Fiber Optic Christmas Tree Parts

Fiber Optic Christmas Trees provide a soothing yet spectacular lighting effect and are popular with kids and grownups alike. Though easy to setup, many people have a tendency to discard their Fiber Optic Christmas Trees at the first hint of a problem. In reality, the technology behind these decorative pieces is quite simple and very few parts are used. So repairing a Fiber Optic Christmas Tree and putting it back in use is not very difficult.

How does a Fiber Optic Christmas Tree work?

A fiber optic tree has clear plastic tubes within the pine needles. These tubes go all the way down to the base and so there is a bunch of fiber optic tubes leading from the base of the tree to all the leaves. These tubes allow light to pass straight thru without leaking out to the sides. So a light ray which enters a tube at the base can only come out at the tip of the pine needle. To send out the light rays, there is a special bulb at the base of the Xmas tree. Most trees also have a color wheel just above the bulb to give a multicolor effect. A motor rotates the color wheel to change the color.

What are the parts of a Fiber Optic Christmas Tree ?

There are very few parts in a Fiber Optic Xmas Tree. At the base of the tree, there is a motor with a color wheel and there is a light bulb.

The light bulb is usually a halogen bulb and the most common ratings are 5W, 10W and 20W. The smaller trees have 5W bulbs; The taller 7' trees have 20W bulbs. The base also has some electronics with a transformer for power supply. The rest of the tree is made up of clear tubes inside the base and stem leading into the pine needles.

What can go wrong in a Fiber Optic Xmas Tree ?

Except for the base, the rest of a Xmas tree is dummy proof. Even if some of the fiber optic tubes get damaged, the rest will still work. So usually, if a fiber optic tree has died out, the problem is in the base. The first thing to check is the light bulb. If it is fused, you have to replace it with a bulb of same rating. If you replace it with a bulb of lesser rating, say a 5W bulb in place of a 10W bulb, the light would be weak. If you replace a 20W bulb in place of 10W bulb, it may overload the power source causing more problems. If the bulb is OK, but there is no light, then the problem is with the power supply circuit. You need to check whether the chord and stabilizer is working. If it is not cut anywhere, you have to get the transformer and power supply card checked by an electrician.
Sometimes the light works but the color wheel does not turn. This can happen if you put a higher rating light bulb in. Say the tree is rated for a 5W bulb, but you put a 10W bulb in its place. The power is drawn by the bulb leaving not enough for the motor. If the bulb is of correct rating, the motor might have burnt out and will need to be replaced. The bulbs and power chords with stabilizers are easily available online. Bases of the trees are also available on some websites. For the individual parts such as motors and transformers, you are better off hunting in the neighborhood electronic or hobby shops.
So if your Fiber Optic Christmas Tree dies, dont be in a hurry to bury it. Chances are you can get lit up in its full glory with minimum effort.