Stupid things. The small, mini-lites. Theya re supposed to continue to operate even if one is burned out, which they do. But I keep getting half a string to go out. I know how these things are wired--with their double series--and what the priniciple is to keeping them going "even when one is burned out." But what do you do when half the string goes out? It's not the little fuses. I actually just took every dead light out and replaced them in the entire dead half. nothing. Anybody know the trick to these?

steve77

Z CONTENT: I don't get to work on my Z until these ****ing lights are up--and preferably operating.

I had the same problem with mine yesterday. They all worked before I put them up on the roof. After I got them up one strand was dead and 2 were half dead. I fixed it buy throwing the damn things out and putting up other lights......... after I spent an hour trying to fix them.

That is the only fix I know of.

Here's what I did to recover a couple of "Cascading Icicle" light sets.

With a known good set (non-cascading) that uses the same bulbs as a donor, and the non-working set as a patient, I plugged the donor into the wall. This illuminated all the bulbs.

On the patient, starting at the FIRST bulb closest to the plug that was not illuminated, I swapped a known good bulb from the donor to the patient.

Usually the swap would end up with the donor's new bulb lighting up and the patient NOT lighting up, telling me that the bulb from the patient was good, AND that I had replaced it in the patient, with yet another good one. No gain as far as functionality, but I KNEW that that bulb worked.

If the replacement onto the donor did NOT light, I would replace it with a known good bulb out of my spares in order to maintain the donor in working condition. But I STILL knew that the patient had received a GOOD bulb.

If this solved the problem on the patient, you're finished. If not, then you go to the NEXT furthest bulb and repeat.

Eventually, you will have replaced all of the bulbs whether good or bad, but you will finally trip on the one that is causing the trouble.

Don't forget that on many of these mini-lite sets, there are two fuses in the plug. Just like the fuses in our Z's, they're the glass tube kind. Just to be on the safe side, I would swap from Donor to Patient also.

While you are inserting the bulbs into their holders, check that the little wires sticking out of the base are aligned properly in order to make the connection.

Hope this helps.

Enrique

After years of taking them down working and getting them out the next year not working I have come to a works everytime fix. When I take them down I throw them away and go the after Christmas sales and pick up new ones for pennys on the dollar. My time is worth a lot more than the cost of the new lights each year when I get them on sale.

i aways either buy new or find that I have shot the wire with the staple gun in a fit of rage when tring to hang them instead of being able to work on my Z , I also figure out if you walk around the house mumbling under your breath with the staple gun most of the time someone usually want to take over my job as the lights hanger :classic: good luck

I have 3 Minilites for sale. The fourth one fell off the z at night and never could find it. Don't have to worry about these not lighting up if you have enough horsepower. Victor.

Tanny, I have a friend looking for ONE Minilite. If you are interested, let me know the size.

steve77