outdoor lights

[haskindm]

If you use CFL's, you can't put them on a dimmer.

Unless they are dimmable CFL's.

 

[roger3829]

Unless they are dimmable CFL's.

They don't dim as well or as much as incandescents.

 

[RUWired]

check that math again.
I get (with #10 solid):
Section, amps, Sect ft, Tot ft, Source V, Load V, Sect %VD, Tot %VD
1, 7.5, 51.4, 51.4, 120.0, 119.1, 0.77%, 0.77%
2, 7.5, 51.4, 102.9, 119.1, 118.1, 0.78%, 1.54%
3, 7.5, 51.4, 154.3, 118.1, 117.2, 0.78%, 2.31%
4, 7.5, 51.4, 205.7, 117.2, 116.3, 0.79%, 3.09%
5, 7.5, 51.4, 257.1, 116.3, 115.4, 0.8%, 3.86%
6, 5, 51.4, 308.6, 115.4, 114.8, 0.53%, 4.37%
7, 2.5, 51.4, 360.0, 114.8, 114.4, 0.27%, 4.63%

Where did you come up with section footages with the O.P.wiring? I basically went to the end of the circuit with the wire size he wanted to use.

 

[mivey]

Phillips makes ones specifically for outside fixtures.

A lot of the GE CFL's are rated to start down to 5 degrees F or 10 degrees F. The light output will be greatly reduced since rated output is at 77 F (or maybe some other temp in the 70's). Most people I've run across don't really care about the reduced output since they get warm fuzzies about CFLs.

The ones I have are rated to start down to -27F with optimal usage from -10F to 140F. When it gets down near freezing, some will glow pink but never brighten up.

 

[mivey]

Where did you come up with section footages with the O.P.wiring? I basically went to the end of the circuit with the wire size he wanted to use.

I did not figure he would put 7 radial trenches out to the lamps so I chained the posts for the longest run (the 3-post circuit). I made this assumption because he said "the last post" instead of "the farthest post".

I let this worst-case circuit run through the same trench as the 4-post circuit (sections 1-4) and divided the longest distance by an even post spacing to get the section lengths.

It is very likely that he could have at least two runs or more (one going left, one going right?). We did not have the layout details, so we really can't run the calcs for him and be sure anyway.