
Can you use outdoor lights in the rain?
As long as you’re using “outdoor” lights, it’s safe to leave them in the rain as they’re built to brave the environment. However, with a connection of string lights, a heavy downpour can blow up the individual fuse in each string light. This usually happens when water bridges the prongs on the plug.
What happens to outdoor lights when it rains?
Most outdoor lights are safe to leave in the rain because they are built to withstand different outdoor weather conditions. On the other hand, there are instances wherein heavy downpour causes the individual fuse of the string light to blow up. This can occur when water gets into the prongs on the plug.
Should you cover outdoor Christmas light plugs?
Make sure all outdoor cords are not in excessively wet or damp locations to reduce risk and other hazards. Also, make sure that all your outdoor receptacles are covered with plastic bubble covers. This keeps the extension cord protected from the outside elements while plugged in.
What happens if you put indoor Christmas lights outdoor?
Indoor-only lights aren’t insulated like outdoor lights and won’t work with moisture from the outdoors. In fact, if indoor lights are exposed to water, snow or any other outdoor element, they could possibly become hazardous. Never use “indoor only” lights outdoors.
Can Christmas lights trip breaker?
Indoor Christmas lights are often not designed to resist the elements either and may cause the circuit breaker to trip.
How do you keep Christmas lights from blowing fuses?
Store your lights in a bag or plastic container with a tight seal to help protect the strands from exposure to humidity or moisture. Limit the number of strands that you string together. Only link together strands that have the same type of lights.
Why do my Christmas lights keep shorting?
The number one culprit when portions of a strand of Christmas lights go out is a single faulty bulb. If you isolate the location of the bulb, you can easily replace it and restore power to the entire strand. You can find the bad bulb easily by using a light tester.
Can outdoor extension cords get rained on?
An extension cord can survive the rain if it is rated for outdoor use and if it is in good condition. However, the plug should be kept out of the rain.
Do you need to cover outdoor extension cords?
Try to minimize the amount of extension cord to extension cord connections you make outdoors. If it is completely necessary to connect multiple extension cords, you should invest in a handy extension cord cover, in order to best protect the areas where the two cords meet.
