home electric

[Brett Hartwig]

quick question- If I have a ceiling light fixture that has 2 60W bulbs, can replace it with a light that uses 3 25W bulbs? Both lights have 15amp fuses in the breaker box. Don't know enough about electricity to know if I can do this without overloading something. Did I make it clear enough?

 

[Dave King 2]

Not a problem at all. Your old fixture is drawing 120w. Your new fixture will only be drawing 75w. You will not be getting as much light from the new fixture. If this is not a problem go for it.

 

[David Ponder]

Yes you can.

 

[Brett Hartwig]

so vice versa- can I put the 60 watter in the room with the 25watter? By the posted theory, I will be drawing 120 watts from a fixture that previously was only supplying 75 watts. and if it matters, there are 2 black and 2 white wires coming from the 60watter, and only 1black and 1white coming from the 25 watter.

 

[Robert Caffyn]

First off, your house should be wired with 12ga copper wire. This will support a 20amp load. If you take a close look at the wire from the ceiling, it should say 12ga, if it says 14ga, then it will only support a 15amp breaker. Wattage for a lightbulb tells you the output of the bulb, it only draws 110V from the circuit. I don't want to get into a discussion on Amps, Wattage and Volts. But I'm sure somebody will put thier 2cents in. So yes, you can change the fixtures. black to black and white to white. Even if its 3 wires, put 'em all together with a proper wire nut. Its pretty simple. Just make sure to turn off the breaker for that fixture when working on it. Bob

 

[Tom Schindler]

so vice versa- can I put the 60 watter in the room with the 25watter?

Can the reciticle handle a 60 watt bulb. In this case, a 60 watt bulb creates more hean than a 25 watt bulb does. If the socket is designed for 25 watts and you put a 60 watt bulb in its place3, you have a chance of the socket melting. (the plastic, not the metal)





Tom

 

[Todd Z]

IF you throw in a Compact Florescent, you can go higher because the amp draw and heat are way lower..... then you can go brighter !!!!



Bob,

Some houses and lighting and fans are wired with 14ga still... even in new construction....

Sucks, but they do it. 15A max



Todd Z

 

[Bob McDonald]

Brett,

FYI re: the difference between the 2Blk/2wht vs 1Blk/1wht... The presence of 2 wires of each color is telling me that the fixture is in the middle of a circuit and continues on to another fixture on the same switch. The single black and white wire says it is at the end on the circuit, but is no guarantee that there are no other fixtures in front of it. The presence of multiple fixtures on the circuit would affect the max current for the circuit as well.

 

[Mark K 2]

Those wattages are small that you're dealing with in that light fixture.



If you wanted, you could go as high as at least 1800 watts before popping the breaker. :banana:

 

[Brett Hartwig]

1800? how do you figure that?

 

[Tom Schindler]

1800? how do you figure that?

Volts times amps equals watts.



So, 120 volts times 15 amps is 1800 watts.





Tom

 

[Brett Hartwig]

so to clear it up for the uninformed- I can put the light fixture that has (2) 60W bulbs in the room that currently has a light fixture with (3) 25W bulbs?

 

[Tom Schindler]

Yes, I would say so.





Tom

 

[Gavin Allan]

Actually, the maximum bulb he could use would be a 1440 watt. NEC requires derating actual load to 80% of max design load, I beleive.

 

[Dave King 2]

When a fixture is rated for two 60w bulbs it is not the amp draw that is the problem, its the heat build up that will be present over 120w. Like Caymen said, it could start melting sockets or other things in there. You will be safe with three 25w blubs.

 

[Bob McDonald]

Dave has a very good point warning about the heat build up being the biggest concern when dealing with a single fixture. This is especially true if it is a flat surface mount ceiling fixture.