Anyone have a LED dusk to dawn pole light?

[ultrarunner]

There are still homes like this. We don't typically use alot of power. Old homes they didn't bother with isolation, for ease of future construction.

Years ago washer, fridge,vacuum, and coffee pot were the only loads in the house. Now we have microwaves. Range and dryers were on there own fuses. We still dont have alot of load, when not using tools in the garage, or space heaters. Not sure what some of these big tvs take.

You would need alot of lights, all on the same circuit. Maybe with a shop might be an issue. But an over head light or some lamps, shouldn't do it, unless something is extreme.

Either way this has nothing to do with LED vs Incandescents

Helped a relative recently with circuit problem according to his electrician.

He wanted to add a lot of recessed can lights. Electrician said his panel was full and would need to replace in order to add circuits.

He calculated everything with 65W bulbs so yes... it would not have worked.

I calculated using LED and he did not need to add a circuit... note... he never had any issues prior.

If anything a modern home of 2017 should have a lower load than the same home a decade or so earlier.

 

[Zerk]

The problem is, someone can add a different bulb tomorrow. I am not sure if newer code is concerned with this. Each outlet is considered 180 VA until you get so many. Lights are considered all on, until you get so many.

The electrician was probably right from safety point. Nothing is stopping you from screwing in an incandescent. I would be reluctant to do it for a customer.

Code is more then just what you can get away with, it is best practices, and takes into account future users.


We use a lot more circuits then we need, but it makes isolation easier. Plus if one breaker trips the whole house is not dark. In garage I like outlets on separate circuit then lights.

 

[Zerk]

Helped a relative recently with circuit problem according to his electrician.

He wanted to add a lot of recessed can lights. Electrician said his panel was full and would need to replace in order to add circuits.

He calculated everything with 65W bulbs so yes... it would not have worked.

I calculated using LED and he did not need to add a circuit... note... he never had any issues prior.

If anything a modern home of 2017 should have a lower load than the same home a decade or so earlier.

From what I quickly read, the electricians was following code and safe practices. An inspector looks at the rating of fixture, or light outlet. If he would have installed a fixture rated for 100 watts, with a LED that took 10 watts, and you decided it wasn't bright enough you could put in a 100 watt. You run out of money because you live in CA, and can't afford LEDs nothing is stopping you from putting another bulb.


Maybe this could be remedied with LEDs that only fit LED outlets. But the problem would be getting people to adopt them, because the selling point is you can use them in the same fixture. Maybe someday I could see this. But we still don't know what the next great light will be. We were told mercury filled CFL were the ticket.


This is why home owners shouldn't do electrical. You created an unsafe condition. Hopefully other room's lighting circuits are on other breakers. Some local codes dictate the number of rooms on a circuit so the house doesn't go dark. I am not sure if NEC does, it probably does somewhere. I have not needed to worry about this.

 

[aczlan]

From what I quickly read, the electricians was following code and safe practices. An inspector looks at the rating of fixture, or light outlet. If he would have installed a fixture rated for 100 watts, with a LED that took 10 watts, and you decided it wasn't bright enough you could put in a 100 watt. You run out of money because you live in CA, and can't afford LEDs nothing is stopping you from putting another bulb.


Maybe this could be remedied with LEDs that only fit LED outlets. But the problem would be getting people to adopt them, because the selling point is you can use them in the same fixture. Maybe someday I could see this. But we still don't know what the next great light will be. We were told mercury filled CFL were the ticket.


This is why home owners shouldn't do electrical. You created an unsafe condition. Hopefully other room's lighting circuits are on other breakers. Some local codes dictate the number of rooms on a circuit so the house doesn't go dark. I am not sure if NEC does, it probably does somewhere. I have not needed to worry about this.

They do make LED cans. Instead of a Edison socket, they have a little two pin plug.

Aaron Z

 

[scdeerslayer]

If he installs LED fixtures then there's no possibility of screwing in an incandescent.

 

[Zerk]

Why didn't the professional want to do it?

But yes LED only fixtures, would probably be a way around adding a circuit. As long as the pigtail is not part of some adapter for a standard base, that can be removed.

 

[ultrarunner]

From what I quickly read, the electricians was following code and safe practices. An inspector looks at the rating of fixture, or light outlet. If he would have installed a fixture rated for 100 watts, with a LED that took 10 watts, and you decided it wasn't bright enough you could put in a 100 watt. You run out of money because you live in CA, and can't afford LEDs nothing is stopping you from putting another bulb.


Maybe this could be remedied with LEDs that only fit LED outlets. But the problem would be getting people to adopt them, because the selling point is you can use them in the same fixture. Maybe someday I could see this. But we still don't know what the next great light will be. We were told mercury filled CFL were the ticket.


This is why home owners shouldn't do electrical. You created an unsafe condition. Hopefully other room's lighting circuits are on other breakers. Some local codes dictate the number of rooms on a circuit so the house doesn't go dark. I am not sure if NEC does, it probably does somewhere. I have not needed to worry about this.

The home is now sold... the buyers had a home inspection, chimney inspection, termite inspection, camera for sewer, pulled copies of all permits and were satisfied.

Permits were pulled for all improvements and additions... the Home Owner pulled the permits and the inspections were all finaled.

I'm sure there are secondary markets where 100W bulbs can be obtained... but is has been years since a person could walk in off the street and buy any 100W incandescents in California.

I do appreciate the response because it is an opportunity to learn.

 

[ultrarunner]

Why didn't the professional want to do it?

He said the panel/breakers are dated and putting in a larger panel now would provide room for anything later added...

The home has a 125 amp panel and 200 is what was recommended.

 

[Zerk]

Wow. The fun got sucked right out of reading this thread. :thumbdown:

NEC is kinda dry.

Yeah, it kinda went downhill. And to think there is a man in Wisc. that is defending his stock of incandescent bulbs with deadly force. And I would be happy to give mine away. Different strokes for different folks.

Ya math is not a fun subject.




How is the fun sucked out of discussing stuff? Yes men, are no fun. I blame the guy with the bad story problem. Those are tough for many people.



As said I am not against LEDs. I have some. I don't think I would buy one for yard light, if I needed light. Maybe a porch light. The technology hasn't matured, if it ever will. It may not be the silver bullet of lighting.

 

[Zerk]

Wow. The fun got sucked right out of reading this thread. :thumbdown:

He said the panel/breakers are dated and putting in a larger panel now would provide room for anything later added...

The home has a 125 amp panel and 200 is what was recommended.

200s are nice, but I think over kill, unless are really big house, in which case it can be nice to add circuits, or a big shop. I have well, air handler, electric dryer, electric water heater, on 100. I do have a sub panel to add circuits. I wanted more in the garage. Plus I want to add to the barn some day.

I don't have an electric range. Keep in mine 100 amp panel, is 200 amps at 120 V. Panel sizing is done by VA or watts, not amps. You should balance the load between both legs, as best you can.

There was a long discussion last year on here about 200 amp panels. Nice to have, nice selling point to some people, but probably not worth the money to add one. If I was building, maybe I would start with a 200. You can also install a 200 amp panel put only feed it with 100 amp wires and service. I am pretty sure the lugs tighten down. Though I would run big enough wire to the meter for 200 amp, even if I was only getting 200 amp service.

IMO unless you got big loads, the advantage is more circuits. Though maybe we go over board with circuits. It is handy. You can have a bunch 15 or 20 amp circuits on 100 amp panel, or 75. The actual load should be sized, not the number of breakers.