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Can I put fourteen 100Watt light bulbs to one Single Outlet that holds Up to 500 Watts?
We are going to attend a trade show that offers a single 120V power outlet that can hold upto 500W. But I have 14 lights that are 100watts each that needs to be put up to that outlet. Is this possible? If so, would the lights be dimmed? If so, how many watts would I need to be able to use the full brightness of the bulbs? Thanks to all experts out there!
SO IF I HAVE ONE SINGLE OUTLET THAT HOLDS UP TO 1500WATTS. WOULD IT BE BRIGHTER TO DO A SERIES OR A PARALLEL? THANKS!
7 Answers
- Mike1942fLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
500 watts from an outlet is absurd - normal is 15 amps or about 1720 watts nominal, 1500 being a safe upper limit. If that is all they are delivering, I am not sure I would trust the safety of the venue.
And no, you can't connect 1400 watts of light bulbs to 500 watts of power - the breaker will trip instantly. 5 bulbs would actually be pushing the limit on a 500 watt breakered unit - normally you want to stay below 80% of the breaker rating.
- IsabelLv 71 decade ago
You are risking fire trying to load almost three times the allowance for that outlet. Even using 60 watt bulbs will still take you over the limit. Best bet is to spread out your lights altering the lighting arrangement and keep wattage under 500. Shows like this often have fire inspectors come around and you could be cited so do not take a risk.
Do 6 lights at 75 watt and that should do you. Or, do five at the full 100 but that's pushing it. You'll just have to manage with that lighting. And truth of it is that's what I have to deal with at art shows all the time. The usual limit is 500 watts in my experience.
- gintableLv 71 decade ago
You can arrange some lights in series to accept dimming. BUT, don't expect good brightness from any bulb. When you operate bulbs at lower than normal voltages, the filaments are colder, and will emit a greater fraction of invisible infrared radiation (experienced as heat) instead of the normal fraction visible light.
If you arrange all bulbs in parallel, you will draw excessive current from the power outlet, and perhaps may start a fire, or hopefully, you will trip the safety device called a circuit breaker.
If you want to power 14, 100 watt bulbs, you need an outlet which can provide 1400 Watts. Remember conservation of energy?
Many engineered devices are oversized, in hopes to prevent disasters from slight overuse or from slight inaccuracies of knowledge of operating conditions and material properties. BUT, don't count on it by a factor of more than 2 as you are expecting to do.
- Vincent GLv 71 decade ago
If you put them in series, then of course they would be dimmed.
If you try to put them in parallel, then you would try to pull 1400 watt through, almost 3 times the power outlet rating. If it does not blow a fuse or trip a breaker, the wiring will be heated to the point of risking catching fire.
Putting two such bulbs in series, subjected to the voltage of the outlet, would reduce the power dissipated by each bulb to 1/4 of its original rating (i.e. they would each dissipate 25 W). This would dim the filament so much that I doubt you would see any glow.
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- KesLv 71 decade ago
You could divide the 14 bulbs into three groups (5, 5, and 4) and operate one group at a time and not exceed 500 watts (bulbs in a group would be in parallel at full brightness). This would permit the bulbs to flash groups 1,2, and3) in succession with a proper motor driven switch, similar to the moving lights on a theater marquee.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Just do it. What's the worst that can happen eh? the breaker might trip, but that's about it.
If the building has very old wiring, then bring a fire extinguisher with you.