ourkansaw
Active Member
So I'm wiring my lighting fixtures for a grow box right now, and I just had a couple questions about electrical safety.
First off, how can I calculate how many amps a particular array of CFLs will be drawing? I'm currently planning to use about 200 or 250 watts of CFLs, ranging from 23w to 42w apiece, but I might want to increase that setup significantly at some point. The breaker for this circuit is a 20 amp, and there is a single 12-gauge Romex wire running from the breaker to my grow box. The only other thing on the circuit (along the Romex) is a smallish attic fan and a couple lights (13w CFL apiece). I assume my setup won't trip the breaker or overheat the wires, even if I were to double the number of CFLs (which is probably the absolute maximum I might ever consider)?
Secondly, the light sockets I have purchased are not clear about the maximum wattage I can safely use in them, and I'm not sure how useful those ratings are when it comes to CFLs anyhow. The sockets look like your standard lamp socket, and say they are rated to 660w max. I can't find them online right now, but basically it looks like this except it's black plastic instead of white porcelain. I am quite sure they would melt down if I could somehow put a 660w incandescent bulb in them, though, so what does that really mean? If I'm putting a Y-splitter in the socket with two 42w CFLs, should that be fine?
Thanks in advance for any feedback!
First off, how can I calculate how many amps a particular array of CFLs will be drawing? I'm currently planning to use about 200 or 250 watts of CFLs, ranging from 23w to 42w apiece, but I might want to increase that setup significantly at some point. The breaker for this circuit is a 20 amp, and there is a single 12-gauge Romex wire running from the breaker to my grow box. The only other thing on the circuit (along the Romex) is a smallish attic fan and a couple lights (13w CFL apiece). I assume my setup won't trip the breaker or overheat the wires, even if I were to double the number of CFLs (which is probably the absolute maximum I might ever consider)?
Secondly, the light sockets I have purchased are not clear about the maximum wattage I can safely use in them, and I'm not sure how useful those ratings are when it comes to CFLs anyhow. The sockets look like your standard lamp socket, and say they are rated to 660w max. I can't find them online right now, but basically it looks like this except it's black plastic instead of white porcelain. I am quite sure they would melt down if I could somehow put a 660w incandescent bulb in them, though, so what does that really mean? If I'm putting a Y-splitter in the socket with two 42w CFLs, should that be fine?
Thanks in advance for any feedback!
