How to Avoid Overloading Circuits with Christmas Lights in Texas Homes

Marko S.
Nov 10
3 min read

A beautifully lit home is the highlight of every holiday season — until the lights trip the breaker and half your display goes dark.

Overloaded electrical circuits are one of the most common issues homeowners in Frisco, TX face during Christmas light season. With Texas homes often featuring large rooflines and yard displays, it’s easy to exceed the safe load on a single outlet or extension cord.

At Christmas Lighting DFW, we help homeowners across Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Prosper, and The Colony enjoy stunning, worry-free lighting displays by following simple safety and efficiency rules.

Here’s how to keep your lights bright without blowing a fuse.

Know Your Circuit Limits

Most standard household circuits handle 15 to 20 amps, depending on the wiring and breaker size. Plugging too many high-wattage light strands into one outlet can quickly exceed that limit.

For reference:

A 15-amp circuit supports around 1,800 watts.
A 20-amp circuit supports about 2,400 watts.

Once you go over that, the breaker trips — shutting off power to the entire circuit.

Switch to LED Lights

The easiest way to prevent overloads is to switch to LED Christmas lights.

Traditional incandescent lights use five to ten times more electricity than LEDs. A single strand of 100 incandescent bulbs may draw 40–50 watts, while an LED strand uses only about 5 watts.

That means you can safely connect 10 times more LED strands on the same circuit without risk of tripping.

In neighborhoods across Frisco, Allen, and McKinney, LEDs have become the new standard for energy efficiency and safety — and they look brighter, too.

Spread the Load Across Outlets

Instead of running everything from one outlet, divide your display between multiple circuits.

Use different exterior outlets on opposite sides of your home or plug roofline lights into one circuit and landscape lighting into another.

Our team at Christmas Lighting DFW maps out every project this way — ensuring roofline, tree wrapping, and yard lights are properly distributed to balance the load safely.

Use Outdoor-Rated Extension Cords

Cheap or indoor-rated extension cords can overheat, especially if they carry power near their capacity limit. Always use heavy-duty outdoor cords with thick insulation and weatherproof connectors.

Avoid running multiple extension cords into a single plug or power strip — that’s one of the fastest ways to overload a circuit.

We use professional-grade cords and GFCI-protected outlets for every Frisco installation to prevent shorts and electrical hazards.

Avoid Daisy-Chaining Too Many Strands

Even with LED lights, connecting too many strands end-to-end can create problems.

As a general rule:

LED lights: Connect up to 25–40 strands per run.
Incandescent lights: Limit to 3–5 strands per run.

Always check your manufacturer’s label for specific wattage and connection limits. If you need more coverage, use a splitter or secondary power source instead of pushing one line too far.

Protect Outlets from Moisture

Rain or condensation can trip GFCI outlets, making it seem like you’ve overloaded a circuit when it’s actually a moisture issue.

Keep all connections and plugs off the ground and sealed with weatherproof covers or bags. In wet Frisco winters, this simple step prevents nuisance trips and protects your electrical system.

Professional Planning Prevents Problems

The best way to avoid circuit overload is with professional planning and installation.

At Christmas Lighting DFW, we calculate total wattage, power load, and outlet capacity before every installation. We design each lighting zone to stay well under electrical limits — keeping your lights bright, efficient, and safe.

Plus, if an issue ever arises, our 48-hour maintenance guarantee means we’ll fix it fast.

Final Thoughts

Avoiding circuit overloads isn’t complicated — it just takes a little planning and the right materials. By switching to LEDs, spreading the load, and using weatherproof cords, you can enjoy a bright, reliable display all season long.

If you’re in Frisco, TX, or nearby Plano, McKinney, Allen, Prosper, or The Colony, let Christmas Lighting DFW handle your lighting safely and professionally.