To much load on circuit?

[DIY Rookie]

So I have a 20 amp break for my garage. I had 2- 2x4 flourescent with 32 watt 6500k bulbs lights in my garage. I added another 2x4 with the same bulbs. So 3- 2x4 fixtures now. Its tripping my GFI now. Just adding 1 fixture, is that pushing to much now? I mean I would turn the 2 fixtures on and the TV and soundbar on in my garage before and it wouldn't trip. How much can I put on that 20 amp. Trying to figure out what I can and cant do.

Do LED bulbs use less power than the flourescent bulbs. Thanks for any help.

 

[sberry]

There is something wrong with the fixture you added. 20 will handle 20 of them.

 

[Wrench97]

For rule of thumb seat of the pants calculations, Amps is watts divided by volts so 32 / 115 = .29 amps x 12 lamps = 3.5 amps.
Best to use the data plate on equipment involved to get the amp draw if there is one.

A 20 amp circuit should not be loaded over 16 amps normally.

Off hand I'd look for a short or crossed wire or since it's a ground fault breaker a fault in the ground side?

 

[DIY Rookie]

There is something wrong with the fixture you added. 20 will handle 20 of them.

That's what I was thinking as well. I mean before I added the other fixture I would have both fixtures on, my TV and soundbar on and even kick on my air compressor and it wouldn't trip.

Ok I'll have to go back and check something to see what the problem may be.

Thank u

 

[pattenp]

So the 20A breaker is a GFI breaker?

 

[DIY Rookie]

So the 20A breaker is a GFI breaker?

So the breaker panel in my house for my garage is a 20 amp breaker. I do have a GFI in my garage.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

There is something wrong with the fixture you added. 20 will handle 20 of them.

Bingo. The GFCI is tripping for a reason.

For rule of thumb seat of the pants calculations, Amps is watts divided by volts so 32 / 115 = .29 amps x 12 lamps = 3.5 amps.
Best to use the data plate on equipment involved to get the amp draw if there is one.

A 20 amp circuit should not be loaded over 16 amps normally.

Off hand I'd look for a short or crossed wire or since it's a ground fault breaker a fault in the ground side?

That only applies to continuous loads... non-continuous loads can load a circuit to 100%.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

So the breaker panel in my house for my garage is a 20 amp breaker. I do have a GFI in my garage.

Is the GFCI feeding everything?

Is this garage attached or detached?

 

[TractorJeff]

Its interesting because at first he talks about Lights on the circuit and he mentions there is a TV Sound Bar, next reply he states there is a Compressor also?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

That's what I was thinking as well. I mean before I added the other fixture I would have both fixtures on, my TV and soundbar on and even kick on my air compressor and it wouldn't trip.

Ok I'll have to go back and check something to see what the problem may be.

Thank u

GFCIs do not trip due to overload. Theyre not overcurrent protective devices.

You are misunderstanding what a GFCI does.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Its interesting because at first he talks about Lights on the circuit and he mentions there is a TV Sound Bar, next reply he states there is a Compressor also?

The guy is confused or uninformed.

A GFCI doesnt trip on overload because it is not an OCPD...

One of the fluorescent fixtures has a leak to ground above 5ma..

 

[sberry]

I am not sure what the comprehension problem here is. Seems to me he did a good job in explaining. He has one circuit, all was working even when he plugged other equipment in. Then he added a fixture and it had a problem.
It's highly likely the added fixture or something he did during the install.

 

[laser3kw]

A GFCI doesnt trip on overload because it is not an OCPD...

One of the fluorescent fixtures has a leak to ground above 5ma..

disconnect the last fixture added and see if the problem goes away. If not, reconnect the disconnected, try the next one up stream and so on. Make sure you wiring is consistent, supply hot to the same color in each fixture, same for neutral. Also make sure grounds are connected.

 

[teamextreme]

Make sure you don't have the ground and neutral touching somewhere on your new fixture install. That is a common cause of GFI tripping.

 

[pattenp]

So the breaker panel in my house for my garage is a 20 amp breaker. I do have a GFI in my garage.

That doesn't clearly answer my question. Is the 20A breaker a GFCI breaker? In other words, is the GFCI in the garage supplied by a GFCI outlet in the garage or a GFCI breaker in the panel?

 

[Falcon67]

Its interesting because at first he talks about Lights on the circuit and he mentions there is a TV Sound Bar, next reply he states there is a Compressor also?

Maybe forgot about the 200 HP motor in the back.

 

[laser3kw]

Maybe forgot about the 200 HP motor in the back.

Oh man! here we go