How many watts can an outlet handle?

D

dkexplorer1

My lights among two tanks are 650 watts. This plus heater of 300w each = 1250 watts. Adding other equipments the total watts should be close to 1400 watts. Can a regualr 15 amp breaker handle this load? Has anyone experienced any porblem?
 
you would need to calculate how much amperage is being used. try checking how much current is being used by the lights and the heater.

Power (watts) = Current (I) * voltage (V)

Or if my calcs are correct...assuming 120V... 1400 / 120 = 11.6 Amps.
 
usually at start up if you are using mh ballasts it spike so run each ballast to not start up at the same time so you dont trip the breaker
 
Yes, easy math is watts times voltage and you come up with amps. As others have said, startups can be more. Don't forget about your pumps and fans and all the other stuff. And, most household wiring has more than one outlet on the breaker and most homes are set at 15 amps. So, if you have one outlet with all your fish stuff and someone plugs in a vacuume cleaner to an outlet on the same circuit, you can trip the breaker. I broke wown and added two 20 amp dedicated plugs for the fish tank.
 
I had to add a sub panel for mine because all my breaker spaces were filled with doubles. I took out a double 40 amp and replaced with a 125 amp. I had a nice panel in my shed that I used. Everything you can pick up at the depot:

Sub Panel if needed - $50 for a 125 amp with about 6 spaces
125 amp breaker - $25
New 40 amp breaker because the panels were the same type breakers - $15
2 New 20 amp breakers - $15
12/3 Romex, 50 feet - $30
15' of new wire to make the connection from existing load center to the new - $25
Conduit and various fittings - $10
Electrical boxes - $14
2 New 20 amp GFIC Outlets - $40

Mine went from one garage wall to another so I just used conduit instead of running through walls. Plus I would have had to find a way through a rather large steel I Beam. Outside of the conduit, GFCI and breakers, I had everything else. It took about 6 hours to do everything. If you have room in your load center, you can stay away from the hardest part of adding a sub panel. Some panels, you can replace single breakers with doubles to make the room needed. Everything was done to or above code.

If you call your local electric contractor, this would cost you about $700-$1000. Fortunatley, I have a buddy who runs a company in Phoenix to give me the cost estimates and have had lots of wiring expirence to do it myself.

If you would like more details or how to do it, just let me know. If you are close, I could help as well.
 
Thanks for all the inputs. Thanks to Bhammer's offer to help. Really appreciate it.

Based on my claucation, I should be ok for now. :D

Dennis
 
Actually it is volts x amps = watts. For instance a 70 watt bulb is 70 watts divided by 120 volts = .583 amps. 15 amp breaker x 120 volts = 1800 watts would be about max wattage on 15 amp breaker. Not accounting for power surges.
Your 1400 watts divided by 120 volts = 11.666 amps. Pretty close but it should handle it, of course as I said not accounting for surges.
 
@Rick wrote:
Actually it is volts x amps = watts. For instance a 70 watt bulb is 70 watts divided by 120 volts = .583 amps. 15 amp breaker x 120 volts = 1800 watts would be about max wattage on 15 amp breaker. Not accounting for power surges. Your 1400 watts divided by 120 volts = 11.666 amps. Pretty close but it should handle it said:
Yup, my mistake... wrong wording combonation there on my part. Spikes are one big concern as well as other equipment on the same circuit. Check your household voltage as well. Swings between 110 and 120 are all possible. Like right now, I am looking at some Audio Video equip I have and I am reporting 122 volts.


Here's the full work-up

Converting Watts to Amps
The conversion of Watts to Amps is governed by the equation Amps = Watts/Volts
For example 12 watts/12 volts = 1 amp

Converting Amps to Watts
The conversion of Amps to Watts is governed by the equation Watts = Amps x Volts
For example 1 amp * 110 volts = 110 watts

Converting Watts to Volts
The conversion of Watts to Volts is governed by the equation Volts = Watts/Amps
For example 100 watts/10 amps = 10 volts

Converting Volts to Watts
The conversion of Volts to Watts is governed by the equation Watts = Amps x Volts
For example 1.5 amps * 12 volts = 18 watts

Converting Volts to Amps at fixed wattage
The conversion of Volts to Amps is governed by the equations Amps = Watts/Volts
For example 120 watts/110 volts = 1.09 amps

Converting Amps to Volts at fixed wattage
The conversion of Amps to Volts is governed by the equation Volts = Watts/Amps
For Example, 48 watts / 12 Amps = 4 Volts
Click to expand...
 
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