Electrical Safety Advice for Christmas Lights

Christmas lights usage and safety

Once a year, twinkling fairy lights and colourful Christmas illuminations are used to decorate our homes. But old or poorly stored electric decorations create unnecessary hazards.

Christmas lights you have used for years may not be designed to contend with damp winter weather or meet rigorous new safety standards. They should operate either at mains voltage (230 volts) or extra-low voltage (typically 12-24 volts).

Extra-low voltage Christmas lights are often described as “low voltage” on product packaging. The safest Christmas lights operate at extra-low voltage because they are powered by a safety extra-low voltage transformer that will significantly reduce the risk of electric shock, even if there is a fault or a lamp breaks.

The rated voltage of Christmas lights should be marked on the product and is normally stated on its packaging or user instructions.

Key points

All Christmas lights must be fitted with a UK 3-pin plug and fuse if mains powered.
Extra-low voltage (typically 12-24 volts) are the safest option to choose.
Whichever type you choose, buy from a reputable retailer.
Be careful where you place the wiring for the lights to avoid creating a trip hazard.
Check the instructions to see if they are suitable for outside or not.

Buying Christmas lights

Whichever you choose, buy from a reputable retailer rather than a third-party seller online, as it may not have passed all the necessary safety checks.
The most common types of Christmas lights use either traditional filament (incandescent) lamps or LEDs (light emitting diodes). Christmas lights that use traditional filament lamps can operate at mains voltage or extra-low voltage.
LEDs can operate at any voltage, but most LED Christmas lights operate at extra low voltage. This significantly reduces the risk of electric shock, uses much less power, and generates less heat.
Register your Christmas lights so you can be contacted easily if there is a safety recall. It’s also much easier to return a faulty product or order a repair if it’s registered.

Using Christmas lights safely

Read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and keep them for future reference. And keep the packaging for safe storage after use. Don’t store lights in damp or excessively hot/cold conditions.
When getting the lights out to use, check they are not damaged or broken and make sure there are no loose wires.
If any lamps need replacing, use only the same type and rating as those originally supplied. Replace failed lamps before using the lights to prevent overheating – if lamps are not replaceable, you should buy a new set of lights.
Ensure the plugs and transformers are plugged in indoors, even if the lighting is suitable for outdoor use. And keep the lights well away from flammable decorations and any other materials that can burn easily.
It is important not to use lights outdoors unless they are specifically designed for such use, or to connect different lighting sets together. Connecting the lights to the power supply before taking them out of the packaging is dangerous, as is removing or inserting lamps while the chain is connected to the power supply.
Don’t overload socket outlets and it is best not to rely on extension leads or adaptors if you can. Use our socket overload calculator to help you decide what is best to do.
Teach young children that they must not play with Christmas lights and keep pets away from them too.
Switch the lights off and unplug them before you go to bed or if you go out.
Lighting suitable for outdoor use should be marked with a water drop symbol or an IP Code (sometimes referred to as “Ingress Protection Ratings”). The last digit indicates the level of protection against penetration of water – the higher the number, the greater the protection. Any lights suitable for outdoor use should have a number of three or higher.

ALWAYS

Do plenty of research first before buying.
Buy a known and trusted brand from a reputable retailer.
Register your Christmas lights with the manufacturer.
Switch off your lights at the socket when not in use.

AVOID

Buying from third-party sellers online.
Changing bulbs while the lights are plugged in.
Storing Christmas lights in damp or excessively hot locations.
Using lights outside unless they are specifically designed to do so.
Using the lights if there are signs of damage to the wires or plug.

Stay safe with electrical products

Check plugs and sockets

Check the plug and socket for burn marks, sounds of ‘arcing’ (buzzing or crackling) or if it feels too hot to touch.

Protect with an RCD

An RCD (residual current device) in your consumer unit (fusebox) protects you from electric shocks should there be a fault with the lights.

If you don’t have RCD protection, use an RCD plug on the socket where the lights are plugged in. Any lights plugged in outdoors must be connected via a 30mA RCD protected socket.

Additional info

As well as being safer to use, LED Christmas lights can use 80-90% less electricity than filament lamps, so they are less expensive to run and typically last up to 60 times longer.

They are also more durable because LED lights are made of a special plastic with no filament, so there are no glass lamps to break.

Has your electrical product been recalled?

Electrical products are recalled more regularly than you might think, but the response rate to a recall is often worryingly low. This means there are potentially millions of recalled electrical items still in UK homes.

Check your appliances

Christmas lights