How to reset a GFCI outlet when Christmas lights go out

The short version: unplug the lights, find the outlet with TEST and RESET buttons that tripped, press RESET firmly, then plug back in. Most dark houses after a San Antonio rain are just this.

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The 1-minute reset

1. Unplug the lights (or the timer) from the outdoor outlet, so the reset can hold.
2. Find the GFCI that tripped. It has TEST and RESET buttons. It may be the outdoor outlet, or one in the garage, a bathroom or near the electrical panel that feeds the outdoor outlets.
3. Press RESET firmly until it clicks. Some have a light that turns green when power is back.
4. Check the breaker if RESET does nothing: flip that breaker fully off, then on, and press RESET again.
5. Plug the lights back in. If they come on, you are done.

If it trips again right away

• Water is the usual cause: a plug or connection sitting in a puddle, or rain inside an outlet cover. Moisture downstream trips it, not the outlet itself.
• Let it dry a few hours or until morning, then reset again.
• Plug the strands back in one at a time to find the one that trips it.

When to stop

If the GFCI will not reset at all, or you see scorch marks, smell burning or see bare wire, stop and call an electrician. Do not keep pressing RESET.