From: Mike Rambour <mikey@b2systems.com>
To: shop-talk@autox.team.net <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Date: Tuesday, July 11, 2000 7:02 PM
Subject: lights and electrical
> I have a "expanded" garage that was expanded by punching out the back
>wall into the backyard another 16 feet, the end result is my garage is
>24ft. wide by 38 ft. deep.
I had to go the other way. I extended out the front 28 feet. The
foundation size of the whole building is now 20 x 50.
>I wired this up with lots of lights and I mean
>lots. I have a total of 14 4ft. 40watt fluorescent bulbs and 4 8ft. ?watt
>bulbs.
I went for flexibility.
In the nominally 20 x 20 parking garage I have 12 string-switched sockets
(with grounded outlets, since sometimes I might not want to step over/under
a cord to one of the 6 duplex wall outlets).
In the nominally 20 x 30 heated shop I have 18 string-switched sockets (with
grounded outlets, since sometimes I might not want to step over/under a cord
to one of the 16 duplex wall outlets). Over each of the two workbenches I
have a 4-foot double fluorescent fixture.
The flexibility is that I only have to turn on what lights I need. I can
put whatever wattage bulb I like in any of the fixtures. If I decide to put
up more fluorescent lighting later, I can just hang it up and plug it in.
>Thats a lot of lights most are 2 bulb fixtures placed right over a
>tool, the 4bulb fixture is over the workbench. I was noticing a few nights
>ago while outside that my garage is quite bright but I like light over a
>tool or bench or motor. If it matters, the exact count of fixtures is 5
>2bulb 4ft fixtures, 1 4bulb 4ft. fixture, 2 2bulb 8ft. fixtures on a maybe
>20Amp circuit.
>
> I never rewired the garage for this and I am wondering if I am
>overloading the wires. What is the amperage of a 40watt fluorescent bulb ?
1/3 of a watt. Volts times amps equals watts.
14 bulbs x 1/3 watt = 4.67 watts.
>and a 8ft. bulb of ?watts. Also what is the wire gauge for a 20Amp
>circuit, this is a old house with a new looking 20Amp breaker, I have not
>checked the gauge of the wiring behind that breaker.
Memory not good, but I think 12 gauge for 20 amp, and 14 guage for 15 amp.
Phil Ethier Saint Paul Minnesota USA
1970 Lotus Europa, 1992 Saturn SL2, 1986 Chev Suburban
LOON, MAC pethier@isd.net http://www.mnautox.com/
"If I can do it, it's not art" - Red Green
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