Light Fixture from Hong Kong
I bought a lighting fixture from a designer in Hong Kong which uses 220 volts at 50hz. Does anyone know if I’ll be able to rig up a device where I can use this in the U.S.? I don’t know of any transformers that will directly connect to the ceiling light box. Many thanks!!
I bought a lighting fixture from a designer in Hong Kong which uses 220 volts at 50hz. Does anyone know if I’ll be able to rig up a device where I can use this in the U.S.? I don’t know of any transformers that will directly connect to the ceiling light box. Many thanks!!
Bob Marvin,
I understand your point and do not mean to beat the dead horse here. I think the logic behind thick wires is not to have 1800W lights. Everything should be wired so if there is a ground short, the wire should carry the current (15A) and the breaker should blow. In other words all wires on the 15A breaker must safely handle 15A current.
Likely I never dealt with this first hand, but what if there is a fire in the house and insurance inspector will find lamp with thin wires. Would he point at it as a non-UL listed device and use it as an excuse to deny insurance? What if fire was started by completely different problem? Would they need to prove that fire was started by this lamp’s wiring?
If the wires look shockingly thin, rewiring MIGHT be justified, especially if it’s a DIY job for the OP. The idea of spending a few hundred dollars (as eman suggested it might cost)to have someone else do the job offends my basic cheapness, err, frugality 🙂
BTW the one light fixture I did have professionally re-wired (a ’20s deco French wrought iron fixture that also had to be shortened and welded back together) has what looks like # 16 wire. I presume that the lighting dealer/restorer, who I knew well and trusted, used such thin wire out of necessity because a heavier gauge wouldn’t fit. I’ve had the fixture in my dining room for over 20 years with no problems.
It’s easy enough to rewire anyway. I’d just do that & replace the transformer if there is one.
Yes, but it’s just a LAMP. Even if it has the equivalent of #16 wire, that would work fine in the real world. How on Earth would you be able to put bulbs large enough to draw 10A in a household light fixture? You’d have to wear sunglasses indoors.
If the OP is concerned about the amount of current the fixture might draw, or, more realistically, about the heat the bulbs produce, she could always use compact fluorescent bulbs that are much lower wattage.I use them in almost all my lamps and light fixtures and IMO the “warm white” versions look fine.
here we go:
300W fixture will draw 1.5A of 220V. But it will draw 3A of 110V. So you need wires, which can handle twice more current. If fixture was wired with euro equivalent of 16AWG, you might need to replace it with 14AWG wire.
Or from another prospective: Europen breakers are 5A or 10A. And fixture wires are designed for 10A. Now if you going to put it on the 15A American breaker the thiner european wire can blow before the 15A breaker.
You shouldn’t have to rewire the fixture at all; you MIGHT have to change the sockets, but NOT if US-type 110 V bulbs fit.
eman–why isn’t rewiring a fixture (if needed) a possible do-it-yourself job, if the OP is so inclined? It ain’t rocket science.
I can’t comment on what bobjohn’s wrote as I can seldom understand his written English.
the way I understand it 110V will requre x2 current to provide same power. x2 current supposed to run in x2 thicker wires. I am not sure how much of an issue over-current in 50cm of wiring in the fixture, still this is something to be clear about.
get a lighting shop to rewire the fixture as needed, since it is not a do it yourself job… hope that the fixture is really nice because this could cost a few hundred dollars
If the light fixture takes regular 220 V bulbs with threaded Edison or candelabra sockets, you’ll just have to substitute 110 V bulbs. If it has British-type bayonet sockets, it would be better to change the sockets than to use a transformer with 220 V bulbs–finding replacement bulbs would be a PITA (and where would you mount the transformer in a ceiling fixture?). If (which I think is unlikely) your fixture uses low voltage bulbs and has a transformer/power supply that’s made to work with 220 V, you’d have to change it to one that works with 110 V.
FWIW, I don’t think the change from 50 to 60 cycles makes any difference with a light fixture–only with a device (like an electric clock) that relies on the line current for timing.