How Many Lights on a 15A Circuit Breaker? Calculate Wattage for 15 Amp Circuit & Number of Fixtures 

I've been an electrician for 6 years now and this guy has solid knowledge, and excellent teaching qualities. I always recommend my coworkers to these types of videos to help learn the more in depth side of electrical distribution and code. Keep up the great work man!

Ben, thank you for your videos. The first thing I notice and like about your videos is the style of electrical work you display, very clean, very ordered, very professional; even though 99.9% of it will be hidden from view after the finish work. Secondly, I like the time you take in explaining the point, or lesson, you set out to show in your videos. Very impressive. Very Professional.

Here are some hand tools that I highly recommend: www.amazon.com/shop/benjaminsahlstrom Really appreciate all of your comments and the discussion here! Let me know what thoughts you have! If you use one of tha above links it will also help support the channel at NO cost to you. I wouldn't be able to do this without you guys. Blessings, Ben

Hey Ben, Thanks for sharing your knowledge. RU-vid channels like yours have given me the courage to take on many DIY projects. Cheers.

thank you for the video, good explanation, be trying to find something like this.

I love to see young people with brains and using it. God bless you young man keep up the good work!

This video was articulated surprisingly well. Btw, another reason why you wanna have separate breakers is for troubleshooting different floor levels. Plus, depending on your region’s code you might have a limit on how many light fixtures you can put on it.

4 years later we still watching your video 2020. Thank you!!!

So far the best simple explanation I've watched. Thanks. Hope u have more videos!

Thanks Ben for breaking this down in a way I can understand

excellent video kid thank you for sharing love your vid's home to see some more coming!!!!

Wow. So many questions answered in one video. Thanks, man!

I am impressed with your web or youtube learning show about electrical instruction install. I am very much going to be following you with questions almost about anything in terms of electricity 101. Very good show i give it a thumbs up.

Good information bro for the novice. I like how you've spelled it out.

I switched my entire house to LED several years ago. Big saving. Your tutorials are always informative. Keep them coming.

Man you're my favourite guy to learn from! Quick, concise, and super knowledgeable. Keep it coming dude, love the videos!

When I was taught that calculation (in stagecraft class, for figuring cabling and dimmer loads), we called it the West Virginia formula. West Virginia The abbreviation for the state, before two-letter postal abbreviations, was W.Va W VA W = V times A. Easy little memory tool for remembering.

Well done! A clear and concise explanation with a good amount of relevant supporting information.

Thank you for this clear, easy and straight to the point video !! Safety is extremely important and you gave us all the main tips... Awesome starter video on this topic...

cool... good job and good luck with the house! Was kinda watching 5 or 6 other guys... you broke down an hour vid into 4 minutes. Cheers!.

Every time I watch one of your videos, I learn so much! I am a public school teacher and I can honestly say that you are a true teacher!

Dude this is the best explanation I've seen on RU-vid so far... thanks for helping us newbies

Well done! I appreciate the well explained answer.

Finally I understand this calculation. Great job 👍

Best and easiest explanation!!! Appreciate the math and the "dumbing" down for us non electricians. Now I know for sure I can add 3 LED's in my garage to my existing 2 light circuit which is 15 amps.

This came in handy today, thanks a lot. Good job!

Excellent- succinct yet thorough and very helpful. Thanks!

Ontario (Canada) building code allows up to 12 sockets & lights in one single circuit of a 15A in the living areas. Kitchen and washrooms are different because high power appliances are more likely used in these areas.

Thank you Ben. 2nd video of yours. Teach well and you are capable of breaking down complex to simple. Appreciate the way you make it easy and simple. Keep it up and thanks again, cheers, Maurice :)

Simple, brief and to the point video. Thank you!

Awesome, I needed a refresher. Thanks for the excellent tutorial!

Once again it's your video that helps me out LOL thanks Ben :-)

I was taught to use the fixture max wattage, if you did all fluorescent lights you would add up the bulb wattage plus the ballast efficiency right?

Really helpful bro, thanks for sharing your precious knowledge with us which we unable to source ourselves to appropriate people like you to acquire much informative life skills because of many reasons. Again thank-you very much, commenting from Papua New Guinea

Bruh you Sir are so EPIC for answering a question everyone has been seeking a simple explanation to!!! I'm now subbed and please keep the vids coming!!!! 🙏🏼😇

Thank you for the solid information sir!

Thank you sir for answering a question that not normally people look for continue the good work

Wow! Thanks man! I love the theory education, can you explain arcing or burnt outlet?

Yours explanation is very good & perfect & positive

Always providing excellent videos

Thank you for this great and relevant information. I love incandescent recessed lights. I just got mine installed.

thank you for the video and information broken down

Thanks got a project at the hall and they never sent me out to residential. Def worth subscribing

Good explanation....simple with points...thank you

Circuit 14 gauge wire (15A) (120V) = 1800W maximum contineuos load of a circuit is 80% = 0.8 multiplying (1800W) (0.8) = 1440W fixture wattage = 65W dividing 1440W / 65W = 22.15 lights 22 spotlights Thanks Ben

Great tutorial.

Great video. I've been looking all over the internet for this simple tutorial. Glad I stumbled upon your video. What if there are receptacles in the circuit, how much do they consume ? I would assume you subtract their wattage from the total.

You are the best. I really like your videos. No bs straight to the point.

You explain everything very well and you really know what u are doing keep making more videos.Thanks

This is gold! thank you!!

Great explanation, concise and informative. Thank you.

Very well explained video. Thank you.

Great job Ben

Great, short video that answers the question VERY well.

Awesome explanation!! Thanks

Man, you are just AWESOME!!!

Practical, useful, and even interesting. Thank you!

Thank you for explaining it the way u did..

Ben you are the best... very detail information easy to understand . Good job

Fine explanation! Thanks for sharing.

Hello, Great video and explanation!!! I’m having a situation now, i got a new washer machine 10 amps and when I plug 🔌 it the outlet sparks ⚡️. it only sparks when I plug the washer. I understand it has the most amps compare to the others appliances where I have it located. Also it is plugged to a gfci outlet. Now let me tell you about the breaker where i plug it. It is a 20 amps breaker and I noticed that breaker supply my refrigerator 6.5 amps and another outlet which I use it to charge cellphones and and 1 led light with low amps as well. Now when I use the washer machine, only the refrigerator is pulling amps and the rest are unplugged. Do you think is the refrigerator plugged in the same outlet causing the sparks ? Even though the outlet are separated but coming from the same 20 amps breaker. Sorry if this is too much writing and hope I won’t confused you. Thanks!!

What a great video! Very clear and informative 👌 👍

Good Explanation...Keep up the good work.

Informative and clear enough.

B, Excellent presentation! Thank you!!!

You make great videos! Keep it up Thank you!

very straightforward and easy to understand - thank you!

great breakdown

Benjamin, A few finer points about this. Recess lights wattage used must be based on the maximum wattage that the trim will allow. Watts and va are the same for incandescent lamps, but are not the same for fluorescent, HID, or LED. For these fixtures always use VA(listed amps x listed voltage). As a designer, I never use the maximum number of fixtures. I leave enough room on circuits that if a few lights need to be added, it can be accomplished with existing circuits.

Muchas Gracias Señor Benji for your good teachings is very helpful thanks👍🏻

Good refresher course for me. Very simplified explaination on why 's..

Nice and great explanation!!

Thanks bro. Just what I was looking for.

Excellent video! Good job Ben.

You have a really great ability to convey the subject to your viewer. You're articulate and easy to understand. My girlfriend has a 3600 square foot house built by KB in 2005. While I'm relatively sure that the wiring meets code, it seems to be the bare minimum at best. It's amazing how many receptacles and ceiling lamps are mixed on a single 15A circuit. If two people plug in a small electric heater in their bedrooms, it will trip the breaker and half the second floor goes dark. Also, it has the thinnest 14 gauge wire I have ever seen in my entire life. I had to do a double-take the first time I saw it. It might have been marked 14-2, but I compared it visually to a piece of scrap 14 THHN laying in the bottom of my pouch. The actual wire was considerably thinner. No kidding! This stuff looks like mismarked 16-gauge! No way that shit is made in this country. One other thing to remember when calculating ceiling circuits, is a lot of people are adding illuminated ceiling fans where there used to be just a single light in the middle of the room. The codes are written as the "minimum" accepted. I think it's worth a little time and money in the long run to use better materials and use fewer receptacles on each circuit. Best of luck. Stay safe, healthy and happy.

Thanks for halping. The explanation is so clear

Before watching it was thinking enter stage left LED lighting. All of them! I divide mine by rooms by level vs passages. So a two story house would have one for each level, and a third for the passages (hallways, stairs, etc.). This way if you are in a room and do something that trips the circuit, you are not in the dark finding you way back to the panel.

Nice and simple and very helpful- thx!

Thanks dude. I learned something today.

Great video! Lots of great into. Thanks.

very good explanation thank you.

Yes sir that’s how you explain quick and very informative

thanks bro, very well explained

thankfully be blessed

well explained .. keep it going dude

We do lighting in 12, and usually split the house in 3 lighting circuits. Split downstairs into 2 lighting circuits and one upstairs, and each room gets a receptacle home run on its own

They have lied to you young man .Im impressed you have done your homework great job God bless you 🙏👍

Thanks for the info bro keep on keeping on..

Educational video awesome thanks for sharing your knowledge

Thanks you’re explaining is thorough !

Such an informative awesome video dude!

Very sound logical explanation. If circuit space was a concern. I would have no issue bringing multiple home runs into a junction box, and tying into 1 breaker. But one thing to keep in mind. Particularly on lighting loads. If 1 circuit controls the entire home, or even 1 entire floor. If the breaker trips the entire area will be in the dark. Assuming its dark out. Nice video

Excellent video,my good friend! Thank you!

Great job explaining.

Your audio was great! what did you use to record it?

Great video, thanks for sharing 👍

Well done. Thank you.

excellent job explaining, good about LED's that if you need to add a few extra lights later on that same circuit Led will work without overloading circuit....Under kitchen cabinet lighting is a good place...

thank you for the break down. also does that formula work for receptacles?

great video!