We hope you will find these tips useful in determining the source of a problem on a failed light set. Please try to resolve the problem yourself before calling a repair technician. In nearly 50% of our service calls, we find that some of the lights were not plugged in. Our repair technician will probably use a Lightkeeper Pro to detect the source of the problem. This light gun is very effective and is a wonderful investment for the homeowner. It also works on Always Lit sets.

PROBLEM: It appears that a whole section of lights is out.

Cause #1: Several plugs are not connected to a power source.

Solution: Find these plugs and reconnect them to the main stack of plugs and be certain that this stack is plugged into an extension cord. Again, this may seem too easy, but our service calls reveal that this is the problem nearly 50% of the time.

Cause #2: The extension cord in the middle of the tree is not connected to the power source at the base of the tree.

Solution: Find the small green extension cord descending from the midsection through the bottom section of the tree and plug it into your extension cord that goes from the tree to the wall outlet.

PROBLEM: It seems that an entire set of 35 or 50 lights is not working or that more than one set is not working, but these sets are not near each other.

Cause #1: The plug for this (these) set(s) has fallen loose from the stack of plugs inside the tree.

Solution: Find the plug on the non-working set. Make sure the plug is connected to the stack of plugs in the center of the tree. Sometimes, the light set will work if the plug is simply jiggled. If this happens, disconnect the plug, reposition the two metal prongs slightly further apart and reconnect the set to the stack of plugs.

Cause #2: The vacuum seal in one or more bulbs has failed.

Solution: Inspect each of the bulbs on the set. Look for a bulb that appears milky, silvery, or blackened. This type of bulb can cause the entire set to fail. Replace it with one of the bulbs in your replacement package.

Cause #3: Electric power is not traveling through the entire set.

Solution: Check each socket in search of a missing bulb. Sometimes a bulb will become dislodged when a tree is being moved. No set will work if a bulb is missing unless it is an Always Lit set which has a computer chip in each socket that completes the circuit. Replace any missing bulbs.

Cause #4: The little copper wires on the sides of the plastic husk around the bulb are not making contact with the copper strips in the light socket, causing a break in the power supply.

Solution: Tap each bulb to detect a flicker. This indicates that the last bulb touched is making sporadic contact, causing the set to fail. Remove the bulb and realign the copper wires on the side of the husk so they make contact with the copper strips in the light socket. If this fails, replace the bulb. The Lightkeeper Pro is a convenient tool for finding defective bulbs.

Cause #5: If three bulbs are burned out on a set, the failure rate of that set is increased by 67%. Over time, too many bulbs have burned out and have not been replaced. For safety, the set has been programmed to fail if more than five bulbs have burned out. This is a UL restriction. Solution:

Each year, when you are reshaping or decorating your tree, examine the light sets for burned out bulbs and replace them immediately. This is an excellent preventative measure.

PROBLEM: You have tried everything recommended above, but you are unable to get the light set to work.

Cause: The set may truly be defective. (Less than one set in 1000 is defective.) Possibly, you have just not detected the problem.

Solution: Call Milaeger’s and ask for an “almost real” tree specialist. This person will either help you solve your problem or will make arrangements to send someone to your home. Before you call, however, please check one more time to be sure that all plugs are connected to a power source. In about 50% of repair calls, the problem is simply that not all plugs are connected to an extension cord.

PROBLEM: You have “always lit” or “stay lit” lighting that has failed anyway.

Cause: Try all of the above solutions. The Lightkeeper Pro will work on Milaeger’s Always Lit sets but may not work on sets from other sources.

Solution: Although this is not a Milaeger’s exclusive set, we will try to help you before you contact the importer. The maker has directions for returning this set.

PROBLEM: You have selected Starlite Forever lights and sections are not working.

Cause: One or more of the 100 lite sets is no longer connected to a splitter, which is connected to a power source.

Solution: Find the end of the set that has a connector and reconnect it to the splitter.

You can be confident that you have purchased the finest quality tree that is currently being made. Over the next ten years, and for many years afterward, you should experience absolutely no problems. Also, the lights you have purchased are absolutely the finest lights, and, without question, the brightest miniature lights in the world today. Normally, you will experience virtually no problems with your light sets for the entire life of your tree. However, sometimes unexplained problems can arise. In this case, Milaeger’s is committed to helping you and will do whatever is reasonably necessary to correct your problem.