Running Lights: Calculating Maximum Runs and Wattages

Christmas Lights , Home Lighting , Light Bulbs , Lighting Tips

With three major decorating holidays just around the corner, we can cheerfully say its time to
deck the halls! Festive exterior lighting can highlight your home or business for a flawless
nighttime showcase. The time-honored tradition of hauling ropes of lights up a precariously
placed ladder is inevitable and youll want to get the most out of your display. At this point you
might ask Well, how many lights can I put up anyway? The number of lights you can slather on
your rooftop is answered by a simple set of equations.

Do the Math The First Equation

Its common to run strings of lights featuring C7 and C9-sized bulbs, which are basically mini
Christmas lights with larger clear or colored plastic caps on them for a different light dispersion.
Too many sets of bulbs connected together can cause the circuit to trip off. For our zealous light
extravaganza and commercial planners, a 1000-foot reel of sockets (known as stringers) for
customized lights left uncut may also cause the fuse to blow or the wires to overheat and lead to
a fire hazard. To figure out how many C7 or C9 lamps your circuit can handle, you will need the
following equations:
Volts x Amps = Total Watts x 0.8 = Usable Watts
Usable Watts / Single Lamp Wattage = Total Number of Lamps
Traditional C9 Christmas Lights
This breaks down to mean the voltage, which is 120 volts for American households, times the
amperage of your circuit is equivalent to the total wattage available for use. Since Christmas
lights draw a continuous load of power (when they are not twinkling or flashing), you should only
use 80% of the power available to you. Therefore, you take the total wattage and multiply that
by 0.8 to find the number of usable watts. This equation compensates for any overload you
might have, lower the chances of you tripping a breaker or blowing a fuse with your spectacular
display. An example would be 120 volts times a 15-amp circuit equals a total of 1800 watts; that
1800 watts multiplied by 0.8 results in 1440 usable watts. So you have a maximum of 1440
watts of power for your lights to run on.

Got Amps?
Are you wondering how to determine your amperage? Finding the amperage of your circuit for
the first equation requires a visit to your circuit breaker box. Most homes run on 15 or 20-amp
circuits. Once you figure out which outlet you want to use, check the circuit breaker box to
determine which circuit the chosen outlet is on. Systematically turn off and on the switches in
your breaker box. As you turn off a switch, check to see which outlets no longer work before
turning the switch back and moving to the next switch. Once you find the switch that controls
your selected outlet, look at the switch itself. A number should be printed on the switch,
indicating the number of amps on that particular circuit.

Final Results - The Second Equation

Now that you know how much wattage is feasible for you to use, you can move on to the second
equation:
Usable Watts / Single Lamp Wattage = Total Number of Lamps
You take the results of the first equation, in our example its 1440 watts, and divide that number
by the wattage of a single bulb. The answer is tells you the total number of lamps you can run
continuously from one outlet. The solution to this equation can vary greatly depending on the
type of bulb you intend to hang up. Traditional incandescent bulbs use a lot more power per bulb
while LEDs use a smaller amount. You can easily have 3 to 4 times more LED lamps than their
incandescent counterparts. The chart below is a comparison of some of the basic LED bulb
wattages and their max runs versus standard incandescents on the average 15 or 20-amp
circuit.

Comparison of LED and Traditional C7 and C9 strings

Obviously LED bulbs come out on top because of their generally energy-saving nature. The
incandescent max run can only be achieved by using a maximum 250-foot commercial
stringer and buying the bulbs separately to fill the sockets, simple 25-lamp box sets cannot carry
the power current far enough and stay lit. The next paragraph will explain why this happens.

Wire Gauges and Why They Matter

The last thing you need to consider before beginning your illuminated exhibition is the wire
gauge of your lights. Wire gauge also decides how much electrical current can be carried and
how many strings of lights can be connected end-to-end, in one continuous run. You will want to
purchase commercial grade light strings which are made from 18 to 22 gauge wire. The larger
the gauge number, like 22 for example, the smaller the wire and smaller wire gauges cannot
carry as much electricity. With LED bulbs this is less of a factor since power usage is near nonexistent at times, but UL safety recommendations advise that only 216 watts of bulbs be used on
one circuit. Meaning you can most likely connect 3 to 5 strings of traditional incandescent
bulbs together before you hit that magic number. Also its one circuit per 216 watts, not one
outlet; if you decide to add more lights, you need to use an outlet on a different circuit. If you are
still uncertain about your run after doing the math and find that the last string of lights refuses to
light up, you are experiencing avoltage drop and you need to disconnect some lights.
As stated earlier, try not to use more than 80% of the possible wattage. The reason for that is
when too many lights are on one circuit, initially the lights may work until the circuit heats up
and then pops or blows its fuse. It should also be mentioned that this equation only works for
copper-wired circuits. If your building was wired before the 1970s and hasnt been updated
since, you most likely have aluminum wiring and that wire type cannot support the same number
of lamps.
Do you have ideas on how to add some pomp and splendor to your holiday fanfare, advice on the
best ladder placement, or more questions about setting up lights? Please drop us a line below.
Check out our Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, or Pinterest for a myriad of holiday tips
and treats. Contact our spirited staff at 1000Bulbs.com, who await your quests for a more
extraordinary sparkle.

What does LED stand for?

LED is short for light-emitting diode.
How long do LEDs last?
LEDs are notable for being extremely long-lasting products. Many LEDs have a rated life of up
to 50,000 hours. This is approximately 50 times longer than a typical incandescent, 20-25 times
longer than a typical halogen, and 8-10 times longer than a typical CFL. Used 12 hours a day, a
50,000 bulb will last more than 11 years. Used 8 hours a day, it will last 17 years!
Where can LEDs be used?
They can be used almost anywhere. LED replacements are already available for bulb types such
as A-shape, PAR reflectors, MR reflectors, decorative, undercabinet, and more. When used on
dimmers, particularly dimming systems that support many bulbs, we suggest testing a few
LEDs first to test compatibility.
What are the advantages of switching to LED?
The advantages of switching to LED are numerous. Here are just some of the benefits: LEDs
use much less electricity than other bulbs, have extremely long rated lives, produce very little
heat, do not emit UV or infrared, contain no mercury, are resistant to shock and vibration, and
can operate effectively in extremely cold environments. For more information the advantages of
LED, see LED: Is It Right For You?.
Why do LEDs cost more than other types of bulbs? Are they worth it?
LED is still a new technology, and the expense of producing quality product is still high.
However, pricing has come down dramatically from just a few years ago and prices are
expected to continue to drop. In terms of whether LEDs are worth the extra cost, it's helpful to
look at the cost to operate a bulb in addition to the up-front cost. The energy savings realized in
a switch to LED means that the extra up-front cost is often paid back rather quickly, and you'll
wind up saving money over the life of the bulb. If you'd like to see this in action, check out
our Energy Savings Calculator. Here is an example: for a residential customer who may have
the light on for just 10 hours per week the payback is over 10 years. On the other hand, a
retail or restaurant client who is burning lights for 90-100 hours per week will calculate their
payback on a $70 LED PAR to be less than 18 months. Taking a look at your payback estimate
should definitely be a consideration when deciding if LED is right for you.

Is there really any difference between a $10 LED and a $50 LED?
Yes. LEDs are very similar to consumer electronics and quality really matters. In order for an
LED to function properly and provide an acceptable light output, all of the components must be

built to last. It's always a good idea to buy from a manufacturer and retailer that you're
confident will stand behind the product. If you'd like to learn more about the components and
how cheaply-made LEDs stack up against top-quality product, check out A Tale of Two Bulbs.

Is an LED going to produce enough light to replace my current bulb?

For most applications, yes. Off-the-shelf LED products are now reliably replacing incandescent
equivalents of up to 100 watts, and specialty products are available to replace even higher
wattages. If you'd like to learn more about LED light output, take a look at this article on light
output.
What's the quality of LED light?
If you buy quality product, the light quality is excellent. Color Rendering Index (CRI) is
generally used to measure light quality on a scale from 1-100. Most LEDs have a CRI rating of
at least 80, and many are rated 90 and above.
How green are LEDs?
LEDs are very green. For starters, they use much less electricity than many other lighting
products. This means that less electricity has to be produced to operate them, and resulting in
lower emissions from power plants, especially in areas where coal-fired plants are common.
Unlike CFLs, they contain no mercury. Because of their long life, they also reduce solid waste:
If you replace an incandescent bulb with an LED, you will prevent fifty 1,000 hour
incandescent bulbs from being thrown away. Additionally, they produce very little heat and can
reduce energy usage related to HVAC. The U.S. Department of Energy has estimated that
increased adoption of LEDs over the next 15 years would also reduce electricity demands from
lighting by 62 percent, prevent 258 million metric tons of carbon emissions, and eliminate the
need for 133 new power plants.
Can LEDs be used with dimmers?
Usually, yes. Many LEDs are specifically listed as being dimmable. Some dimming systems
work with LEDs better than others, so it's best to test one or two before completely re-lamping a
space.
Should LEDs be used in enclosed fixtures?
Not if they are completely enclosed. In order for an LED to function correctly, they must be in a
non-enclosed fixture to allow for heat to dissipate from the heat sink. Otherwise, they can
overheat and may fail early.