Mark wrote:

In article ,
says...

In figuring out what was hooked up to each breaker in my house, I found two
breakers that had a lot connected to them. Should I be worried?

One 15A breaker has:
- 3 overhead light & fan combos (one for each bedroom)
- 2 bathroom vanity lights
- 2 bathroom exhaust fans
- 4 outlets (master bedroom)

Another 15A breaker has:
- 2 double-light outdoor flood lights
- 3 outdoor incandescent lights
- 1 4ft fluorescent tube light (4 tubes) - kitchen
- 1 incandescent light in kitchen
- 1 overhead light & fan combo (living room)
- 1 overhead light (front entry)

The remaining three 15A breakers have 4, 4, and 7 outlets (respectively) on
them.


Contrary to what others have said, you do have the potential
for tripping the second breaker quite easily.

Let's say you're having an evening outdoor party...

If those flood lights have 300W lamps in them, you'll be
pulling 1200W with both fixtures on. The other outdoor
lights (with 100W lamps) are probably on as well. Now
you're up to 1500W, or, at a nominal 120V, 12.5A. Since
it's a party, the kitchen lights and entry light will be on
as well, pulling (possibly) 360W, so now you're at 15.1A,
the limit of the breaker.

So I guess you shouldn't throw a party in the evening.


Or use 175W (or smaller) flood lamps and 60W in the other outdoor fixures
(or 13W or 19W compact fluorescents). I'm looking at the box for my spare
outdoor flood lamp and it's 100W (GE halogen PAR38). I think you'd have to
look pretty hard to find 300W reflector lamps. There's only a problem if
"funkjunk" goes out of his way to max out each light fixture.

Best regards,
Bob