Quick way to test LEDs

ID: 169215

Description:

Steps:

  1. In most Christmas light strands that I have seen, the LEDs are inserted into a plug and the plug goes into a socket on the strand. If one (or more)LEDs is bad, an entire section of the strand will not light up.
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  2. Previously I have suggested finding a known good LED from a section that works, and using it to replace each LED in the bad section, one by one, to see if it lights up, thus identifying the bad one. This only works if one and only one LED is bad, however. And it's tedious.
  3. An easier way: press one side of a coin battery to one of the LED leads (still in the plug), and then use a pair of metal pliers to simultaneously touch the other lead to the OTHER side of the battery. The piers act as a conductor to complete the circuit. If it doesn't work, also try turning the battery over- LEDs only conduct in one direction.
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  4. Any 3V coin battery will do. If the LED doesn't light up with the battery in either direction, then it is bad- replace it.
  5. The pliers were too difficult for me so I taped wires to the button battery and use a clothespin to hold the bulb.
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