Electrical Mystery

[woody]

If you decide to redo the wire as someone else suggested, I would step up the wire size to help with the voltage drop you are experiencing especially since you will have multiple lights on that circuit.

 

[EddieWalker]

The only connection that I haven't checked is the breaker. Today it started out at 22 degrees outside and the high should be 36 degrees. Then it's going to get worse this week, and maybe even worse next week, so I'm not messing with anything out there for a while. I've bypassed what I think is the bad section of wire, where my wife dug up her plants, with a couple extension cords. The light is working perfectly!!!!

 

[LittleBill21]

If you decide to redo the wire as someone else suggested, I would step up the wire size to help with the voltage drop you are experiencing especially since you will have multiple lights on that circuit.

with the amperage needed for led, he prolly could wire 100 lights before it becomes a issue. 12/2 is prolly overkill as it is.

 

[garry1p]

Congratulations Eddie problem solved, fix in the works.

with the amperage needed for led, he probably could wire 100 lights before it becomes a issue. 12/2 is probably overkill as it is.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Bobrown14]

Why not just install a solar powered LED they do all the fancy stuff your 110V lamp does without the wires and without an electric bill.???

 

[LittleBill21]

Why not just install a solar powered LED they do all the fancy stuff your 110V lamp does without the wires and without an electric bill.???

is anyone actually impressed with solar powered anything, every time I see one used. I think it wasn't worth the effort to put it up, they are so dim

 

[ponytug]

is anyone actually impressed with solar powered anything, every time I see one used. I think it wasn't worth the effort to put it up, they are so dim

Generally, I agree. These days there are some bright ones available, but of course the panel is ginormous, and the looks are, well, different, and for areas that get significant wind, there is the risk of wind damage.

Personally, I would rather have dedicated home solar and batteries and then I can use the power for whatever is needed, but everybody is different.

All the best,

Peter

 

[LittleBill21]

Generally, I agree. These days there are some bright ones available, but of course the panel is ginormous, and the looks are, well, different, and for areas that get significant wind, there is the risk of wind damage.

Personally, I would rather have dedicated home solar and batteries and then I can use the power for whatever is needed, but everybody is different.

All the best,

Peter

that was my point I am familiar with solar, and know what it takes to make a light bright, 99% of people are not going to invest in the battery/solar/aesthetic to make the light bright enough to be usable.

 

[EddieWalker]

Why not just install a solar powered LED they do all the fancy stuff your 110V lamp does without the wires and without an electric bill.???

We have several solar powered LED lights. If you look at the picture of the lights on, there are some solar powered lights along the bottom of the fence. They are OK, but nothing great. In my experience, they last a year or two, and then you throw them away. I've replaced batteries in them after a year, but two years is really about as long as they last for me.

I guess a bigger, higher quality solar panel would work. What do they cost? I'd have to mount it somewhere and run it to the light. It would need a bigger battery to last all night. What does that cost? But somehow, it just seems easier and cheaper to run 12/2 wire to the post and install a $70 light that puts out 6,000 LUMS.

 

[KennyG]

Glad it's getting fixed. Underground service can fail in strange ways. When I bought my place I couldn't get a 120v air compressor to come up to pressure in the pole barn but the 240 volt swimming pool pump in the building ran fine. I checked it and only had about 80 volts on the 120 lines but 240 on the circuit. Turns out the direct burial line had a partially failed common wire. I replaced it with a new line in conduit and all is well.