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Ever Wondered What Those Red Tipped Christmas Lights Actually Do?
By KRISTY BOWEN
The red-tipped bulb that comes with Christmas lights serves a special purpose: By adding this single bulb, you can transform a string of non-flashing lights into a flashing strand.
This type of bulb contains a bi-metallic strip that reacts to heat. When electricity passes through it, the strip heats up and bends, temporarily breaking the current.
This interruption causes the lights after it in the strand to go out momentarily. The lights relight as the strip cools and straightens, creating a synchronized flashing pattern.
Remember that placing the red-tipped bulb near the power source makes the entire strand flash, while positioning it midway results in an equal mix of static and blinking lights.