Obi-Wan
Well-known member
I'm in the process of wiring up a good sized barn that has a perimeter of about 250'. I want to have five pairs of outdoor security lights and a few eave outlets for Christmas lights.
If I use nothing but LED's for all of those outdoor lights (as I intend to), a single 15A circuit and 14 awg wire would be more than enough, even accounting for long-distance resistance (I've done that math). However, if I were to die and somebody else were to dig up a time capsule that allowed them to fill those sockets with high-wattage incandescent bulbs, they would quickly overwhelm the 15A circuit.
Does the NEC speak to this situation? Do I need to have wiring & breakers that will support the max allowed current draw of the light sockets using bulbs from yesteryear, or can I assume that only LED lights will be used, and wire accordingly? Am I safe using a single 14 awg circuit as long as I use a matching 15A breaker, with the assumption that the breaker will trip first if somebody tries to use high-wattage lights?
As I think through it, I suppose this is no different than putting a half dozen 15A wall receptacles on a single 15A circuit. If the homeowner plugs a refrigerator into every receptacle, it'll trip the breaker before a fire starts. Allowing for that situation isn't the responsibility of the electrician. Am I right?
If I use nothing but LED's for all of those outdoor lights (as I intend to), a single 15A circuit and 14 awg wire would be more than enough, even accounting for long-distance resistance (I've done that math). However, if I were to die and somebody else were to dig up a time capsule that allowed them to fill those sockets with high-wattage incandescent bulbs, they would quickly overwhelm the 15A circuit.
Does the NEC speak to this situation? Do I need to have wiring & breakers that will support the max allowed current draw of the light sockets using bulbs from yesteryear, or can I assume that only LED lights will be used, and wire accordingly? Am I safe using a single 14 awg circuit as long as I use a matching 15A breaker, with the assumption that the breaker will trip first if somebody tries to use high-wattage lights?
As I think through it, I suppose this is no different than putting a half dozen 15A wall receptacles on a single 15A circuit. If the homeowner plugs a refrigerator into every receptacle, it'll trip the breaker before a fire starts. Allowing for that situation isn't the responsibility of the electrician. Am I right?