Electrical Question(s)

[Byron Trantham]

I have a 20 amp circuit wired with 12 ga wire in my house. I use one of the outlets to power our Christmas outside lights. I just measured the voltage (lights off) and current and voltage (lights on). Unloaded the voltage is 120. Loaded the voltage is 115 at 8.8 amps. I am pretty sure the voltage drop is due to the numerous extension cords use to connect all the lights. Is this much of a voltage drop dangerous?

BTW, I jsut checked the ga of the extension cords and they are 16 ga. There are about three of them at 20' each on different runs but terminate in the same source.

[Tyler Howell]

As long as it's lights and not motors or electronics you should be OK. The lights are not getting all the juice and thus not shining as bright. Those missing five volts are being disipated as heat in your X cords. That in itself can be a problem if that voltage drop rises to the point of melting the insulation.
Bigger X cords less voltage drop.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Yep, I have the same problem! I actually connected enough strands end to end that the lights weren't very bright. I added another extension cord to a separate Circuit and they brightened right up :) I think I had something like 12 end to end.

[Byron Trantham]

Thanks for the responses. I guess I am ok. I think I would like to build some custom 12ga extension cords for those lights.:)

FWIW, I found out that those 100 light strings and the icicle lights draw a little over 1 amp each! String three of them together (the most they recommend) and you are looking at about 3.5 amps! It doesn't take many of these combinations to blow a 15 amp breaker!:eek: