Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Too much for 1 15amp circuit?
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philmelinda
01-03-06, 09:41 AM
I'm finishing my basement and had an electrician do all the wiring. I'm starting to hook up the switches and outlets and it appears that the electrician had planned to power 13 lights and 6 smoke detectors on one 15 amp circuit. Is this too much for that circuit? Below is a more specific breakdown of what the circuit would power.
4 can lights on 1 switch
7 can lights on another switch
2 regular lights in the hallway on another switch
6 smoke detectors (1 in basement and other 5 through out the rest of the house)
If this is acceptable, would it be safe to splice all 5 black wires together in one box (1 hot from panel spliced to 4 hots for lights/smoke detectors)?
I have the option of powering any of the light circuits or the smoke detectors from another 15 amp circuit that has much less on it. I would just need to pull some wire from one junction box to another. Would this be a better option?
4 can lights on 1 switch
7 can lights on another switch
2 regular lights in the hallway on another switch
6 smoke detectors (1 in basement and other 5 through out the rest of the house)
If this is acceptable, would it be safe to splice all 5 black wires together in one box (1 hot from panel spliced to 4 hots for lights/smoke detectors)?
I have the option of powering any of the light circuits or the smoke detectors from another 15 amp circuit that has much less on it. I would just need to pull some wire from one junction box to another. Would this be a better option?
John Nelson
01-03-06, 09:56 AM
No, it's not too much. Each can light probably takes 65 watts. Each smoke detector is about 6 watts. That's only 881 watts, less than half of the circuit's capacity.
philmelinda
01-03-06, 09:59 AM
Thanks for the info.
What about splicing 5 wires together. Is that acceptable assuming I have a wire nut that is big enough to fit around all of them.
What about splicing 5 wires together. Is that acceptable assuming I have a wire nut that is big enough to fit around all of them.
John Nelson
01-03-06, 10:03 AM
Yes, it's acceptable.