I've installed a single pole motion detecting switch in my kitchen. Before I had 2 toggle switches controlling 2 seperate overhead lights. What I wanted was for my new switch to turn them on and off together, so I simply combined the coresponding wires from the 2 switched with the new switch. It works fine, but I am a little worried. Is this okay? Am I running too much current through the switch?
Any advice is appreciated....
Dead simple! On the new switch there will be a maximum load rating, either expressed in watts or in amps.
You can stick as many lights on as you like - as long as their total load is within the maximum rating of the switch.
So, if the switch is rated at, say, 300 W - you could switch lights totalling that much in wattage.
If the switch is rated in amps, simply multiply that number by your local lighting supply voltage (say 110V) to get the total watts. So a 5A switch could manage 550 watts of total load.
Depending on circumstances, I would consider printing out some small sticky labels with a max wattage and put them on the light sockets - so there would be no possibility of anyone putting, say, a heat and light unit into it.
I see that it is rated at 500W for 120V of incadecent lighting, which is what I have. Together the lights would never go above 250W.
Thanks, great help!
I think there are also limits to the number of outlets allowed on one circuit.
Not in a dwelling. That is the reason for 240.4(D)
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