Product RAVE-Light Keeper Pro-Fixed my new tree lights!

15 years ago

Okay, You all know of my $5 tree score. Well, it was a prelit tree, and of course only one section of the lights would come on at all.

I was fully intent on just stringing my lights on the tree, but I thought I'd at least try to see if I could get the tree operational as a prelit.

I went online and read reviews of the "Light Keeper Pro" that promised to fix prelit trees, strands of lights with burned out sections, etc.

I figured since I only had $5 in the tree, it would be worth it to try the product out for $15. At the very least, it could potentially help me revive the box of half-functioning lights I'd have to use this year.

To my utter shock, this product worked amazingly well. Within minutes, I had 95% of the tree re-lit. There is only on small 1/2 section of lights that seems to have a problem, but I could probably get it working if I fiddled with it a bit more. For now, I just used a small 50 count light set to fill in that space, but the other 98% of the tree is all functioning properly.

If you have 1/2 dead strands of lights or prelit wreaths, etc, I can say that this is truly a wonderful product!

Here is a link that might be useful: Lightkeeper Pro

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Comments (13)

Lisa Hayes
15 years ago
I'm so glad to here this. I have a Martha Stewart tree that I love, but the lights are out in a few sections. I just strung some lights this year. But I was ready to pitch it. Please explain how that thing works. I've read the directions online, but of course my mechanically limited brain couldn't figure it out.
donnawb
15 years ago
I looked in Lowes for one today but didn't see any. I will check in Target next time. I have heard from quite a few people that it works great.
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Hi! If you are sure that your wall receptacle works, I am going to guess that you have that tree for a couple of years and have never replaced the burnt out bulbs. These trees are equipped with several bulbs connected in series, and each bulb contains a shunting device so that if one bulb burns out, the rest stay lit. However, each bulb that burns out puts more "stress" on the other lights, and if too many bulbs within a series burn out, it will "burn" the shunting device in one or more bulbs, killing the whole series. What you need to do is look on the cord or the base of the tree, or on the box that the tree came in, or on a card that was included in the box, there will be a sticker (usually close to the plug or besides the UL listing sticker) that mentions what voltage bulbs your tree uses (typically 2.5 or 3.5 volts), and buy replacement bulbs. Keep in mind that if you need many bulbs, as I think will be your case, it might be cheaper to buy a complete string that uses the same voltage bulbs, and "steal" the bulbs. This is where the light keeper pro comes in handy; by plugging the strings into the device (don't plug the entire tree into the LightKeeper, plug each section one at a time), the faulty bulbs will emit a buzzing sound, providing you don't have too many faulty bulbs. If no bulbs emit a buzz, or if they almost all buzz, you can remove each bulb by holding the socket firmly and pulling (without twisting) on the green base of the bulb, and check them one by one with the light keeper. Replace any bulb that doesn't light, and if the new bulbs have bases that don't fit into the sockets you have, you can "swap" them with the original base by straightening the two wires at the bottom of the base, inserting the bulb into the old base and bending back the wires. The little card that was included with your tree, or the new bulbs' package should explain how to do this. To prevent this from happening again, keep a couple extra bulbs handy, and check weekly for burnt out bulbs, and replace the one(s) that don't work. It will also help the bulbs last longer. I hope that I was not being too technical for you. Feel free to ask for more help if you need.
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reno_fan
Original Author
15 years ago
I ended up getting mine at Ace Hardware.

love2weed, I too get glazed eyes when I read all of the techno-babble.

All I know is that you remove a bulb from a section of the light strand that isn't working, plug that empty socket into the Lightkeeper unit, and pull the trigger several times. The lights then work again, you replace the bulb, and voila! The whole section works again.

It apparently shoots a small but harmless electrical current throughout the strand and clears whatever "clogs" are causing the failure. (I have no idea, however, how it technically works!)

I'm excited to pull down my box of lights. I have several wreaths and strands of lit garland that I'd given up on because of the lights being burned out.
nhb22
15 years ago
Glad you got your tree to work correctly. :)

Is this device UL approved? Sounds scary...I am very careful, especially after having suffering through a fire.
Eliza_ann_ca
15 years ago
I have to get this gadget...I know I have thrown out hundreds of dollars worth of lights just because half wouldn't work!
Lisa Hayes
15 years ago
Oh that sounds to good to be true. I will be buying one on the way home from work today. Were putting the cut tree up tomorrow and it's always a headache with the lights that don't work.
sweeby
15 years ago
Wow! I've been looking for one of those, but couldn't simply believe the 'Miracle!' ads. Nice to know there's one that really does work.
nashvillegirl
15 years ago
Thanks for posting this! One small section of my prelit tree (that is only 2 years old and paid full price for it at Macy's) went out AFTER I had the tree fully decorated this year - argh. I'm definitely looking for this gadget tomorrow.
wodka
15 years ago
I bought mine yesterday at Hobby Lobby. Have not had time to read the instructions, so will post my stupid question here. Can you use it on a fully-decorated tree? I already have mine up and decorated, and there are lights here and there that are out?
reno_fan
Original Author
15 years ago
The beauty of the product is that yes, you can fix the lights when the tree is already decorated. As long as you have access to at least one of the bulbs from the section that is out.

I'm dragging out some of my old wreaths and garland that I haven't used because the lights were out. I feel like I'm getting all new stuff!
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
15 years ago
I asked my husband about this at breakfast today as he is an electrical engineer and he was very dismissive about the fire element.
dilly_dally
15 years ago
Goggled for info and see that this thing is getting good reviews.

How Does it Work?

"The Quick Fix Patented technology sends a measured pulse into a nonworking light set to find and repair a defect in the bulb. The number one cause of Light set failure is when the "Bulb Shunt" fails to energize when a filament burns out. The LightKeeper pulse clears the shunt in the problem bulb so the current can flow through the entire set. The light set illuminates all the bulbs with the exception of the problem bulbs. The Voltage Detector will help identify the other problems like missing or loose bulbs."
polkadots
15 years ago
Another testimonial...it works!! We had two sections out on our prelit tree when we put it up last night. I read this on here, went out and bought one of the Light Keepers at Hobby Hobby, and we got it all working!! Thanks Reno for posting about this. We did need to find new bulbs to put in the ones we took apart, but once we did that, all was good!!

Thanks again!

Product RAVE-Light Keeper Pro-Fixed my new tree lights!

Comments (13)

Lisa Hayes

donnawb

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Product RAVE-Light Keeper Pro-Fixed my new tree lights!

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