Light Limit

[adamcoppard]

When we have contractors rig our lights, they use there own dimmer racks, which take big bulky, circular power located up in the ceiling (I ain't got a clue what it's called), and I am limited to say 3 or 4 lights a side. However, when we don't user contractors, and rig ourselves, we use a standard 13A plug, on each dimmer rack (6 lights in each rack). What is my limit, of amount of lights to have turned on, or isn't there one?

[Andrew C]

Sorry, but without much more info, you won't get any useful replies other than:-

 

Watts = Volts x Amps

 

With a 13A supply at 240V you can use 2990 Watts. Call it 3000 in real terms. That is all you can have running at full at the same time. Dimming to half (or any other fraction) does not give a simple halving of current.

 

Your round connector could be 16, 32, 63, or even 125 Amps if it is a modern blue CEE form connector.

[berry120]

With a 13A supply at 240V you can use 2990 Watts. Call it 3000 in real terms. That is all you can have running at full at the same time. Dimming to half (or any other fraction) does not give a simple halving of current.

 

On top of that, don't just assume that you can use this much PER 13A socket. As Andrew said more info is needed to answer your question properly - it all depends on what the ring main can supply before tripping, whether the sockets are all on the same ring main or different ones, whether you're plugging into completely seperate 13A sockets or 2 in a double socket (not recommended, most double sockets can only take around 20A between the 2, not 13A on each one) and the wattage of the lights.

 

That said - I'd seriously consider looking into using the ceeform in the roof - that's the sort of thing it's there for!