We have these strands of Christmas lights where you have the option of making the strand flash by replacing one of the regular bulbs with a “flasher” bulb. The flasher bulb is a clear bulb with a red tip, and after it’s been plugged in for 10 or 20 seconds, it makes the rest of the strand flash.
That all worked well the first few times the lights were plugged in, but as time goes on more and more of the strands never start flashing. The lights stay on all the time.
It took a little experimentation, but eventually I figured out how to get them flashing again.
All I do is give the flasher bulbs a flick or tap with my finger. Well, usually a few flicks. Eventually the strand will go out. The first time I thought I’d broken it, but after a little while they start flashing.
Usually I need to go through and do that to several bulbs every time they get plugged in.
I don’t promise that they won’t explode when you flick them, or do something else bad. But so far I’ve done it something like 15 different times, and it’s worked every time without doing anything bad to the bulbs yet.
Good luck, and merry everything!
I did a search online for “fixing flashing Christmas lights” and I came across your comment. I tried it and it worked! Thanks for the tip!
a very technical solution!, worked for me too. great stuff. I wonder how they built the whole “flick to flash” circuitry into such a small component
All blub worked fine the initial few times the lights were obstructed in, but as abstraction goes on statesman and statesman of the strands never act experience.
Worked for me, thanks so much! This was the only place I could find a suggestion about how to get them to blink rather than to stop them blinking!