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Posted
On 12/1/2025 at 11:50 AM, nnm said:

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I would like to punch two men in the face. Although I have no proof, I’m confident both are TAMU engineers. 

First, the guy who designed the Christmas light strings in which a tiny wire is required to contact another tiny wire in an insert to complete a circuit, which is required to make all the lights on the string work. If just one of the lights on the tree gets slightly twisted, or disturbed, or looked at in a cruel manner, the circuit is interrupted and the whole string is dead, until you go light-by-light, pulling the damn things out, figuring out which filament isn’t making contact. I would like to punch that guy in the face. 

I’m no electrical engineer, but it seems to me that it would be incredibly easy to design a string of lights in which the circuit functions regardless of whether any individual light is functional, is seated correctly, or is even present in its seat  

Second, the guy who decided to use that design of light strings to tie into pre-lit artificial Christmas trees. Inevitably one or more of the strings on the tree will go bad. Then the user is required to go light-by-light on a light string that’s tightly wrapped around the branches in a completely random way. Doing so means getting one’s hands and wrists repeatedly abraded by the artificial branches and needles, and it’s almost impossible to find the offending light because the lights are all tucked in among the branches. 
 

Screw those guys. 

 

On 12/1/2025 at 4:03 PM, Sam Lin said:

I just did this yesterday. Man do I feel you.

 

On 12/4/2025 at 6:41 PM, High Plains Drifter said:

 

Do you even in parallel bro?

 

How Do Holiday Lights Work? | Department of Energy

 

 

I'm on the verge of blacking out and going into a blind rage.  The wife had put up a strand of 150 christmas lights. Same strand as last year.  Worked fine for two days. Suddenly the first 40 bulbs near the plug go out, as does a bunch of bulbs on the end of the strand. The middle lights work, except for a few here and there that aren't lit. As an ex-engineer, I'm trying to process how this is possible. Unable to figure it out, I ChatGPT it. Immediately, it tells me it's either a bulb in the first section, that is also causing the last section to go out because of the way it's wired in sections. Weird.  But okay. Fine. The solution is either to replace the fuses or find the one bulb in the section that's causing the problem.

I check the fuses on a multimeter and they are fine. So it has to be a bulb. But why is it that some bulbs can be out in one section, but not other sections. Makes no sense whatsoever. So.. despite being annoyed at the nonsense, I decide I'm going to test each bulb in the first section. I spend a half hour trying to find a compatible bulb because of course every strand of lights is a snowflake, with it's own bulb holder shape. I finally find compatible bulbs and start pulling out bulbs to test. On my second bulb, I try to pull and of course the light part of the bulb comes off and the plastic piece won't come out. After five minutes of trying to pry it out, I finally try to insert the new bulb. Of course, it won't go in. The tolerances of the plastic is so bad, some bulbs fit and some don't.

I end my adventure by saying fuck it and grab a scotch. The wife brings out two other strands.  We plug one in and the first half is off.  We plug in the second strand and the second half is the part that isn't lit. WTF? That's impossible.

Goddammit, these lights are viloating the laws of physics and I've fucking had it. Fuck China.

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Posted

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The same Aggie that engineered Christmas light circuits engineered this damn plug for my outdoor lights timer. I need the second outlet for heat tape for a hose bib, but no—damn engineer decided it would be a good idea to do this stupid flat plug that blocks the second outlet. I do have some of those stupid mini-extensions that I can plug in, but they’re being utilized elsewhere with Christmas lights. 

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Posted
22 minutes ago, Underdog said:

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It won’t fit in the lower outlet because of the rock. The angle is too sharp. Only the top one. 

Posted
35 minutes ago, nnm said:

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The same Aggie that engineered Christmas light circuits engineered this damn plug for my outdoor lights timer. I need the second outlet for heat tape for a hose bib, but no—damn engineer decided it would be a good idea to do this stupid flat plug that blocks the second outlet. I do have some of those stupid mini-extensions that I can plug in, but they’re being utilized elsewhere with Christmas lights. 

 

25 minutes ago, Underdog said:

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1 minute ago, Underdog said:

Angry outlet. 

Looks like the lower outlet is getting cucked.

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Posted (edited)

just 3 adapters needed to overcome that slab of rock...

Then it's gonna fall out of the outlet after you round the corner for the croquet wickets..

Edited by Iceman

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