How Long Do Christmas Fairy Lights Last?
Date Posted:26 April 2022
If you want to create a magical atmosphere in your home (or office) during the holiday season, Christmas fairy lights are a must-have on your decoration list! But as fabulous as they are in creating an enchanting ambience, for several reasons, Christmas fairy lights don't last as long as you'd want them to.
So how long exactly do they stay on for? Find out the answer to this question - and more - in today's article. By the time you're done reading, you'd have a pretty good idea of the average lifespan of your Christmas fairy lights.
So What's The Duration Of My Christmas Fairy Light?
The durability of the source of power for your Christmas fairy lights determines (to a large extent) how long they last. Generally speaking, fairy lights can stay on for 5 hours at least. And they can last as long as 85 hours! Many battery-powered fairy lights last as much as 60 hours before giving out.
Other factors (like how old your batteries are, or how much current is passing through the fairy light strings) can affect the life expectancy of your Christmas fairy lights. How often - and how heavily - you use them can also affect how long Christmas fairy lights last. It is, therefore, an excellent idea to always confirm the expected lifespan of your fairy lights before making a purchase.
Batteries are just one source of power for Christmas fairy lights. It would interest you to know that there are several energy sources for Christmas fairy lights. And fairy lights can be classified accordingly. Some of the more common classifications of fairy lights according to power source include:
- Solar-Powered Fairy Lights
- Battery-Operated Fairy Lights
- USB-Powered Fairy Lights
- Electricity-Powered Fairy Light
- Solar-Powered Fairy Lights
Of all the various kinds of fairy lights, solar Christmas lights last the longest, and it's pretty easy to see why. Solar energy is a renewable source of energy, so when used as a power source for Christmas lights, it can provide an almost inexhaustible source of energy.
The average total lifespan of solar fairy lights is about 35,000 hours! It could be more - or less - depending on how often you leave them on.
If your solar-powered Christmas fairy lights stay on for at least 10 hours every day, you can expect them to last up to 10 years before they start failing. Of course, if a very high current passes through the string (or you subject your fairy lights to heavy use), their life expectancy might not reach up to that.
- Battery-Operated Fairy Lights
The durability of battery-operated fairy lights largely depends on the battery brand, hours of usage, and battery age.
On average, battery-powered Christmas fairy lights last between 20 hours to over 100 hours. Christmas fairy lights powered by fresh batteries can give at least 80 hours of steady illumination, sometimes more. However, the life expectancy of battery-powered Christmas lights reduces whenever a high current flows through the strings of the fairy lights.
- USB-Powered Fairy Lights
USB-powered Christmas fairy lights have an average lifespan between 35 hours and 140 hours. And just like the other types of fairy lights, durability is affected by several factors.
High current passing through the strings is one of the most common causes of the reduced life expectancy of USB-powered Christmas lights.
USB Christmas lights come in a variety of colours, and sometimes, some of these coloured fairy lights use up more power than usual. It's not surprising that those particular coloured fairy lights last less long than other lights, especially when they're constantly in use and high currents pass through them.
- Electricity-Powered Fairy Lights
Electric plug-in Christmas lights last for at least 50 hours, even though they can last up to 100 hours depending on how often you use them.
The major challenge with electric plug-in Christmas fairy lights is that they consume a lot of electricity. They are also easily susceptible to current overloads, which can burn out the strings of your Christmas fairy lights. As with other fairy lights, how long electric plug-in Christmas lights last depends on their use.
Can I Leave My Christmas Fairy Lights On Overnight?
Even though most Christmas fairy lights are fireproof, it's always better to be safe than sorry. It might not be a wise idea to leave Christmas fairy lights on overnight, especially those that run on electricity. There's always the possibility of a fire outbreak when sparks fall from an overloaded socket when a heavy current passes through your Christmas fairy light strings.
It can worsen if you've used string lights to decorate your Christmas trees, as whatever sparks that fall will find your hallway Christmas tree a ready source of fuel for a blazing inferno! It's therefore a good idea to always turn off your fairy lights whenever they're not in use to reduce the risk of a fire outbreak.
What If I Have Battery-Powered Christmas Lights? Can I Leave Those On Overnight?
If your Christmas lights are battery-powered, it's safe to leave them on overnight! The voltage used for these types of fairy lights is so low that the risk of a fire outbreak happening from a blown circuit is little or next to none.
This particular reason is why battery-powered Christmas lights are a great option for folks who want to leave the lights on all through the night. And if you happen to have a child who loves to sleep with the lights on, then this type of fairy light is the perfect source of illumination, especially if you don't want to turn on the bedside lamp overnight.
Where Can I Find Christmas Fairy Lights Near Me?
Real Christmas Trees are your one-stop-shop for all of your Christmas decorations - including fairy lights! Call Us Today on 07 3366 8461 to place your order.
