Van's Air Force
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Size circuit breaker?
- Thread starter Mogli
- Start date
Circuit Breaker is dependent on wire size which is dependent on the continuous current (amps) drawn by the lamp.
http://support.anywheremap.com/pdfs/wiresize.PDF
http://support.anywheremap.com/pdfs/wiresize.PDF
1 breaker or 2?
Are you going to use 1 breaker/fuse or 2?
I used 2 switchable breakers. 16G wire to each light and a 10A switchable breaker for each light pair of lights.
Problem of using 1 breaker/fuse is the wire to the light may require heavier wire since you have it hooked up to a higher rated breaker. (ie: 15 amp breaker should have 14 gauge wire).
Kinda like wiring a house. You put in a 20 amp breaker, you install 12 gauge wire. Put in a 15A, you use 14G wire.
That link from 2nd thread is excellent info.
Are you going to use 1 breaker/fuse or 2?
I used 2 switchable breakers. 16G wire to each light and a 10A switchable breaker for each light pair of lights.
Problem of using 1 breaker/fuse is the wire to the light may require heavier wire since you have it hooked up to a higher rated breaker. (ie: 15 amp breaker should have 14 gauge wire).
Kinda like wiring a house. You put in a 20 amp breaker, you install 12 gauge wire. Put in a 15A, you use 14G wire.
That link from 2nd thread is excellent info.
Andy Hill
Well Known Member
Mogli...
We fitted the Van's RV-8 lights... but wired the lights to separate switches i.e. a switch/CB for the "upper lights" and another for the "lower". 4 x 75W bulbs.
Each Switch/CB controls 150W = 12.5A, so used 15A Switch/CB. 15A x distance to wingtips is marginal 14AWG v 12AWG... so we went for 12AWG.
You might do better with a Switch and separate fuses for each side, which would let you reduce the wire size?
If I did it again, I would only use 1 bulb per side, reduce wire/switch weight, and have 2 spare bulbs. We are at ~85hours with lights on all the time, and all 4 bulbs still OK (but only 2 in use at any one time).
HTH?
Andy & Ellie Hill
RV-8 G-HILZ http://www.g-hilz.co.uk
We fitted the Van's RV-8 lights... but wired the lights to separate switches i.e. a switch/CB for the "upper lights" and another for the "lower". 4 x 75W bulbs.
Each Switch/CB controls 150W = 12.5A, so used 15A Switch/CB. 15A x distance to wingtips is marginal 14AWG v 12AWG... so we went for 12AWG.
You might do better with a Switch and separate fuses for each side, which would let you reduce the wire size?
If I did it again, I would only use 1 bulb per side, reduce wire/switch weight, and have 2 spare bulbs. We are at ~85hours with lights on all the time, and all 4 bulbs still OK (but only 2 in use at any one time).
HTH?
Andy & Ellie Hill
RV-8 G-HILZ http://www.g-hilz.co.uk
circuit breaker size
Andy Hill,
Thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for. I know about wire size and distance - just needed a starting point with amps drawn by the bulbs. The lights are already in my plane and I was using a 10 amp fuse(from my other plane, leading edge lights) and kept popping the breakers and before I started taking things apart, I wanted to go easy first and ask about breaker size.
Thanks
Mogli
Andy Hill,
Thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for. I know about wire size and distance - just needed a starting point with amps drawn by the bulbs. The lights are already in my plane and I was using a 10 amp fuse(from my other plane, leading edge lights) and kept popping the breakers and before I started taking things apart, I wanted to go easy first and ask about breaker size.
Thanks
Mogli
