Dear Dan:
Your last suggestion is the correct method. The last time I was dealing
with the electrical code, eight fixtures were the maximum allowed. If you use
number twelve wire, I believe that a twenty amp breaker is standard.
I have run number 14 wire to a single fixture from a switch. Speaking of
switches, if you are putting all of the lights on one circuit, then I would
suggest that the connections should be from switch to switch, with feeders
going to each fixture. Some folks like to run the hot wire to the fixtures,
and then run a switch wire using both the black and white wires for hot wires,
but I simply prefer the first method.
It gets really fun when wiring a four way switching system for a light. It
seems to me that it should be called a three way system, as there are only
three switches involved, but a three way switching system universally means a
two switch arrangement.
Yours Truly,
Clifford Wilson
----- Original Message -----
From: Dan Rossi
To: Blind Handyman List
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 9:56 AM
Subject: [BlindHandyMan] How many connections are feasible.
OK, lets say I've got this idea of having a single circuit for all the
lights on the second floor of my house. That way, if an air conditioner
overloads a circuit, or my wife throws the toaster into the shower while
I'm in there, none of the lights will go out. I believe it is pretty rare
for a light fixture to overload a circuit, although it is possible. But I
just thought it would be a cool concept to have a breaker that says, all
lights on second floor.
In my house, I think this is doable in that a 15 amp circuit can handle
1440 Watts. 1440 Watts is a hell of a lot of attic.
OK, so how do you wire this? I can't imagine that it works to run say six
or eight sets of wires from various light fixtures to one box, and one
power line. Then try and tie 7 or 9 black wires together and 7 or 9
whites together. I wouldn't think you could twist that many wires
together.
So, do you just run the power to the first fixture, then jump to the next
fixture, and daisy chain your way along, wiring a switch in parallel for
each fixture?
--
Blue skies.
Dan Rossi
Carnegie Mellon University.
E-Mail: [email protected]
Tel: (412) 268-9081
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