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Ok, the one in question is on a 15 amp fuse

I have a few other ceiling lights hooked up to the panel.

a) If I have all the lights on the 15 amp fuse turned on, is there some instrument that I can buy that will show how many amps are currently being drawn?

b) If yes to a) , how much does a good(top of the line) one go for.

c) If yes to a) , where should I connect this tool to meausure properly.

thanks

2007-10-13 17:02:07 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden Do It Yourself (DIY)

7 answers

Alan is correct but I would add that this will measure current draw while everything is on, not startup. Even incandescent lamps have a higher draw when turned on. You should allow at least 15% for this. You can also add the wattages of all the lights on the circuit to get your power draw and go from there.
On a 120V. line 15 amps will be 1800 W. About what a largr microwave oven draws. 1W= 1Volt at 1 Amp so on 120V every 120W of light s is 1 Amp.

2007-10-14 00:16:51 · answer #1 · answered by Charles C 7 · 1 0

Watts divided by volts = amps. A 100 watt bulb at 110 volts = almost 1 amp. You can have up to 15 bulbs on a 15 amp circuit. Whatever you are adding, just check the wattage or better yet, some appliances will tell you their amp draw. As for the tool, what you are talking about is an amp meter. You can get one with an "inductive pickup". It looks like a big ring on top of the meter. It opens up and goes around the wire and will read the current passing through. It can be used anywhere along the wire. Checking the wire where it comes out of the breaker would probably be the easiest to get to.
As for top of the line, why? What you would pay for an expensive meter for a one time use you could pay an electrician to come measure and make the calculations for you. A cheap one costs around $30 and will measure amps as well as an expensive one.

2007-10-14 07:29:19 · answer #2 · answered by bigrick45 4 · 1 0

You really don't need any fancy equipment to get a close estimate on how many amps you can put on a circuit. It's a matter of simple MATH!!

Count the number of watts each light bulv or appliance is drawing.

For instance, a normal bulb draws 60 watts. Halogen bulbs draw between 25 and 35 watts.

A simple 100vac, 15 amp circuit can handle a load of 1200 watts, as a rule of thumb.

Just add all the wattage of everything on that circuit! if it's 1200 to 1500 watts, then the circuit can not handle any more, and will throw the breaker, or blow the fuse!

I'd keep the lighting circuit to just below 1200 watts.

2007-10-14 07:38:41 · answer #3 · answered by Rawstuff 007 3 · 0 1

A) amprobe B) top of the line about 150.oo cheap ones about 30.oo. C) Open the jaws put it around one of the wires going to the lights one wire only not two and set it at the proper setting. And theres your amp draw.

2007-10-14 00:59:02 · answer #4 · answered by alan s 2 · 1 0

The instrument is called an amp clamp. You just slip it over the wire in the panel coming from that circuit breaker or fuse and it will tell you how many amps of current are flowing through that wire. Here is one like I use.

http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-DIGITAL-CLAMP-METER-Product/dp/B000NI2B1A/ref=sr_1_13/104-8967123-2821546?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1192417162&sr=8-13

2007-10-14 23:03:31 · answer #5 · answered by John himself 6 · 0 0

around $100 -- you can either read it with the probes or they could have a open and close ring that goes around the wire and measures the amps - volts -- whatever

2007-10-14 00:39:06 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0 1

make sure you don't tell anyone about your marijuana growing ;)

but, to your q, idk

2007-10-14 00:13:20 · answer #7 · answered by Matt P 3 · 0 1

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