How to Remove the "Twinkle" Feature from Christmas Lights
Remove the lights from the tree., Find replacement bulbs., Locate the blinking bulbs., Remove the bulbs., Replace the bulbs., Test the lights., Unplug the lights and remove them from the tree., Locate the control box., Open the control box., Cut the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remove the lights from the tree.
In case you've decided to make changes to your lights after you’ve put up your tree, you should remove the lights for safety and ease of access. -
Step 2: Find replacement bulbs.
Anytime you need to replace a bulb in a strand of lights, you should always find a replacement bulb with the same voltage as the original.
Look under the tag on the strand of lights to find voltage information. , Some light strands blink because they have special bulbs that twinkle.
If that’s the case with your lights, you can get rid of the twinkle feature by switching out the bulbs.
Oftentimes, the bulbs that blink on these strands will be marked with red or silver tips.However, if they aren’t marked, plug in the strand, let it warm up, and use a small piece of masking tape to mark each blinking bulb., First, unplug the lights.
Then, for each blinking bulb, hold the bulb by the base (where the light attaches to the strand) and pull out the bulb and the bottom casing.
Remove the bulbs from the casing.If you have trouble removing the bulb and casing, use a screwdriver to pry the light out. , For every blinking bulb that you removed, you want to replace it with a non-blinking bulb.
Insert the new bulb into the case, making sure the two wires on the end go through the holes in the bottom of the case.
Fold the wires back so they rest against the side of the casing.
When you have finished, reinsert the new bulb and casing back into the base. , When you have replaced all the blinking bulbs and returned them all to their bases on the light strand, plug in the lights and test them.
Give them a few minutes to warm up. , Some lights have the twinkle function run by a control box that contains wires and a simple electrical board.
Because this method involves cutting and splicing wires, it requires much more care and attention.
Before you start, it’s very important to ensure the lights are unplugged and not wrapped around the tree. , It will be a small rectangular box, and it’s usually located near the plug.
You’ll know it’s the control box because the lights from the wires and the electrical plug will all run through it. , Some are glued, some are screwed, and some are clipped together.
You may need a screwdriver to remove the screws, or you may need one to pry apart the control box.
Once open, remove the contents of the box, including the electrical board and the wires. , Use wire cutters or sharp scissors to cut the power cord where it’s connected to the electrical board.
Then, cut the hot wires and the neutral wire., For the hot and neutral wire, strip about an inch of the wire coating off each of the wires.
An inch from the top, use the scissors to cut through just the top layer of coating.
Use your fingers, the scissors, or pliers to grip the coating and pull it off.
For the power cable, peel apart the two sides and separate the first two to three inches of cable.
Then strip an inch of wire coating off each side to expose the wires beneath. , Use a multimeter to determine the neutral wire and the hot wires.
When you’ve located the hot wires, line them up side by side and then gently twist them all together.
Leave the neutral wire aside for now. , Take one of the two sides of the power cord and twist that together with the hot wires.
Then, twist together the other side of the power cord and the neutral wire., Before testing your lights, wrap the exposed wires with electrical tape.
First tape the hot wires where they meet the power, then separately tape the neutral wires where the meet they power cord, then tape it all together.
If the two sides of the power cable are wrapped around each other, untangle them.
Test your lights.
Be sure to watch for smoke and sparks, especially where you spliced the wires. , This method will stop LED lights from blinking, especially if they weren’t meant to twinkle in the first place.
LED lights will sometimes flicker because electricity only flows through them one way, so when they are plugged into an alternating current power source, they flicker off when they don’t get any power.A bridge rectifier will convert the power going to the lights to direct current, meaning they won’t flicker on and off.You can purchase one at an electronics store or online.
Make sure you buy one that matches the voltage of your lights. , Again, this method requires extreme caution and is best only pursued if you have some background knowledge about electronics and wiring.
You could electrocute yourself or cause a fire if you attempt these steps otherwise. , Halfway between the last light on the strand and the power plug, use wire cutters or sharp scissors to cut through the two wires.
Take the wires attached to the plug and untangle them.
Next, strip off an inch of wire coating to expose the wires.
When you have finished, slide an inch-long piece of heat shrink over each wire., Make sure you attach each wire to one of the AC pins on the bridge rectifier.
It doesn’t matter which wire goes to which pin, since it’s an alternating current., First, untangle the wires (if they’re wound around each other) and strip off an inch of wire coating from the two wires attached to the light strand.
Next, use a multimeter to determine which wire is positive and which is negative.
Make a note of which wire is which, and then slide a one-inch long piece of heat shrink over each wire. , Solder the positive wire to the positive pin on the rectifier, and the negative wire to the negative pin on the rectifier. , When you have soldered all the wires to attach the plug and the lights to the bridge rectifier, position the heat shrink over the exposed wires.
One at a time, activate the heat shrink by applying the heat from a heat gun or blow dryer to the area.
When you’ve finished, plug in the lights and test them out. -
Step 3: Locate the blinking bulbs.
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Step 4: Remove the bulbs.
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Step 5: Replace the bulbs.
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Step 6: Test the lights.
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Step 7: Unplug the lights and remove them from the tree.
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Step 8: Locate the control box.
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Step 9: Open the control box.
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Step 10: Cut the power cable.
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Step 11: Strip the coating from the wires.
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Step 12: Splice together the hot wires.
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Step 13: Attach the hot wires to the power.
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Step 14: Secure the wires with electrical tape.
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Step 15: Purchase a bridge rectifier.
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Step 16: Unplug the lights and take them off the tree.
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Step 17: Cut the plug off the lights.
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Step 18: Solder the power wires to the bridge rectifier.
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Step 19: Determine the positive and negative light wires.
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Step 20: Attach the lights to the bridge rectifier.
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Step 21: Activate the heat shrink.
Detailed Guide
In case you've decided to make changes to your lights after you’ve put up your tree, you should remove the lights for safety and ease of access.
Anytime you need to replace a bulb in a strand of lights, you should always find a replacement bulb with the same voltage as the original.
Look under the tag on the strand of lights to find voltage information. , Some light strands blink because they have special bulbs that twinkle.
If that’s the case with your lights, you can get rid of the twinkle feature by switching out the bulbs.
Oftentimes, the bulbs that blink on these strands will be marked with red or silver tips.However, if they aren’t marked, plug in the strand, let it warm up, and use a small piece of masking tape to mark each blinking bulb., First, unplug the lights.
Then, for each blinking bulb, hold the bulb by the base (where the light attaches to the strand) and pull out the bulb and the bottom casing.
Remove the bulbs from the casing.If you have trouble removing the bulb and casing, use a screwdriver to pry the light out. , For every blinking bulb that you removed, you want to replace it with a non-blinking bulb.
Insert the new bulb into the case, making sure the two wires on the end go through the holes in the bottom of the case.
Fold the wires back so they rest against the side of the casing.
When you have finished, reinsert the new bulb and casing back into the base. , When you have replaced all the blinking bulbs and returned them all to their bases on the light strand, plug in the lights and test them.
Give them a few minutes to warm up. , Some lights have the twinkle function run by a control box that contains wires and a simple electrical board.
Because this method involves cutting and splicing wires, it requires much more care and attention.
Before you start, it’s very important to ensure the lights are unplugged and not wrapped around the tree. , It will be a small rectangular box, and it’s usually located near the plug.
You’ll know it’s the control box because the lights from the wires and the electrical plug will all run through it. , Some are glued, some are screwed, and some are clipped together.
You may need a screwdriver to remove the screws, or you may need one to pry apart the control box.
Once open, remove the contents of the box, including the electrical board and the wires. , Use wire cutters or sharp scissors to cut the power cord where it’s connected to the electrical board.
Then, cut the hot wires and the neutral wire., For the hot and neutral wire, strip about an inch of the wire coating off each of the wires.
An inch from the top, use the scissors to cut through just the top layer of coating.
Use your fingers, the scissors, or pliers to grip the coating and pull it off.
For the power cable, peel apart the two sides and separate the first two to three inches of cable.
Then strip an inch of wire coating off each side to expose the wires beneath. , Use a multimeter to determine the neutral wire and the hot wires.
When you’ve located the hot wires, line them up side by side and then gently twist them all together.
Leave the neutral wire aside for now. , Take one of the two sides of the power cord and twist that together with the hot wires.
Then, twist together the other side of the power cord and the neutral wire., Before testing your lights, wrap the exposed wires with electrical tape.
First tape the hot wires where they meet the power, then separately tape the neutral wires where the meet they power cord, then tape it all together.
If the two sides of the power cable are wrapped around each other, untangle them.
Test your lights.
Be sure to watch for smoke and sparks, especially where you spliced the wires. , This method will stop LED lights from blinking, especially if they weren’t meant to twinkle in the first place.
LED lights will sometimes flicker because electricity only flows through them one way, so when they are plugged into an alternating current power source, they flicker off when they don’t get any power.A bridge rectifier will convert the power going to the lights to direct current, meaning they won’t flicker on and off.You can purchase one at an electronics store or online.
Make sure you buy one that matches the voltage of your lights. , Again, this method requires extreme caution and is best only pursued if you have some background knowledge about electronics and wiring.
You could electrocute yourself or cause a fire if you attempt these steps otherwise. , Halfway between the last light on the strand and the power plug, use wire cutters or sharp scissors to cut through the two wires.
Take the wires attached to the plug and untangle them.
Next, strip off an inch of wire coating to expose the wires.
When you have finished, slide an inch-long piece of heat shrink over each wire., Make sure you attach each wire to one of the AC pins on the bridge rectifier.
It doesn’t matter which wire goes to which pin, since it’s an alternating current., First, untangle the wires (if they’re wound around each other) and strip off an inch of wire coating from the two wires attached to the light strand.
Next, use a multimeter to determine which wire is positive and which is negative.
Make a note of which wire is which, and then slide a one-inch long piece of heat shrink over each wire. , Solder the positive wire to the positive pin on the rectifier, and the negative wire to the negative pin on the rectifier. , When you have soldered all the wires to attach the plug and the lights to the bridge rectifier, position the heat shrink over the exposed wires.
One at a time, activate the heat shrink by applying the heat from a heat gun or blow dryer to the area.
When you’ve finished, plug in the lights and test them out.
About the Author
Ann Price
Specializes in breaking down complex lifestyle topics into simple steps.
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