Christmas Light Help PLEASE!
#1
Christmas Light Help PLEASE!
My husband should have been born Santa Claus....
We're having trouble keeping our Christmas lights turned on. They keep blowing breakers(?). He has half or so of them plugged into a 30 amp (?) and the other half into a 15 amp whatever. What does he need to do? Any ideas?
As you can see, I know nothing about what he's done and I don't think he does either! lol I really don't want our house to burn down.....All because he's a Christmas freak!
Thanks so much for all your help!
Averill
We're having trouble keeping our Christmas lights turned on. They keep blowing breakers(?). He has half or so of them plugged into a 30 amp (?) and the other half into a 15 amp whatever. What does he need to do? Any ideas?
As you can see, I know nothing about what he's done and I don't think he does either! lol I really don't want our house to burn down.....All because he's a Christmas freak!
Thanks so much for all your help!
Averill
#2
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Hold on there. You shouldn't have any 30 amp breakers that control receptacles that Christmas lights are plugged into. They should only be 15 or 20 amp circuits.
If you're tripping breakers, then the lights have a short. Check them. If the wiring is in any way brittle, frayed or in bad shape then throw the lights away and buy new ones.
If you're tripping breakers, then the lights have a short. Check them. If the wiring is in any way brittle, frayed or in bad shape then throw the lights away and buy new ones.
#3
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You can't plug christmas lights into a 30amp. It against code to have a regular receptacle on a 30 amp circuit.
He needs to split the lights into smaller groups and plug them into different receptacles on different circuits. You are overloading the circuits..
He needs to split the lights into smaller groups and plug them into different receptacles on different circuits. You are overloading the circuits..
#6
Figure out the wattage of each bulb or string. Then count the lights or string. Then split up the load by plugging them into as many different circuits as necessary. Hopefully you know which outlets in your house are on which circuits so that you know where to plug them in (if you don't know, figure it out). A 15-amp circuit can support up to 1800 watts. Stay below that.
If a big Christmas display is going to be a common thing, have an electrician add extra circuits to your house just for them before next year. Tripping breakers often isn't good for the wiring in your house.
And I really, really, really hope you're mistaken about that 30-amp thing.
If a big Christmas display is going to be a common thing, have an electrician add extra circuits to your house just for them before next year. Tripping breakers often isn't good for the wiring in your house.
And I really, really, really hope you're mistaken about that 30-amp thing.
#7
Thank you!
Thanks so much for your help! I forwarded your messages onto him...I posted this without his knowledge because he's freaking me out!!!!
We shall see what he does now! And no, I went and looked and I wasn't wrong about the 30 amp thing.
Those of you who think of National Lampoon's and Tool Time - well, you hit the nail on the head!!! When he goes to his workshop and I'm busy, I send one of the kids out with him to play in the backyard with a phone to call 911 if they need to.
Again, thanks for your help!
We shall see what he does now! And no, I went and looked and I wasn't wrong about the 30 amp thing.
Those of you who think of National Lampoon's and Tool Time - well, you hit the nail on the head!!! When he goes to his workshop and I'm busy, I send one of the kids out with him to play in the backyard with a phone to call 911 if they need to.
Again, thanks for your help!
#8
Using a 30-amp circuit is like sending your kids out to play in the street blindfolded. It will probably not burn your house down. Now's a good time to go over the fire escape routes with your children.
#9
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Please replace that 30 amp breaker or fuse with a 20 amp one. If you have problems with that being too small, then call in an electrician to add another circuit.
Please do not take chances. That 30 amp breaker is a fire hazard.
Please do not take chances. That 30 amp breaker is a fire hazard.
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Averill:
Are you sure the circuit has a 30A breaker? Does it have one handle with the number "30" on it, or does it have two handles which each say "15"? If the former then I agree you have a fire waiting to happen, if the latter than you are OK.
If it's really a 30 you're probably lucky that the circuit is so overloaded that the breaker is blowing. It would be much worse if you were drawing a constant 28 amps....
Are you sure the circuit has a 30A breaker? Does it have one handle with the number "30" on it, or does it have two handles which each say "15"? If the former then I agree you have a fire waiting to happen, if the latter than you are OK.
If it's really a 30 you're probably lucky that the circuit is so overloaded that the breaker is blowing. It would be much worse if you were drawing a constant 28 amps....