How Do I Know if My Holiday Lights Are Overloading My Circuits?

It’s easy to get carried away by the holiday season and want to add more string lights and glowing snowmen on every porch. As long as you’re not going to go full-blown Grizwald, it seems like illuminating your home with the holiday spirit is harmless enough.

But when your circuits start tripping or your outlets feel warm, it’s a sign that your home is trying to tell you something. Our licensed Centennial electricians and Denver electricians at Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical are here to let you know when festive lighting is asking for more power than your system is safely designed for.

Signs You’re Overloading Your Electrical Circuits

There are plenty of clues that your circuits are overloading:

• Lights start flickering or dimming when you plug in your decorations
• A breaker trips shortly after you turn everything on
• Your outlets are buzzing, hot to the touch, or give off a faint burning smell
• The wall plates near your plugs start to discolor

If these sound like a regular occurrence at your house, unplug your lights (and any extra devices or cords) right away and give your system a breather. Then give us a call to take a look at expanding your electrical panel or adding more circuits. Overheating wires don’t wait for the holidays to end.

Understand Your Circuit Breakers’ Limits

Most homes around the Denver area run 15-amp lighting circuits at 120 volts. To stay safe, don’t use more than about 80 percent of your circuit breaker’s capacity. That means:

• 15A circuit → no more than 12 amps continuous load
• 20A circuit → no more than 16 amps continuous load

That quick math will help keep you on track and your home safe.  When in doubt, use the formula:

Amps = Watts ÷ Volts 

Use 120 for volts. Add up the total watts of what’s plugged into one circuit and check that number!

Putting Calculations in Action

Now let’s put that calculation to the test. Let’s say you’re hanging up six incandescent light strings at 40 watts each and two yard inflatables at 60 watts, making 360 watts total.

360 ÷ 120 = 3 amps.

Those numbers work out on a 15A circuit, but only as long as nothing else on that same breaker is drawing heavy power.

Taking Advantage of LED Lights

You can also reduce your electrical load this holiday season by grabbing some LED lights. They’re brighter and draw less electricity. 

• A typical LED string: 2 to 5 watts
• An old incandescent string: 35 to 70 watts

Best of all, switching to LEDs gives you room to create a winter wonderland in your home. You can add more lights without pushing your system. They also run cooler and last longer, making it a win for safety and storage.

Spread Out Your Electrical Load

It’s normal to see electrical outlets in one room sharing a circuit. What does that mean? Using different plugs doesn’t always mean you’re on different breakers. Play it safe and spread out your illuminated décor between separate circuits, and not just separate outlets. Here are a few other lighting tips for the holidays: 

• Keep cords off rugs and out from under doors
• Use outdoor-rated cords for outdoor lights
• Add timers so the system rests overnight
• Never daisy-chain multiple extension cords

These small steps can keep your circuit breakers from working overtime.

Upgrade Protection Where It Counts

Are your outdoor outlets missing GFCI reset buttons? They’re outdated. GFCIs are vital and cut power instantly if moisture or imbalance is detected. Indoors, AFCI outlets prevent sparks and hazards caused from worn wiring behind walls. Our licensed electricians at Bell can handle both upgrades, supercharging your decorations pulling power while keeping your property safe. 

When Your Electrical Panel Can’t Keep Up

If your lights flicker every time the coffee maker runs, your electrical panel is probably dangerously maxed out and needs an immediate upgrade. Many older homes in the Denver, Centennial, and surrounding area still rely on 100-amp service. The only problem is that type of amp service was designed for another era. 

You need one of our licensed electricians to add dedicated holiday circuits or upgrade your electrical panel so your holiday light show (and your home) can stay safe and make your neighbors jealous.

Before You Plug In Your Holiday Lights

Before you start rolling out the lighting design for the holidays, exercising a little organization and safety can save headaches later. 

• Label which circuit breakers control which outlets
• Add up the wattage before you decorate
• Test your GFCI outlets to be sure they trip and reset
• Inspect your cords for cracks, loose prongs, or heat
• Schedule an electrical inspection with our team at Bell to make sure you have everything you need for a safe, worry-free holiday season

Once you know your system can handle everything, flip the switch and enjoy the holiday glow without worrying about what’s going on with your electrical panel. 

Call Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical for All of Your Holiday Electrical Service

Celebrate the holidays with an illuminated, hazard-free home. Our licensed electricians at  Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical are always here for electrical panel upgrades, wiring inspections, circuit repairs, surge protection installation, full electrical inspections, and more.

We’ll make sure your breakers are up to the task before you hang your next strand of lights. Schedule your appointment today!