I'm on site at a job in which the electrician installed some RRD-8ANS switches to control some outdoor lighting. I can't get a hold of him so wanted to ask here. The switch is getting warm to hot to the touch. I looked at the wiring and from what I can tell it all looks good. Is this an issue with too much wattage due to the amount of bulbs? There are 6 stone pillars with lamps on them out at the end of the driveway. I haven't calculated the total wattage of bulbs yet but wasn't sure it matters as it does with the dimmers.

Is this normal or cause for concern?

I've done the dimmers and if the wattage is to high the dimmer would get hot and then shuts down until it cools back down. We would have to swap them out for 1000w dimmers. Not sure if the switches are the same but you can check the box and see if there is a wattage limit on them

I looked at the box and they show they are 8a and up to 1/4 hp motor but nothing about wattage limits. I've seen the same thing thst you described with the dimmers, but not switches.

8 amps at 120v is around 960 watts, more or less

You can always replace the bulbs with "Edison" style LED bulbs which will solve any problems with too much current draw and look good doing it.


[Link: superbrightleds.com]

Just took a look at the bulbs. There are 22 candelabra style bulbs. They do not have any wattage markings on them so I cannot tell for sure what our total is.

Can you use a clamp on meter to see what the entire circuit is drawing? Something is telling me that the distance of the run is causing the bulbs to draw more amperage because they aren't getting the proper voltages (under load). I just assume that it's a long run, because you mentioned that they are at the end of the driveway.

KOT

I should've looked at what a typical candelabra bulb uses. Assuming it's LED, as I highly doubt there are any CFL or any more old style bulbs left. I used a 60-watt equivalent (500 lumens), which the LED version uses 7-watts. 22 x 7-watts is 154-watts. Then add some voltage loss over that run, blah blah blah. You should still be well under the 960-watts.

With that said... If they are the old style bulbs at 60-watts x 22 is 1320, which is well over that switch's allowance. Even a 40-watt bulb (another typical used wattage of the old style) at 22 is at 880-watts, cutting pretty close but will cause the switch to be hot.

KOT

These are not LED bulbs.

If they are 60-watt bulbs each, then they are over limit. If they are 40-watt, then they are under limit, but still able to cause lots of heat at the switch.

KOT

On switched outside circuits you should always be using a contactor to energize the circuit and the 8ans to energize the coil in the contactor. The amp draw for the contactor coil is negligable and the 8ans is protected from overdraw and electrical short from water entering a fixture enclosure.

Changing bulbs is not a permanent solution. Someone may change bulbs to higher wattage at a later date.

What would you suggest as the best course of action?

- Why a contactor as a practical matter?

I've lived in/worked on homes for 40+ years that had dimmers on outside circuits and never had an issue that would suggest a contactor as being required.

Outside circuits are going to be GFI protected so water getting in is going to trip that.

- Increasing the load outside of spec can happen on any circuit inside or out.

If you found a fixture or circuit carrying too much load because the wrong bulbs were installed would you not change them simply because somebody else, at some future time, might change them again?

1. Change the bulbs and place labels every possible place stating any bulb replacement MUST be LED below a certain level.

Or maybe:

2. Possible to replace the light switch with a 1500 watt dimmer switch?



That existing switch IS a fire hazard.

Existing, meaning the non Ra2 switch that was in place beforehand? BTW, I removed the ra2 switch for now and put the old one back that thankfully the electrician left. I couldn't reach him before leaving and did not feal comfortable leaving it in that state.