Tips For Safe Decorating at Chistmas

Planning for and putting together a Christmas Light display should be both fun and rewarding. The excitement among the children as the lights are pulled out and strung up is just another step in the annual countdown to the happiest time of the year.

There are no creative rules and every light display is different but magical in their own unique form. 

However there are a number of safety rules that should be followed as you erect your display and run it through to Christmas.

Here are 21 simple and basic tips that should always be followed.

1. If you need new power outlets installed use a licensed electrician to install them.
2. Make sure that you have an (RCD) earth leakage device installed.
3. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. All My T Brite Lights come with a full set of operating instructions. Ensure that you read them closely and follow them at all times. Although many of the instructions sound obvious they have been provided for a purpose - to ensure the safe operation of the lights that you use.
4. Check your lights and equipment before you use them. While they may have worked just fine last Christmas, any moisture present when you put them away will have caused corrosion and broken bulbs are always a problem if you are using incandescent lights. Replace any damaged, wiring, lamps plugs and transformers. Better still discard any damaged light strings in their entirety. 
5. Make sure that the cables, wiring, plugs and connectors comply with Australian Standards.
6. Don't use double adaptors.
7. Don't overload power boards. LED Christmas Lights draw very little power - much less than old style incandescent lights.
8. Keep your power boards and transformers under cover unless they have an IP44 rating or better.
9. Don't run power cords through doors or windows or run the risk of having the insulation damaged by your garage door.
10. Suspend power cords at least 2.5 metres off the ground if possible to avoid trip hazards.
11. Keep electrical connections away from moisture. If possible use water tight connectors rated as IP44 between the power cord, second strings of lights and any extension cords.
12. Only use lights approved for external use for outdoor decorations.
13. Do not cover lights, power boards and power points with tinsel and other decorations.
14. Do not modify sealed 8 function controllers to bypass any of the functions. If you want to be able to control your lights through a computerised controller make sure that you use a static-on light sting or rope light.)
15. If erecting your lights at height make sure that your ladder is in good order and well stabilised while in use.
16. If possible use an extension pole (like your swimming pool cleaning pole with a wire hook on the end) to place lights in higher areas and in the higher branches of trees.
17. If working at height, make sure that you 'look up and avoid any power lines' that may be running to your house.
18. If driving stakes into the ground, check on the location of underground services including underground cables and phone lines. www.1100.com.au provides a free service to assist home owners.
19. Incandescent lights become very hot - keep them away from flammable materials. LED lights do not create heat and do not have such issues.
20. When attaching power cords, light strings or icicle strings to fixtures use: tape, cup hooks, plastic gutter clips, cable ties, clamps or velcro strips. Never use nails, staples or screws as they may damage the insulation on the lights and cords. If the insulation becomes damaged – do not turn them, discard the lights and cords.
21. Always turn your Christmas Lights off when you go out or in very rainy weather.

My T Brite Lights provides specific instructions with all strings of lights that include:

• Always turn the power off before connecting or removing additional light strings from the lights.
• These lights are not toys – please do not allow children to play with or handle the lights or power cords.
• Only use My T Brite Lights with original My T Brite Accessories including the Power Up Power Cord or the Controller power cords or the Extension Cord.
• Do not operate the lights while in the packaging. Fully extend the string before operation.
• Visually check the lights before you turn them on to see if there are any obvious problems with them that may have come about from some previous misuse.
• Do not completely cover lamps with parts of Christmas Tree decorations.
• Turn the power off and disconnect the lights from the mains when not in use.
• Only connect to the mains using the SAA standard plug supplied with the “My T Brite Power Up” or “My T Brite Controller” power cords.
• Avoid damage to the wiring insulation.
• If the light set becomes damaged, it should be discarded.
• LED bulbs cannot be replaced – do not attempt to remove bulbs under any circumstances.

Follow these few simple tips and you will not only have a very bright but safe Christmas decorating season.

LED Christmas Lights | Icicle Lights | LED Light Strings

LED Christmas Lights | Icicle Lights | LED Light Strings

Planning A Christmas Light Display

Put the Ho Ho Ho into Christmas this year by putting up some lights on your house or in your garden.

It doesn't have to be overly complicated and it certainly isn't difficult. You can start small and if you like the effect add on with more lights over time. Using My T Brite Lights, which are connectable end to end (up to 20 strings) means that you don't have to buy more power cords just the lights. You only buy what you need.


It used to be the case that you bought a string of fairy lights and then struggled to find which light was out and affecting the whole string that you had just put up.

My T Brite Lights use only LED lights for our Christmas Lights. They are rated to last for up to 100,000 hours but even if one fails, it won't affect the rest of the string.

SO WHERE DO YOU START?

One of the most effective and easiest ways to start is by putting up a few strings of icicle lights. Plastic gutter clips that just hook over the lip of the gutter on your house and then hold the lights strings making it super easy to put them up.

My T Brite Lights has a selection of icicle lights that will dazzle your neighbours - click on the link and check them out.

Another great way to start is to pick one or two garden features and simply decorate them with a few individual strings of lights.

With My T Brite Lights you can either choose to have them as static lights (continuously on) or use one of our 8 function controllers to make them twinkle, fade, flash etc.


With a little bit of thought and taking a few tips that you will find on the My T Brite Lights "How To" page you can create a magical display.


Oh, and when you buy My T Brite Lights you can be confident that the lights will continue to work year after year.


Check back soon and we will explain how to make the simplest and perhaps the most effective illuminated decoration for your garden - a 'Mega Tree' - just like these.

Welcome To My T Brite Lights Blog

My T Brite Lights is an Australian owned company.

We specialise in decorative and Christmas lights and associated products. We only use the latest LED technology in all of our lighting products. Frustrated at seeing the spectacular and robust lights that are used in the US, Canada and parts of Europe and unable to obtain similar style and quality lights in Australia, we set about to develop a LED lighting product specifically for the Australian market.

We set a goal to make available decorative lights that would stand up to the rigors of commercial applications but be available for domestic use so that you can put out the most spectacular lighting display on your house this Christmas.

We get sick and tired of lights that break easily - My T Brite Lights are tough. Just have a look at our 'toughness test' and see for yourself.

Our lights have been developed so that they would meet the Australian technical requirements; have all of the correct SAA standard plugs, cables, connectors and fittings.

We decided at the outset that flexibility was important and that people shouldn’t pay for things that they don’t require. As My T Brite Light are all connectable (meaning that you can join up to 20 light strings together) we decided that you should be able to buy the power cords and 8 function controllers separately so that you don’t end up with a box of power cords that they don’t really need.

Finally we decided that the best lights that we could produce should be affordable and a lighting and decoration investment for the future – not the repeated year on year spend at the discount shops each November.

Our aim is to make available to you, lights that will last for years and that you will want to add to, year upon year.

For the 2008 Christmas season we have released a range of single color and multi-color strings and icicle lights in a variety of lens shapes that will make your Christmas display spectacular.

My T Brite Lights are perfect for the enthusiast who runs thousands of lights through computer controllers or the family that just wants to put that little bit of brilliant Christmas sparkle on their house during the festive season. There are no modifications needed – just plug them in as the manufacturer of the lights and the control systems intended and watch the show.

When you buy My T Brite Lights from www.mytbritelights.com.au you are dealing direct with My T Brite Lights so you can expect quality service and the best prices.

Register for our email list so that you can receive advice of specials and new products or check back periodically for specials, bulk buys and tips about decorating your house and setting up your Christmas display.

At this blog we will bring you the normal and the abnormal that relates to LED lighting, Christmas Lights and just plain spectacular lighting for the Christmas season.